The International Risk Podcast

A difficult topic, one that we keep seemingly talking about without our governments doing anything - The ongoing genocide in Gaza. Dominic and Assem Dandashly discuss the paradox of aid and conflict, the reality on the ground in Gaza, the Western (and international) hypocrisy and what the inevitable consequences are of this hypocrisy, the role of Western democracies, the full erosion of International Law and Human Rights, and more...Assem Dandashly is an Associate Professor at the Department of Political Science at Maastricht University. He is an expert on the EU-MENA relations. Prior to joining Maastricht University in September 2012, Assem was a Research Fellow at the Kolleg-Forschergruppe “The Transformative Power of Europe” Freie Universität Berlin. Assem holds a PhD in Political Science (2012) from the University of Victoria, BC Canada.Prior to moving to Berlin, Assem was a Research Associate at the Centre for Competition policy at the University of East Anglia. He was also a research assistant and sessional instructor at the University of Victoria. In 2008-2009, Assem was a visiting researcher at the Economic University of Krakow in Poland and the Central European University in Budapest. Before moving to Victoria, Assem was a Fulbright Graduate Student at Marquette University, Wisconsin-USA.The International Risk Podcast brings you conversations with global experts, frontline practitioners, and senior decision-makers who are shaping how we understand and respond to international risk. From geopolitical volatility and organised crime, to cybersecurity threats and hybrid warfare, each episode explores the forces transforming our world and what smart leaders must do to navigate them. Whether you’re a board member, policymaker, or risk professional, The International Risk Podcast delivers actionable insights, sharp analysis, and real-world stories that matter.Dominic Bowen is the host of The International Risk Podcast and Europe’s leading expert on international risk and crisis management. As Head of Strategic Advisory and a partner at one of Europe’s leading risk management consulting firms, Dominic advises CEOs, boards, and senior executives across the continent on how to prepare for uncertainty and act with intent. He has spent decades working in war zones, advising multinational companies, and supporting Europe's business leaders. Dominic is the go-to business advisor for leaders navigating risk, crisis, and strategy; trusted for his clarity, calmness under pressure, and ability to turn volatility into competitive advantage. Dominic equips today’s business leaders with the insight and confidence to lead through disruption and deliver sustained strategic advantage.The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.Follow us on LinkedIn and Subscribe for all our great updates!Tell us what you liked!

A different episode today where Dominic hosts one of his colleagues Elisa Garbil  on the Podcast! They dive into Elisa's top 5 International Risks and debate why these are so important. Listen to the episode to find out which risks she finds important, what Dominic finds of them, and what their argumentation is towards why this is an important top 5.They discuss the episodes of: Mauro Lubrano, Rik Peels, Sander van der Linden, Dr. Allysa Czerwinsky, and Aaron Winter. Dominic Bowen is an experienced business leader and corporate advisor at Europe's leading risk management consultancy. Dominic supports business leaders, boards, and executives make informed management decisions. With 20 years’ experience specialising in strategy development, organisational resilience, risk management, business continuity, and crisis response he leads and manages global risk-remediation across various industries and sectors. He has helped teams around the world plan for and respond to high-impact events, including cross-border crises, change management, natural disasters, and geopolitical turmoil. He has supported organisations design and implement operational resilience programs and enterprise risk management frameworks.Moreover, Dominic is the host and CEO of The International Risk Podcast. He has a Diploma in Public Safety, a Diploma in Security and Risk Management, a Diploma of Management, a Master's Degree in International Relations, and currently finalising a Master of International Law.Elisa Garbil is the Podcast Producer and Investigative Research Lead at The International Risk Podcast, where she leads on strategic editorial direction, in-depth research, and high-level stakeholder engagement. The International Risk Podcast brings you conversations with global experts, frontline practitioners, and senior decision-makers who are shaping how we understand and respond to international risk. From geopolitical volatility and organised crime, to cybersecurity threats and hybrid warfare, each episode explores the forces transforming our world and what smart leaders must do to navigate them. Whether you’re a board member, policymaker, or risk professional, The International Risk Podcast delivers actionable insights, sharp analysis, and real-world stories that matter. The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.Follow us on LinkedIn and Subscribe for all our updates!Tell us what you liked!

In this week's episode, Dominic Bowen speaks with Dr. Bruce Jones about the shifting balance of power in the South China Sea and the future of maritime strategy. Dr. Jones, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and author of To Rule the Waves, joins the International Risk Podcast to discuss China’s escalating naval activity, gray zone tactics, and the growing risk of conflict in the Indo-Pacific. Together, they explore how China’s military drills have evolved into potential launchpads for rapid escalation, the vulnerability of Taiwan, and the strategic calculus behind Beijing’s posture.Dr. Jones is a Senior Fellow in the Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology and the Center for Asia Policy Studies at The Brookings Institution. His research focuses on U.S. strategy, international order, and great power relations, and he has extensive experience in international security policy. Dr. Jones has significant expertise in intervention and crisis management. He served in the United Nations’ operation in Kosovo and was special assistant to the U.N. special coordinator for the Middle East peace process.The International Risk Podcast brings you conversations with global experts, frontline practitioners, and senior decision-makers who are shaping how we understand and respond to international risk. From geopolitical volatility and organised crime, to cybersecurity threats and hybrid warfare, each episode explores the forces transforming our world and what smart leaders must do to navigate them. Whether you’re a board member, policymaker, or risk professional, The International Risk Podcast delivers actionable insights, sharp analysis, and real-world stories that matter.Dominic Bowen is the host of The International Risk Podcast and Europe’s leading expert on international risk and crisis management. As Head of Strategic Advisory and a partner at one of Europe’s leading risk management consulting firms, Dominic advises CEOs, boards, and senior executives across the continent on how to prepare for uncertainty and act with intent. He has spent decades working in war zones, advising multinational companies, and supporting Europe's business leaders. Dominic is the go-to business advisor for leaders navigating risk, crisis, and strategy; trusted for his clarity, calmness under pressure, and ability to turn volatility into competitive advantage. Dominic equips today’s business leaders with the insight and confidence to lead through disruption and deliver sustained strategic advantage.The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.Follow us on LinkedIn and Subscribe for all our great updates!Tell us what you liked!

Dominic Bowen hosts Stefan Wolff back on the podcast to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war. They dive into the current state of the war, how Trump's ultimatum affects diplomatic tensions and whether this will actually change anything. Moreover they discuss Russia's hybrid warfare and the challenges these bring to peace talks. Find out more about Russia's long-term strategic objectives and the internal political stability in Ukraine, and more!Stefan Wolff is Professor of International Security in Political Science and International Studies, at the University of Birmingham. A political scientist by background, he specialises in the management of contemporary security challenges, especially in the prevention and settlement of ethnic conflicts, in post-conflict state-building in deeply divided and war-torn societies, and in contemporary geopolitics and great-power rivalry. Wolff has extensive expertise in the post-Soviet space and has also worked on a wide range of other conflicts elsewhere, including in the Middle East and North Africa, in Central Asia, and in sub-Saharan Africa. With almost three decades of experience in UK higher education, Wolff has a publication record that includes almost 100 journal articles and book chapters, as well as 20 books. He is the founding editor of Ethnopolitics, co-founder of Navigating the Vortex, and a regular international affairs contributor to The Conversation. Bridging the divide between academia and policymaking, Wolff regularly advises governments and international organisations and has been involved in various phases of conflict settlement processes, including in the disputed territories in Iraq, in Transnistria and Gagauzia (Moldova), in Ukraine, Syria, and Yemen. Wolff holds degrees from the University of Leipzig (Erstes Staatsexamen), the University of Cambridge (M.Phil.), and the LSE (Ph.D.).The International Risk Podcast brings you conversations with global experts, frontline practitioners, and senior decision-makers who are shaping how we understand and respond to international risk. From geopolitical volatility and organised crime, to cybersecurity threats and hybrid warfare, each episode explores the forces transforming our world and what smart leaders must do to navigate them. Whether you’re a board member, policymaker, or risk professional, The International Risk Podcast delivers actionable insights, sharp analysis, and real-world stories that matter.Dominic Bowen is the host of The International Risk Podcast and Europe’s leading expert on international risk and crisis management. As Head of Strategic Advisory and a partner at one of Europe’s leading risk management consulting firms, Dominic advises CEOs, boards, and senior executives across the continent on how to prepare for uncertainty and act with intent. He has spent decades working in war zones, advising multinational companies, and supporting Europe's business leaders. Dominic is the go-to business advisor for leaders navigating risk, crisis, and strategy; trusted for his clarity, calmness under pressure, and ability to turn volatility into competitive advantage. Dominic equips today’s business leaders with the insight and confidence to lead through disruption and deliver sustained strategic advantage.The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.Follow us on Tell us what you liked!

This week on The International Risk Podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Joachim Schüz for a critical conversation on why cancer prevention must be treated as a global systems risk, not simply a medical challenge. Dominic and Joachim explore how exposure to toxins, industrial expansion, regulatory failure, and political inertia are reshaping the global cancer burden, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.They unpack the paradox: over 40 percent of cancers are preventable, yet only 5 percent of global cancer funding goes to prevention. From air pollution and pesticides to trade deals and workplace standards, they examine how commercial incentives and political short-termism continue to undercut basic prevention measures, and how these choices quietly externalise cancer risks across borders.As cancer risk increasingly mirrors patterns of inequality, Joachim reflects on the intersecting roles of governments, multinationals, and international institutions in addressing the social, occupational, and environmental conditions that shape who gets sick, who gets treatment, and who is left behind.Dr. Joachim Schüz is the Head of the Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch at the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the World Health Organization’s leading cancer research body. With over three decades of experience, he has played a central role in mapping the links between environmental exposures, structural injustice, and cancer incidence. His work challenges us to rethink cancer prevention not only as a public good, but as a question of long-term strategy, international responsibility, and ethical governance.The International Risk Podcast brings you conversations with global experts, frontline practitioners, and senior decision-makers who are shaping how we understand and respond to international risk. From geopolitical volatility and organised crime, to cybersecurity threats and hybrid warfare, each episode explores the forces transforming our world and what smart leaders must do to navigate them. Whether you’re a board member, policymaker, or risk professional, The International Risk Podcast delivers actionable insights, sharp analysis, and real-world stories that matter.Dominic Bowen is the host of The International Risk Podcast and Europe’s leading expert on international risk and crisis management. As Head of Strategic Advisory and a partner at one of Europe’s leading risk management consulting firms, Dominic advises CEOs, boards, and senior executives across the continent on how to prepare for uncertainty and act with intent. He has spent decades working in war zones, advising multinational companies, and supporting Europe's business leaders. Dominic is the go-to business advisor for leaders navigating risk, crisis, and strategy; trusted for his clarity, calmness under pressure, and ability to turn volatility into competitive advantage. Dominic equips today’s business leaders with the insight and confidence to lead through disruption and deliver sustained strategic advantage.The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.Follow us on LinkedIn and Subscribe for all our great updates!Tell us what you liked!

The impact of the patriarchy on health care and climate change is one many of us might be aware of but do not know much about. Today Dominic hosts Petra Verdonk to discuss exactly what these consequences are and how they appear in our daily lives. Find out more about how climate change consequences are unequal, how gender-based violence is one that happens all around us, what solutions are to integrating gender into healthcare and research, and more!Petra Verdonk is an occupational health psychologist who earned her PhD in 2007 at Radboud UMC in Nijmegen with the dissertation Gender Matters in Medical Education. Most recently, she founded her own agency, Beyond Boundary, where she works at the intersection of gender, intersectionality, health, and the climate crisis.Her research and teaching focus on the critical analysis and implementation of gender and diversity in health and care. Moreover, Petra oversees scientific quality and anchoring of Tijdschrift voor Genderstudies, advising editors and identifying relevant developments in feminist theorising and gender studies.Petra co-founded the Dutch Society for Gender & Health (NVG&G), where she still serves as secretary, and chaired Stichting WAHO, an organisation advocating for young women with work disabilities (2001–2007). She was also a board member of the Women’s Union (FNV Vrouw, 2008–2016). Finally, as a climate activist with Extinction Rebellion, she co-founded the Dutch community XR Zorgprofessionals. At VU University, she successfully campaigned to end research collaborations with the fossil fuel industry.The International Risk Podcast brings you conversations with global experts, frontline practitioners, and senior decision-makers who are shaping how we understand and respond to international risk. From geopolitical volatility and organised crime, to cybersecurity threats and hybrid warfare, each episode explores the forces transforming our world and what smart leaders must do to navigate them. Whether you’re a board member, policymaker, or risk professional, The International Risk Podcast delivers actionable insights, sharp analysis, and real-world stories that matter.Dominic Bowen is the host of The International Risk Podcast and Europe’s leading expert on international risk and crisis management. As Head of Strategic Advisory and a partner at one of Europe’s leading risk management consulting firms, Dominic advises CEOs, boards, and senior executives across the continent on how to prepare for uncertainty and act with intent. He has spent decades working in war zones, advising multinational companies, and supporting Europe's business leaders. Dominic is the go-to business advisor for leaders navigating risk, crisis, and strategy; trusted for his clarity, calmness under pressure, and ability to turn volatility into competitive advantage. Dominic equips today’s business leaders with the insight and confidence to lead through disruption and deliver sustained strategic advantage.The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.Follow us on LinkedIn and Subscribe for all our gTell us what you liked!

This week Dominic hosts Zac Staples and they dive into how AI-native defence systems are reshaping the battlefield—and why getting this wrong isn’t just bad for business, it’s catastrophic for global stability. They discuss the challenges and opportunities AI bringsWhat AI's role could beHow AI can enhance securityPredictive maintenance and it's strategic importanceGlobal securityTempest OSNuclear deterrenceand more!Zac Staples is a former U.S. Navy officer and the founder and CEO of Fathom5, an industrial defence-technology company headquartered in Austin, Texas. Since 2018 he has led Fathom5 to uninterrupted growth and profitability. Zac and the Fathom5 team are building Brilliant Machines with new actuators, cyber resilient designs, and AI optimization. Among the company’s many accomplishments are the first program of record deployment of AI aboard a Navy warship, 17 fully awarded patents for actuator and cybersecurity technologies, and several examples of accelerating defense innovation.Before launching Fathom5, Zac served in the U.S. Navy for over two decades. His career of shipboard service culminated in Zac's selection as the Secretary of the Navy’s 2017 “Innovation Catalyst” award winner for pioneering efforts to develop new digital and cyber capabilities. His background steers Fathom5's vision toward tactical edge use cases for defence innovation.The International Risk Podcast brings you conversations with global experts, frontline practitioners, and senior decision-makers who are shaping how we understand and respond to international risk. From geopolitical volatility and organised crime, to cybersecurity threats and hybrid warfare, each episode explores the forces transforming our world and what smart leaders must do to navigate them. Whether you’re a board member, policymaker, or risk professional, The International Risk Podcast delivers actionable insights, sharp analysis, and real-world stories that matter.Dominic Bowen is the host of The International Risk Podcast and Europe’s leading expert on international risk and crisis management. As Head of Strategic Advisory and Partner at one of Europe’s leading risk management consulting firms, Dominic advises CEOs, boards, and senior executives across the continent on how to prepare for uncertainty and act with intent. He has spent decades working in war zones, advising multinational companies, and supporting Europe's business leaders. Dominic is the go-to business advisor for leaders navigating risk, crisis, and strategy; trusted for his clarity, calmness under pressure, and ability to turn volatility into competitive advantage. Dominic equips today’s business leaders with the insight and confidence to lead through disruption and deliver sustained strategic advantage.The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.Follow us on LinkedIn and Subscribe for all our great updates!Tell us what you liked!

This week on the podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Abha Saxena for a timely and incisive look at the geopolitics of global health. Dominic and Abha explore how vaccines, health infrastructure, and disease surveillance data are no longer just instruments of public good, but strategic tools of influence. They discuss the myth of apolitical global health, the geopolitical stakes of pandemic treaties, and how health dependencies can quietly erode national sovereignty.Together, they examine how the COVID-19 pandemic exposed deeper ethical fault lines - from donor-driven influence at the World Health Organization to the contested politics of pathogen access and benefit sharing. As global health is increasingly entangled with national security and data control, they also reflect on the role of private tech firms, AI, and cyber threats in reshaping public health governance. This conversation is essential listening for anyone concerned with global health equity, digital sovereignty, and the future of multilateral cooperation.Dr. Abha Saxena is one of the world’s leading experts in global bioethics and a renowned anaesthesiologist. Formerly head of global health ethics at the World Health Organization, she continues to advise research consortia, ethics committees, and governments on the intersections of science, sovereignty, and strategy. Her work spans the ethics of infectious disease outbreaks, equitable data sharing, and the risks of technological dependency in fragile health systems. She has been at the forefront of efforts to build more inclusive and just global health architectures, and continues to advocate for frameworks that foreground ethics, transparency, and global solidarity.The International Risk Podcast brings you conversations with global experts, frontline practitioners, and senior decision-makers who are shaping how we understand and respond to international risk. From geopolitical volatility and organised crime, to cybersecurity threats and hybrid warfare, each episode explores the forces transforming our world and what smart leaders must do to navigate them. Whether you’re a board member, policymaker, or risk professional, The International Risk Podcast delivers actionable insights, sharp analysis, and real-world stories that matter.Dominic Bowen is the host of The International Risk Podcast and Europe’s leading expert on international risk and crisis management. As Head of Strategic Advisory and Partner at one of Europe’s leading risk management consulting firms, Dominic advises CEOs, boards, and senior executives across the continent on how to prepare for uncertainty and act with intent. He has spent decades working in war zones, advising multinational companies, and supporting Europe's business leaders. Dominic is the go-to business advisor for leaders navigating risk, crisis, and strategy; trusted for his clarity, calmness under pressure, and ability to turn volatility into competitive advantage. Dominic equips today’s business leaders with the insight and confidence to lead through disruption and deliver sustained strategic advantage.The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.Follow us on LinkedIn and Subscribe for all our great updates!Tell us what you liked!

This week on the podcast we have Dr. Allysa Czerwinsky back to dive into the Manosphere and the ideologies that go with it, such as inceldom. Dominic and Allysa discuss the structures and dynamics of online extremist communities, what the differences are between the Red Pill and the Black Pill, and what those implications are. Moreover, they look at the different options for prevention and intervention strategies as well as the upcoming role of AI in accentuating misogynistic extremism. Dr. Allysa Czerwinsky (she/her) is a Research Fellow in AI Trust and Security and recently earned her PhD from the University of Manchester. Her research explores how male supremacism and misogynist extremism manifest in digital environments, accounting for the complex interplays between technology, harm, and violence. Her doctoral work traces the narratives present in stories shared to several incel-focused forums, uncovering how these stories help legitimise harm and provide additional knowledge about potential pathways into and out of inceldom. Alongside this, she’s interested in ethical approaches to conducting research in public-facing online spaces, and adopts a reflexive intersectional feminist praxis in her work.The International Risk Podcast brings you conversations with global experts, frontline practitioners, and senior decision-makers who are shaping how we understand and respond to international risk. From geopolitical volatility and organised crime, to cybersecurity threats and hybrid warfare, each episode explores the forces transforming our world and what smart leaders must do to navigate them. Whether you’re a board member, policymaker, or risk professional, The International Risk Podcast delivers actionable insights, sharp analysis, and real-world stories that matter.Dominic Bowen is the host of The International Risk Podcast and Europe’s leading expert on international risk and crisis management. As Head of Strategic Advisory and Partner at one of Europe’s leading risk management consulting firms, Dominic advises CEOs, boards, and senior executives across the continent on how to prepare for uncertainty and act with intent. He has spent decades working in war zones, advising multinational companies, and supporting Europe's business leaders. Dominic is the go-to business advisor for leaders navigating risk, crisis, and strategy; trusted for his clarity, calmness under pressure, and ability to turn volatility into competitive advantage. Dominic equips today’s business leaders with the insight and confidence to lead through disruption and deliver sustained strategic advantage.The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.Follow us on LinkedIn and Subscribe for all our great updates!Tell us what you liked!

Today Dominic Bowen hosts Will Tear on the podcast to discuss the tightening of immigration rules and what impact these have on businesses. They discuss real world examples of immigration challenges, the difficult task of balancing immigration policies and business needs, global competitiveness, upskilling, future risks and more!Will Tear is the Director at Pattison Shepley Ruvolo. He has focused on international recruitment for over 18 years in the areas of Immigration, Global Mobility and International Reward. His aim is to work with firms as their strategic talent partner with a view to providing the best in class candidate rather than the best available.The International Risk Podcast is a must-listen for senior executives, board members, and risk advisors. This weekly podcast dives deep into international relations, emerging risks, and strategic opportunities. Hosted by Dominic Bowen, Head of Strategic Advisory at one of Europe’s top risk consulting firms, the podcast brings together global experts to share insights and actionable strategies.Dominic’s 20+ years of experience managing complex operations in high-risk environments, combined with his role as a public speaker and university lecturer, make him uniquely positioned to guide these conversations. From conflict zones to corporate boardrooms, he explores the risks shaping our world and how organisations can navigate them.The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.Follow us on LinkedIn  and Instagram for all our great updates.Subscribe to our newsletter for weekly briefs.Tell us what you liked!