RANE Podcast Series

In part 2 of a two-part series on conspiracy theories, the conversation turns to how businesses can combat conspiracy theories and disinformation by planning ahead and making listening a priority. Hosted by David Lawrence, the Founder and Chief Collaborative Officer from RANE, the Risk Assistance Network + Exchange, panelists, include: David Broniatowski, Director of the Decision Making and Systems Architecture Laboratory, George Washington University. David conducts research in decision making under risk, group decision making, the design and analysis of complex systems, and how behaviors spread online. This research program draws upon a wide range of techniques including formal mathematical modeling, experimental design, automated text analysis and natural language processing, social and technical network analysis, and big data. Robert Ludke | Senior Consultant, ENODO. Bob joined ENODO to provide strategic consultation across different topics and industries. Throughout his career, Bob has advised policymakers in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, taught at the U.S. International University in Nairobi, Kenya, provided counsel on strategy, reputation management, and public affairs to the largest companies in the world. Dr. Scott Shumate, Founder of Valutare. Valutare is a behavior psychology consulting firm which provides risk assessments of client personnel including insider threat and pre-hire screening. Matthew Siegel, CMO and Head of Global Client Group, Aperture Investors. Matthew’s career has focused on the application of new technologies and digital marketing strategies to industries undergoing transformation, primarily in media and entertainment.

In this Episode of the RANE Insights podcast series, RANE Founder and Chief Collaborative Officer, David Lawrence convenes a roundtable of experts to discuss the origin, virality and consistency of conspiracy theories. As the COVID-19 virus has proliferated across the globe, so too has the spread of conspiracy theories purporting to explain the virus’ creation and purpose, ranging from theories about Bill Gates to the virus being a US bioweapon. Amid an environment filled with mistrust and uncertainty, the pandemic has provided a perfect breeding ground that enables niche conspiracies to circulate rapidly and even move into the mainstream, which is resulting in behavioral changes that are risking health and safety around the world. RANE experts share their insights on why conspiracy theories go viral amid a pandemic and how to formulate corporate responses that can stem the spread of disinformation.  Participants David Broniatowski, Director of the Decision Making and Systems Architecture Laboratory, George Washington University David conducts research in decision making under risk, group decision making, the design and analysis of complex systems, and how behaviors spread online. This research program draws upon a wide range of techniques including formal mathematical modeling, experimental design, automated text analysis and natural language processing, social and technical network analysis, and big data. His work on systematic distortions of public opinion about vaccines on social media by state-sponsored trolls been widely reported in the academic and popular press. Robert Ludke | Senior Consultant, ENODO Bob joined ENODO to provide strategic consultation across different topics and industries. Throughout his career, Bob has advised policymakers in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, taught at the U.S. International University in Nairobi, Kenya, provided counsel on strategy, reputation management, and public affairs to the largest companies in the world, and led numerous crisis engagements and reputation building campaigns. He has developed an expertise in assisting organizations on CSR, sustainability, and environment, social, and governance (ESG) practices to bolster their brand, safeguard their reputations, and drive business results. Dr. Scott Shumate, Founder of Valutare Valutare is a behavior psychology consulting firm which provides risk assessments of client personnel including insider threat and pre-hire screening. Dr. Shumate has over 27 years of experience as a lead behavioral psychologist with the Intelligence Community, where he conducted psychological assessments and studies on a wide range of groups. He can assist clients with Psychological Assessments and Studies, Intelligence Community Support Services, Cultural Intelligence Training and Linguist Support Services. Matthew Siegel, CMO and Head of Global Client Group, Aperture Investors Matthew’s career has focused on the application of new technologies and digital marketing strategies to industries undergoing transformation, primarily in media and entertainment. Most recently, Matthew served as Chief Digital Officer at Roc Nation, where he built and managed functions including digital and social marketing, data science and analytics, product development and digital business development. Previously, he ran part of Viacom’s digital music portfolio and led strategy for the company’s internal incubator. He was the co-founder of Indaba Music, a successful startup that developed one of the first crowdsourcing platforms.

In part 2 of a two-part series on conspiracy theories, the conversation turns to how businesses can combat conspiracy theories and disinformation by planning ahead and making listening a priority. Hosted by David Lawrence, the Founder and Chief Collaboartive Officer from RANE, the Risk Assistance Network + Exchange, panelists, include David Broniatowski, Director of the Decision Making and Systems Architecture Laboratory, George Washington University David conducts research in decision making under risk, group decision making, the design and analysis of complex systems, and how behaviors spread online. This research program draws upon a wide range of techniques including formal mathematical modeling, experimental design, automated text analysis and natural language processing, social and technical network analysis, and big data. Robert Ludke | Senior Consultant, ENODO Bob joined ENODO to provide strategic consultation across different topics and industries. Throughout his career, Bob has advised policymakers in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, taught at the U.S. International University in Nairobi, Kenya, provided counsel on strategy, reputation management, and public affairs to the largest companies in the world. Dr. Scott Shumate, Founder of Valutare Valutare is a behavior psychology consulting firm which provides risk assessments of client personnel including insider threat and pre-hire screening.  Matthew Siegel, CMO and Head of Global Client Group, Aperture Investors Matthew’s career has focused on the application of new technologies and digital marketing strategies to industries undergoing transformation, primarily in media and entertainment.   

In this Episode of the RANE Insights podcast series, RANE Founder and Chief Collaborative Officer, David Lawrence convenes a roundtable of experts to discuss the origin, virality and consistency of conspiracy theories. As the COVID-19 virus has proliferated across the globe, so too has the spread of conspiracy theories purporting to explain the virus’ creation and purpose, ranging from theories about Bill Gates to the virus being a US bioweapon. Amid an environment filled with mistrust and uncertainty, the pandemic has provided a perfect breeding ground that enables niche conspiracies to circulate rapidly and even move into the mainstream, which is resulting in behavioral changes that are risking health and safety around the world. RANE experts will share their insights on why conspiracy theories go viral amid a pandemic and how to formulate corporate responses that can stem the spread of disinformation. Guests:  David Broniatowski, Director of the Decision Making and Systems Architecture Laboratory, George Washington University Robert Ludke | Senior Consultant, ENODO Dr. Scott Shumate, Founder of Valutare Matthew Siegel, CMO and Head of Global Client Group, Aperture Investors. 

In this episode of the Essential Geopolitics podcast series from RANE, the conversation turns to Iran's cyber warfare strategies. Emily Donahue asks Senior Global Analyst, Matthew Bey how Iran's cyber attack strategy has evolved in recent years. In recent months, Iran targeted Israel’s water and sewage facilities. Israel retaliated with its own attack on a major Iranian port. What does the move to cyber warfare mean for US businesses and allies in the region? Subscribers of RANE Worldview can read Matthews assessments and analysis of Iran’s cyber capabilities and much more. Get started today at https://www.ranenetwork.com/worldview-subscribe. 

In this episode of the Essential Geopolitics podcast from RANE, Emily Donahue speaks to Asia Pacific Analyst, Evan Rees. It has been a busy few weeks on the Korean Peninsula. After weeks North Korea’s Supreme Leader Kim Jong-Un keeping a low profile, there's been several tactical and strategic maneuverings from that regime toward South Korea, and by extension, the US. Evan Rees discusses what is going on, what has provoked North Korean anger at South Korea and why is this happening now. Subscribers to RANE's premiere geopolitical publication, RANE Worldview, can read Rees' evaluations, strategic forecasting, and much more. Get your Worldview subscription started today at https://www.ranenetwork.com/worldview-subscribe. 

In this Essential Geopolitics podcast from RANE, Emily Donahue speaks with Senior European analyst, Adriano Bosoni. Most of the data coming from Europe suggests that the continent’s economic outlook is quite negative. Bosoni answers questions including: What are the continent’s main challenges in the coming months? Is Europe’s reaction to the COVID-19 crisis different from what the governments and institutions did during the financial crisis a decade ago? And whether his crisis will have political or social repercussions.   Subscribers to RANE Worldview can read all of Bosoni's analysis of European economies, responses to COVID-19 and more. Get started with your Worldview subscription today at https://www.ranenetwork.com/worldview-subscribe. 

In this episode of the Pen and Sword podcast from RANE, Emily Donahue speaks to William Craig Reed about an event that happened twenty years ago, after the Cold War had ended, and a few months before the US and Russia sent the first crew to the international space station. The event was the explosion that sent the Russian nuclear submarine Kursk to the bottom of the Barents Sea. William Craig Reed says the tragic accident wasn't the whole story of that event and we can learn much from what happened today. Reed is the former navy diver and fast-attack submariner, and the author of Red November. You can read original geopolitical analysis of the Kursk event, as well as the relationship between Russia, China and the U.S. today on RANE Worldview, the premiere geopolitical publication from RANE. Subscribe today at https://www.ranenetwork.com/worldview-subscribe. 

In this episode of the Essential Geopolitics podcast from RANE, Emily Donahue speaks with Sim Tack, Senior Global analyst. The topic: The US has announced talks with Russia on the New START nuclear arms control treaty in Vienna on June 22. Russia had long been asking for talks to extend the treaty but the US had refused to do so --- unless a new treaty included China. What's changed? Sim Tack writes for RANE's premiere geopolitical publication, RANE Worldview, where you can access thousands of articles on geopolitics and security. Sign up for RANE Worldview today at https://www.ranenetwork.com/worldview-subscribe. 

In this Essential Geopolitics podcast from RANE, Emily Donahue speaks with RANE's Director, Global Energy and Middle East, Greg Priddy about the Saudi currency peg. As Priddy writes in his RANE Worldview article on the topic, "The current collapse in crude prices is again fueling questions over the durability of the hard U.S. dollar currency peg used by Saudi Arabia. Despite the economic shock of the COVID-19 pandemic, the peg is likely to survive in the near term. But structural changes in both the global oil market and the Saudi economy means Riyadh will likely devalue its currency at some point in the next five years." Subscribers to RANE Worldview can read this and many more articles daily from the world's leading geopolitical intelligence team. Get started with your own subscription today at https://www.ranenetwork.com/worldview-subscribe.