The International Risk Podcast

Hosted by Dominic Bowen

Business Entrepreneurship News CommentaryInterviews guests

Website RSS feed

Episodes

375

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

EN-GB

About the show

Welcome to The International Risk Podcast — the premier destination for high-level insights into global risk dynamics. Hosted by Dominic Bowen, an accomplished senior advisor, each episode delivers expert analysis and actionable intelligence on today’s most pressing international risks. From geopolitical tensions and economic upheavals to cybersecurity threats and environmental challenges, we bring clarity to the complex risks shaping our world. Tailored for CEOs, Board Members, senior managers, and risk professionals, our weekly episodes are essential listening for those making strategic decisions in volatile environments. With distinguished guests from diverse sectors and geographies — including renowned industry experts, policymakers, and thought leaders — we provide a multidimensional perspective, equipping you with insights to stay ahead of emerging threats and capitalize on new opportunities. Our host, Dominic Bowen, is a senior business leader, and Partner at 2Secure where he is Head of Strategic Advisory and leads a team of senior management consultants and advisors. Join us for engaging, thought-provoking conversations that go beyond the headlines. Stay informed, stay ahead, and transform the way you perceive and manage international risks. The International Risk Podcast is not just a podcast; it’s is crucial listening for today's leaders.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 16, 202631 min

Episode 375: Mapping Power: Gerrymandering, Redistricting, and the Future of US Political Power with David Daley

This episode hosts David Daley to examine the accelerating role of gerrymandering in shaping American democracy and what it reveals about the pressures facing modern electoral systems. The conversation explores his argument that democratic strain is driven not only by electoral cycles or individual political choices, but by the deliberate drawing of electoral maps that enables political actors to select their voters, weaken accountability, and reshape the incentives that underpin democratic competition. Daley argues that while gerrymandering has long been part of American politics, its contemporary form is defined by greater precision, scale, and the degree to which it is now enabled by advanced data systems and a permissive legal environment.The episode examines how technological change has transformed redistricting into a highly sophisticated analytical process. Drawing on census data, historical voting patterns, and commercially available behavioural datasets, political operatives are now able to model electoral outcomes at the level of individual households. Advanced mapping software allows thousands of district configurations to be tested and refined before any boundaries are finalised, turning what was once a broadly geographic exercise into a data-driven process of political optimisation. This technological shift has strengthened the ability of parties to entrench advantage in an era of deep political polarisation.A central focus of the conversation is the evolving legal framework governing redistricting in the United States. Daley highlights the Supreme Court’s 2019 decision in Rucho v. Common Cause, which removed federal courts from adjudicating partisan gerrymandering claims and effectively eliminated a key national constraint on extreme map-drawing. He also points to the longer-term weakening of Voting Rights Act enforcement following Shelby County v. Holder (2013), which dismantled the federal pre-clearance system. Taken together, these rulings have shifted oversight away from federal institutions and into a fragmented landscape of state courts, constitutions, and political processes, producing uneven constraints across the country and enabling more aggressive partisan behaviour in many jurisdictions.David Daley is a journalist, political commentator, and bestselling author of Ratf**ked, a landmark study of partisan gerrymandering in the United States first published in 2010. His work examines how changes in redistricting strategy, electoral law, and political technology have reshaped American democracy over the past two decades. Daley has written extensively on the impact of map-drawing on representation, highlighting how advances in data analytics and shifts in judicial oversight have transformed gerrymandering from a relatively blunt political practice into a precise instrument of partisan advantage.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 instability 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.Subscribe for all our updates!Tell us what you liked!Tell us what you liked!

June 11, 2026Episode 37427 min

Episode 374: The Illusion of Separation: Civil-Military Coordination in Modern Conflict with David Higgins

This episode hosts David Higgins to explore the complex and often misunderstood boundary between military operations, humanitarian action, and political stabilisation in modern conflict environments. Drawing on two decades of experience across the British Army, the United Nations, and geopolitical advisory work, we look at how different institutions operating in the same space can interpret the same conflict in fundamentally different ways, and how those differences shape outcomes on the ground. The discussion focuses on David’s central argument that civil-military coordination frameworks still assume a level of clarity between “military space” and “civilian space” that increasingly no longer exists. While these distinctions were difficult but workable in conflicts such as Afghanistan and Somalia, today’s environments are far more fragmented, with blurred front lines, overlapping actors, and the increasing weaponisation of civilian domains including information, finance, and infrastructure. As a result, coordination mechanisms risk becoming procedurally active but operationally ineffective. David Higgins is Head of Humanitarian Access and Civil-Military Coordination in Somalia for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). He has spent twenty years working across the civil-military boundary as a British Army infantry officer, humanitarian and stabilisation adviser, and geopolitical analyst, including deployments to Helmand Province and roles across Afghanistan, Iraq, and East Africa. He previously served as Head of Geopolitical Analysis at M&C Saatchi World Services and as a reservist Lieutenant Colonel with the British Army’s 77th Brigade, and holds a research master’s focused on hybrid threats and UK national security. 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 instability 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. Subscribe for all our updates! Tell us what you liked! Tell us what you liked!

June 9, 2026Episode 37333 min

Episode 373: Social Norms and Political Violence with Erez Levin

This episode hosts Erez Levin to examine the shifting boundaries of acceptable public speech and what this reveals about the health of modern democratic societies. The conversation explores his central argument that liberal democracies depend not only on formal legal frameworks, but also on informal social guardrails, shared moral taboos that limit the public acceptability of overt hateful bigotry and dehumanising rhetoric. As these guardrails weaken in fragmented and algorithmically driven information environments, previously marginal forms of rhetoric can become more visible, more tolerated, and in some cases gradually normalised within mainstream political discourse.Erez Levin is an advertising technologist and former Google employee whose work focuses on the intersection of digital media systems, online advertising incentives, and the health of public discourse. Through his “Holding the Line” project and writing on Substack, he examines how societies can maintain democratic resilience by reinforcing shared norms that constrain the social acceptability of overt hateful bigotry, while preserving space for open political debate.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 instability 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.Subscribe for all our updates!Tell us what you liked!

June 8, 2026Episode 37225 min

Episode 372: Who Controls Your Health Data? Palantir, the NHS and the Risks of Digital Dependency

In this episode of The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen speaks with Phil Booth, coordinator of medConfidential and a long-standing campaigner on medical confidentiality, patient consent and data governance, about what Palantir’s growing role in the NHS reveals about public trust, private technology companies and the data infrastructure increasingly underpinning the modern state. The conversation examines the NHS Federated Data Platform, the use of Palantir Foundry and the wider risks that arise when critical public infrastructure becomes dependent on private technology companies. Phil argues that the central issue is not only whether the software works, but who controls it, how easily it can be scrutinised or replaced, and whether patients have any meaningful choice over how their health data is used. Dominic and Phil discuss the limits of pseudonymisation, weaknesses in current opt-out arrangements, the commercial value created around NHS workflows and data systems, and the danger of long-term vendor lock-in. Phil reflects on earlier disputes surrounding care.data and the extraction of GP records, arguing that successive governments have repeatedly failed to treat public consent as a necessary condition of legitimate health-data use. They also explore how Palantir’s work with military, intelligence and policing organisations can create ethical and strategic tensions when the same company becomes deeply embedded in healthcare systems. 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 instability 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. Subscribe for all our updates!Tell us what you liked!

June 4, 2026Episode 37121 min

Episode 371: Mali at the Breaking Point: Insurgency, Military Rule, and the Future of the Sahel with Ulf Laessing

This episode with Ulf Laessing examines the recent escalation of unrest in Mali and what it reveals about the deeper fragmentation of authority across the central Sahel. The conversation explores how sustained insurgent pressure, weak state institutions, and shifting alliances between military governments and armed groups are reshaping the trajectory of the Malian state.We discuss why Mali has become a central node in the wider Sahel crisis, how jihadist groups are adapting their operational strategies, and what the breakdown of territorial control means for regional spillover into Niger, Burkina Faso, and coastal West Africa. The episode also considers the role of external actors, including Russian security partnerships and regional bloc responses, in shaping both stability and instability.Ulf Laessing is the Head of the Sahel Programme at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. His work focuses on governance, security dynamics, insurgency trends, and political risk across the central Sahel region.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 instability 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.Tell us what you liked!

June 3, 2026Episode 37037 min

Episode 370: The Global Race to Detect the Next Outbreak: Ebola, Hantavirus, and the Politics of Public Health Response with Professor Meru Sheel

In this episode, we host Professor Meru Sheel to examine whether global health systems are prepared for the next major infectious-disease outbreak. Drawing on her work in infectious-disease epidemiology, vaccine research, emergency preparedness and global health security, Professor Sheel explores the difficult questions now facing governments, public-health agencies and international institutions: how quickly outbreaks can be detected, how effectively information is shared, and how public-health systems can respond before local emergencies become wider international crises. Set against the recent Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, and the international response to the MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak, this conversation looks at the race between disease spread, surveillance, public trust and political coordination.We discuss why outbreaks test far more than medicine alone. Professor Sheel explains how public-health responses depend not only on vaccines, diagnostics and contact tracing, but also on logistics, risk communication, community engagement and trust in institutions. We explore the difference between individual severity and population-level risk, why a virus can be highly fatal without necessarily posing a pandemic-style threat, and why public-health messaging must warn people without creating panic. The episode also examines the role of the International Health Regulations, the World Health Organization, national governments and multidisciplinary response teams in managing complex, cross-border outbreaks involving cruise ships, repatriation, quarantine, clinical care and international contact tracing.Professor Meru Sheel is Professor of Infectious Diseases and Global Health at the University of Sydney. Her work focuses on epidemiology, vaccine research, outbreak preparedness, emergency response and immunisation systems, particularly across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. She has worked extensively on the relationship between routine vaccination systems and health emergency preparedness, and her research examines how surveillance, community engagement, vaccine delivery, public-health coordination and equity shape the ability of countries to prevent, detect and respond to infectious-disease threats. 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 instability 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.Subscribe for all our updates!Tell us what you liked!

May 31, 2026Episode 36937 min

Episode 369: Reopening the Strait: Hormuz, Sea Power, and the Fragility of Global Trade with Dr Emma Salisbury

This episode with Dr. Emma Salisbury explores how the closure of the Strait of Hormuz exposed the vulnerabilities of the global maritime system, revealing how a regional conflict can rapidly become a global economic and security crisis. The conversation examines why critical maritime chokepoints remain central to international trade, energy security, and geopolitical competition, and what recent disruptions tell us about the resilience of the modern global economy.We discuss the challenges of reopening contested waterways, the balance between disruption and protection at sea, and why freedom of navigation is becoming increasingly contested from the Persian Gulf to the South China Sea. The episode also considers the state of Western naval readiness, the growing importance of maritime resilience, and what a more fragmented and competitive international order could mean for global trade, critical infrastructure, and security.Dr. Emma Salisbury is a maritime security specialist and Non-Resident Senior Fellow in the National Security Program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. Her work focuses on naval strategy, maritime power, defence policy, and the role of sea power in contemporary geopolitics.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 instability 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.Subscribe for all our updates!Tell us what you liked!

May 29, 2026Episode 36829 min

Episode 368: Shadow Policing and Transnational Repression: China’s Global Campaign Against Critics with Sam Goodman

In this episode, we host Sam Goodman to explore China’s global campaign of transnational repression, shadow policing, and pressure against critics abroad. Drawing on his work on Hong Kong, UK-China relations, sanctions, the BN(O) community, and economic transnational repression, Sam explains how Chinese and Hong Kong authorities project power beyond their borders through surveillance, diaspora intimidation, legal pressure, financial coercion, and attempts to silence pro-democracy voices far beyond China and Hong Kong.We discuss the recent UK National Security Act case involving two men convicted in London for assisting a foreign intelligence service in a case centred on Hong Kong authorities, pro-democracy activists, and alleged shadow policing on British soil. Sam explains why this case matters, what it reveals about the vulnerability of open societies, and how Chinese state-linked activity can move through trade offices, former police networks, private security actors, immigration systems, community intermediaries, and financial institutions.The conversation also explores the everyday impact of transnational repression on Hong Kongers and other diaspora communities in the UK, including fear of infiltration, pressure on family members back home, self-censorship, and the chilling effect on civic participation. Sam also explains why economic transnational repression remains under-recognised, from frozen bank accounts and blocked pension access to professional disqualification, tax pressure, lawsuits, and compliance systems that can turn Western institutions into unwitting enforcers of authoritarian political objectives.Sam Goodman is Senior Policy Director at the China Strategic Risks Institute and co-founder of the New Diplomacy Project, a Labour-focused foreign policy think tank. He was previously Policy and Advocacy Director at Hong Kong Watch, where his work focused on Hong Kong, UK-China policy, sanctions, the BN(O) community, and responses to the Hong Kong National Security Law. He is also the author of The Imperial Premiership: The Role of the Modern Prime Minister in Foreign Policymaking 1964–2015. His recent work at the China Strategic Risks Institute examines economic transnational repression and how the PRC and Hong Kong authorities can use financial pressure, bank accounts, pension access, professional qualifications, tax claims, and compliance systems to coerce dissidents abroad.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 instability 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.Subscribe for all our updates! Tell us what you liked!

May 27, 2026Episode 36730 min

Episode 367: From Rodents to Cruise Ships: Hantavirus and the Risks of a Hyperconnected World with Dr Giulia Gallo

In this episode, we host Dr Giulia Gallo to explore hantavirus, the recent MV Hondius cruise ship outbreak, and why a rare but serious infectious disease can generate global headlines without necessarily becoming a pandemic-style threat. Drawing on her work in molecular virology, viral-host interactions and viral glycoproteins at The Pirbright Institute, Dr Gallo explains what hantaviruses are, why they are not new, how they are carried by rodents, and why different hantaviruses cause different disease patterns in different parts of the world. We discuss the difference between Old World and New World hantaviruses, why Andes virus is unusual because of its capacity for limited human-to-human transmission, and what public-health officials mean when they describe that transmission as “limited”. Dr Gallo explains why hantavirus can be extremely severe for an infected individual while still presenting a low risk to the wider population, and why the difference between individual severity and population-level transmissibility is so important for public understanding. The conversation also examines the MV Hondius outbreak, including the possible land-based exposure in Argentina, the role of the cruise ship as a confined environment, and why enclosed spaces, close contact, limited airflow and international travel can make outbreak response more complex. Dr Gallo also takes us into the science of viral glycoproteins: the proteins on the outside of viral particles that help viruses enter host cells. She explains why viral entry matters, how it shapes infection, and why studying these mechanisms helps scientists understand how viruses move between animals and humans.Dr Giulia Gallo is a postdoctoral scientist in the Viral Glycoproteins Group at The Pirbright Institute. Her work sits at the intersection of molecular virology, viral-host interactions, viral entry, immune responses and zoonotic spillover. Her research has included work on orthohantaviruses and how viral proteins interact with human immune responses, making her especially well placed to explain hantavirus biology, viral transmission and the scientific uncertainty surrounding rare but serious infectious diseases. Her expert commentary on the hantavirus outbreak has featured on Sky News, BBC World News, Channel 4 News, Associated Press and other national and international media.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 instability 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.Subscribe for all our updates! Tell us what you liked!

May 24, 2026Episode 36631 min

Episode 366: The UAE Exit from OPEC: Geopolitics, Energy Security, and the Shifting Gulf Balance

The Gulf is entering a period of profound geopolitical and economic uncertainty. As tensions around the Strait of Hormuz continue and global energy markets face mounting pressure, the United Arab Emirates has taken the extraordinary decision to leave OPEC, raising major questions about the future of energy coordination, regional alliances, and global economic stability.Today on The International Risk Podcast, we are joined by Dr Dania Thafer, one of the leading analysts of Gulf politics, energy security, and regional geopolitics. Dr Thafer is the Executive Director of the Gulf International Forum and an expert on Gulf security, political economy, and US Gulf relations.In this episode, we explore why the UAE chose to leave OPEC, how the conflict with Iran is reshaping Gulf strategy, the growing vulnerability of global chokepoints, the future of fossil fuel markets in an era of technological transformation, and what rising instability in the Gulf could mean for international trade, energy security, and the global economy.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. Tell us what you liked!