The International Risk Podcast
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.
Episodes
335 episodes
Episode 334: North Korea: Strategic Signalling, Economic Constraint, and Regional Risk with Rachel Minyoung Lee
This episode with Rachel Minyoung Lee examines the evolving risk landscape surrounding North Korea, moving beyond headlines focused solely on nuclear escalat...
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32:00
Episode 333: Securing the State: Crisis Management and Counterterrorism Strategy with Professor Sir David Omand
In this episode, we host Professor Sir David Omand to explore crisis management, counterterrorism, and intelligence at the highest levels of the British state. Drawing on a career that includes senior roles at GCHQ, the Home Office, the ...
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40:31
Episode 332: Who Pays for Climate Damage? Climate Litigation, Risk, and Accountability with Dr Rupert Stuart-Smith
In this episode of The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen speaks with Dr Rupert Stuart-Smith about the rapid expansion of climate litigation and what it means for corporate strategy, financial stability, and intern...
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27:05
Episode 331: Hypersonic Missiles, Nuclear Deterrence and the New Arms Race
In this episode of the International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen speaks with Ankit Panda, Stanton Senior Fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and author of The New Nuclear Age: At the Precip...
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Season 6
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Episode 331
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27:42
Episode 330: Current State of Sudan in 2026
This episode with Hamid Khalafallah examines the current state of Sudan’s civil war beyond shifting battlefield developments. We explore how patterns of territorial contro...
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32:35
Episode 329: Inside Russia's War: Strategy, Technology and the Future of Security with Elizabeth Bullock
This episode with Elizabeth Bullock examines the lived reality of Russia’s modern warfare, drawing on her three years working in frontline Ukraine.From evacuating civilians under fire to navigating the evolving threats of drones, hypersonic mis...
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Season 6
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Episode 329
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36:18
Episode 328: Food Security and Systemic Resilience: National Preparedness in Globally Integrated Food Systems with Tim Lang
In this episode of The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen speaks with Professor Tim Lang about food security as a systemic risk embedded within highly interdependent global supply, trade, and governance networks. The conver...
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22:45
Episode 327: Hypersonic Missiles and Global Strategy: Implications for Hegemony, Arms Control, and Systemic Security with Dr Jacob Parakilas
This episode of the International Risk Podcast explores hypersonic missiles through the lens of global strategy, defense policy, and international security. Host Dominic Bowen interviews Dr. Jacob Parakilas from Rand Europe about what makes hyp...
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Season 6
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Episode 327
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33:28
Episode 326: Iran Under Pressure: Economic Strain, Political Stability, and Regional Risk with Professor Djavad Salehi-Isfahani
This episode with Professor Djavad Salehi-Isfahani examines how prolonged sanctions, inflation, and structural economic stagnation have reshaped Iran’...
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Season 6
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Episode 326
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30:54
Episode 325: BRICS and the Economic Role of Emerging Global Powers with Mihaela Papa
In this episode host Dominic Bowen unpacks the growing influence, and mounting challenges, facing BRICS as the bloc expands and expectations rise with Mihaela Papa.From Brazil’s 2025 presidency and AI regulation to climate finance...
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Season 6
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Episode 325
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26:50
Episode 324: Syria’s Shifting Identity and Political Landscape with Ola Rifai
In this episode of the International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen speaks with Dr Ola Rifai about the evolution of Syrian identity and how competing narratives of nationalism, sectarianism, and statehood have shaped the country’s political trajec...
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Season 6
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Episode 324
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29:15
Episode 323: Live from Syria: The Risks That Lie Between Liberation and Reconstruction with Dominic Bowen
There are some days in the calendar that people will never forget. 8 December 2024 is a day Syrians will certainlt remember: Liberation Day. Now a national holiday, it marks the fall of the Assad family regime—a dictatorship that had ruled Syri...
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Season 6
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Episode 323
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39:25
Episode 322: Getting enterprise risk management right with Simon Grima
In this episode, we host Professor Simon Grima to explore why risk management is too often treated as paperwork and how it can become a genuine strategic superpower when anchored to clear objectives and stakeholder needs. We unpack...
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Season 6
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Episode 322
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22:41
Episode 321: Understanding Radicalisation and Violence with Allizandra Herberhold
In this episode, we host Allizandra Herberhold. We explore how curiosity can become a pathway to radicalisation, and what families, educators, and communities can do before it’s too late. From recognising early warning signs such as isol...
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Season 6
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Episode 321
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26:28
Episode 320: Skyrocketing Gold prices: geopolitical risks and trends
Due to popular requests, we are re-releasing this episode, where Dominic Bowen and Dr. Moshe Lander discuss the recent spike in gold prices, the opportunities, and internati...
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Season 6
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Episode 320
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36:37
Episode 319: From AI to Bullion: What Gold Tells Us About Market Risks in 2026
In this episode, Dominic Bowen and Russ Mould discuss why gold has returned to the centre of global finance amid rising geopolitical risk, sanctions, and record government debt.Find out more about what is driving gold’s surge beyond ...
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Season 6
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Episode 319
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29:26
Episode 318: Behavioural Risk with Simon Keslake
In this episode Dominic Bowen speaks with Simon Keslake, co-founder of Behavioural Risk Intelligence, about why organisational failure is so often driven by behaviour rather than systems or policies. They explore what behavioural risk re...
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Season 6
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Episode 318
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30:50
Episode 317: The Rise of Parallel Financial Systems: Digital Currencies, Sanctions Evasion, and Geoeconomic Influence with Dr Daniel McDowell
This episode with Dr Daniel McDowell examines how digital currencies, financial sanctions, and geopolitical competition are shaping the future of the glob...
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Season 6
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Episode 317
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32:07
Episode 316: After Maduro: Power, Illicit Economies and the New Rules of Intervention
In this episode, Dominic Bowen and Brian Fonseca discuss the capture of Nicolás Maduro and why this dramatic moment does not automatically mark the start of a democratic transition in Venezuela. Find out more about who truly holds power inside ...
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Season 6
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Episode 316
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33:42
Episode 315: The Afterlife of Far-Right Extremism with Scott Ernest
In this episode, we hear from Scott Ernest about his journey into far-right extremism, exploring the factors that drew him in, including fear, wedge issues, and the influence of social media and conspiracy theories. He also reflects on how the ...
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Season 6
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Episode 315
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24:26
Episode 314: Afghanistan Today: Security Myths, Gender Apartheid, and Global Risk
In this episode, Dominic Bowen and Emily Winterbotham discuss how Afghanistan has evolved since the Taliban’s return to power, challenging simplified narratives around se...
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Season 6
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Episode 314
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29:50
Episode 313: Greenland at a Crossroads with Dr Gabriella Gricius
Greenland is not for sale. That was the message from Denmark and Greenland after the White House summit on the 14th January. Meanwhile, President Trump says the US needs to “own” Greenland for national security, to stop Russia and China in the ...
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Season 6
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Episode 313
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34:50
Episode 312: The Disorderly Society: Global Governance in an Age of Fragmented Power with Dr Bobo Lo
This episode with Dr Bobo Lo explores the breakdown of the post-Cold War rules-based international order and what is emerging in its place. We examine why...
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Season 6
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Episode 312
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37:01
Episode 311: Grey Zones at Europe’s Edge: Ceuta, Melilla and Maritime Power with Dr. Ángeles Jiménez
In this episode, Dominic Bowen and Ángeles Jiménez discuss the geopolitical significance of Ceuta and Melilla as Europe’s only land borders with Africa, and why these two Spanish cities embody sovereignty disputes and migration pressure between...
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Season 6
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Episode 311
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41:02
Episode 310: Reengineering Life, Reshaping Risk: Synthetic Biology’s Benefits and Risks for the Global Community with Dr Tae Seok Moon
This episode with Dr Tae Seok Moon explores how synthetic biology is rapidly transforming medicine, climate innovation, and industrial production, while intro...
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Season 6
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Episode 310
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27:58