In this week’s Monday episode, we explore the shifting dynamics of space governance with Chilean space policy expert Victoria Valdivia Cerda.

Dominic and Victoria examine how the growing entanglement between state power and commercial space actors is reshaping global norms. They discuss the challenges posed by the monopolisation of low Earth orbit, the blurred boundaries between public infrastructure and private control, and the risks of regulatory fragmentation. Starlink, as a prominent example, illustrates how a commercial platform can evolve into a geopolitical actor — raising urgent questions about accountability, access, and influence in orbit.

Victoria shares insights on the vulnerabilities of relying on a single private actor for global connectivity, particularly in times of crisis and disaster. She warns of the risks posed to democratic sovereignty, equitable access, and orbital sustainability when commercial dominance outpaces international regulation. The conversation also highlights Latin America's growing role in space, Chile’s forward-leaning defense strategy, and the urgent need for multilateral rules to prevent future orbital conflicts.

Victoria Valdivia Cerda is a Global Fellow at the European Space Policy Institute and lectures on space policy at Chile’s National Academy of Strategic and Political Studies. She has contributed to Chile’s national defense whitepapers and is a rising voice in international space governance, calling for smarter, more inclusive policymaking in orbit.

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. With over 20 years of experience managing complex operations in high-risk environments, combined with his roles as a public speaker and university lecturer, Dominic is uniquely positioned to guide these conversations. From conflict zones to corporate boardrooms, he explores the risks shaping our world and how organizations can navigate them.

The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.

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In today’s episode of The International Risk Podcast, we explore an overlooked yet vital aspects of national and international resilience and risk mitigation: youth work. With social unrest, economic inequality, and political extremism on the rise globally, the risks of neglecting young people are no longer abstract; they’re immediate, measurable, and increasingly destabilising.

Our guest, Abbee McLatchie, Director of Youth Work and the Deputy CEO at National Youth Agency, joins us to discuss why youth work isn’t just a social service - it’s a frontline defence against future crises. From community cohesion to countering radicalisation and addressing structural poverty, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Abbee McLatchie is the Director of Youth Work and the Deputy CEO at National Youth Agency. As Director of Youth Work, Abbee McLatchie leads on the development of professional standards; training and development; the National Youth Work Curriculum; as well as quality and safeguarding frameworks. Abbee has worked with young people through youth work since the 1990s in a range of environments from social care, to housing and homelessness services. She is particularly passionate about creating more access to identity and issue-based youth work that allows young people to use lived experiences to create social change for themselves and others.

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.

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In this week's episode, we dive into the intensifying crisis in the Red Sea with Professor Jamie Shea.

Dominic and Professor Shea unpack the surge of Houthi attacks on commercial shipping, the strategic responses of global powers including China, the United States, France, and Gulf states, and the regional and global ramifications of these disruptions. They explore the risks of unintended escalation in this vital maritime corridor, the impact on 12% of global trade, the challenges of countering non-state actors, the evolving nature of hybrid warfare, and the fragility of maritime security norms. From asymmetric threats to the pressures on the global commons, this episode examines the complex dynamics threatening one of the world’s most critical trade routes and the potential for broader geopolitical fallout.

Jamie Shea is a globally recognized authority on security and strategy, with 38 years at NATO, including as Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges. He currently holds senior positions at prominent European think tanks, providing unparalleled insights into global security, maritime strategy, and geopolitical risks. His extensive experience includes shaping NATO’s response to emerging threats, from piracy to hybrid warfare.

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. With over 20 years of experience managing complex operations in high-risk environments, combined with his roles as a public speaker and university lecturer, Dominic is uniquely positioned to guide these conversations. From conflict zones to corporate boardrooms, he explores the risks shaping our world and how organizations can navigate them.

The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.

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Dive into the current crisis in Iran with Joseph Daher! Dominic and Joseph discuss the US and Israel's strategic operations, Iran's response and regional implications these might have, the global consequences and international reactions, the potential for an outright regional war, the nuclear ambitions of Iran, regional security and the growing insecurity, the role of global powers and more!

Joseph Daher is a Swiss-Syrian academic and activist. He currently teaches at the University of Lausanne (Switzerland), and at the University of Ghent (Belgium) and has been an affiliated professor at the European University Institute(EUI). He has worked with the EUI on the conflict in Syria and the aftermath of the war. Herewith Joseph has published multiple papers, which aimed to produce quality, strategic and accurate reports and analysis of wartime perspectives, challenges, trends and policy options in anticipation of post-conflict stabilisation in Syria.

Moreover, Joseph is an expert on Syria, Lebanon, and the Middle East, and has worked for various UN Agencies, NGO’s and research centers in consulting and expert mandates to conduct programs, trainings, and research for them. He is the author of three books: Hezbollah: The Political Economy of Lebanon’s Party of God, Syria After the Uprising: The Political Economy of State Resilience and Palestine and Marxism . Finally, he is the founder of the blog Syria Freedom Forever. He is also co-founder of the Alliance of Middle Eastern and North African Socialists.

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.

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Today host Dominic Bowen is joined by Mauro Lubrano. Mauro is a Lecturer in International Relations and Politics at University of Bath and earned his PhD from the University of St Andrews with his research revolving primarily around terrorism and political violence.

The rise of AI coinciding with the rise and intensification of global crises shows a surgence of groups who want to dismantle the technological system as we know it today. It raises the question as to whether anti-technology extremism has the potential to become a significant driver of political violence. In our conversation with Mauro today, we hope to gain an insight on Anti-Technology Extremism. He recently published a new book Stop the Machines: The Rise of Anti-Technology Extremism which discusses this topic.

Mauro's PhD thesis and more recent works examine the processes of terrorist innovation, seeking to understand the rationale and dynamics of operational and strategic changes in terrorist organisations. His most recent project has embarked on a systematic analysis of organisational dynamics in horizontal and ‘leaderless’ terrorist networks, looking at how ‘informal’ leaders manage to provide operational guidance and inspiration in decentralised settings. Mauro’s work has been published in multiple leading journals, including Terrorism and Political Violence, Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, and Perspectives on Terrorism, and he has collaborated with several think tanks and public institutions across Europe and the USA.

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.

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This week on The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen is joined by Almudena Azcárate Ortega to explore the rising role of commercial entities like Starlink in space security. Many commercially operated systems are dual-use, intermingling civilian and military services in manners that are often ambiguous and can heighten tensions, raising questions about targetability and the responsibilities of commercial actors. Certain commercial technologies, such as debris removal systems, also raise concerns as their capabilities could potentially be repurposed to harm other actors, thus blurring the lines of what constitutes a weapon in outer space. In this context, Almudena highlights the risks of further militarization, geopolitical tensions, and the urgent need for transparency and regulation.

Almudena Azcárate Ortega is the lead Space Security Researcher at UNIDIR and an Academic Fellow at Georgetown University, where she is pursuing her doctorate in space security law. She led UNIDIR’s participation in the UN Open-Ended Working Group on Reducing Space Threats and holds an LL.M. in National Security Law from Georgetown and an LL.B. from the University of Navarra.

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.

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This week on The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen is joined by Dr. William Potter to explore the escalating risks and eroding norms surrounding nuclear weapons in today’s fractured global order. As traditional arms control mechanisms falter and new technologies complicate deterrence, Dr. Potter outlines the mounting dangers of miscalculation, norm erosion, and geopolitical mistrust in nuclear decision-making.

Drawing on decades of firsthand experience, from every NPT Review Conference since 1995 to advising the United Nations, Dr. Potter walks us through critical developments including Russia’s nuclear signaling, China’s evolving posture, and the destabilizing potential of non-state actors. From radiological weapons to AI-enabled crisis simulations, this conversation highlights how fragile the global nuclear architecture has become, and what it will take to rebuild trust and transparency.

Dr. William Potter is the Sam Nunn and Richard Lugar Professor of Nonproliferation Studies and Founding Director of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at MIIS. He has served on the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters and participated in every major NPT negotiation since 1995. He is the author or editor of over 20 books, including his latest: Death Dust: The Rise, Decline, and Future of Radiological Weapons Programs.

Related Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Book: Death Dust: The Rise, Decline, and Future of Radiological Weapons Programs (Stanford Universityi Press, 2023).

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!

Today Dominic Bowen hosts Dr. Olivia Mason. They dive into the intricacies of post-colonial states, environmental collapse and how the colonial era has influenced this collapse, post-colonial neglect, the re-shaping of colonial control in a post-colonial era through for example international conservation efforts, green colonialism as a form of resource control, environmental degradation and its impact on migration from the Global South, climate reparations and how those would look like, and more!

Dr. Olivia Mason is a Lecturer in Political Geography at Newcastle University. Her research explores mobility politics and resource colonialism, with a focus on Jordan and the South West Asia and North Africa (SWANA) region. She is particularly interested in how colonial legacies continue to shape environmental governance, nature, and cultural heritage. Olivia is committed to environmental and social justice and has worked extensively with NGOs, policymakers, artists and local communities to produce more equitable environmental futures.

Her research on mobility politics explores how movement is shaped by colonial legacies, culture, and infrastructure building, with published work on the politics of walking and cultural geographies of trail making in Jordan and the infrastructural geopolitics of walking trails across the SWANA region. Her work on resource colonialism examines how historical and contemporary forms of colonialism shape the environment. She is currently leading a UKRI-funded project that examines the relationships between resource extraction, indigenous rights, and postcolonialism in nature reserves in Jordan. This resource has resulted in publications that trace how nature conservation in Jordan is shaped by colonial frameworks and imaginations. She has also used participatory methods with communities living around nature reserves sites in Jordan today and published on the politics of indigeneity and the complex relationships between local communities, cultural heritage, and conservation sites.

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!