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Emerging Global Security Risks

Understanding trends and managing risks in international business

Globalization trends and increasing insecurities felt in high income, middle income and low income countries pose interesting challenges for international businesses seeking to expand their operations and interests.

These challenges includes issues such as:

  • weak enforcement capacity for regulatory measures
  • the impact of economic liberalization strategies on global exports
  • the power of ideas and modern technology
  • civil strife impacting on 'groups' of countries
  • non-state 'systems of governance'
  • the economic impact of recent demographic changes across the globe

This webinar will provide insights into these, and other, global trends and will provide a forum for a discussion of ways in which these trends impact (both positively and negatively) on today's international business leaders. The presentation will be pitched to senior and middle managers looking to internationalize business opportunities in various global regions. As the webinar will link conceptual issues and trends with more strategic business planning processes, the material will be of particular interest to those tasked with the initial evaluation of emerging opportunities, as well as those who are responsible for strategy development and implementation.

Following the presentation will be a period dedicated to Q&A with our speaker, allowing you to apply theoretical concepts to your current business challenges.

Session Leader

Dr. Ann Fitz-Gerald

Associate Professor, Management and Security, Cranfield University

Dr. Ann Fitz-Gerald is a Professor in Cranfield University’s Department of Management and Security at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom. As well, she is Director of the Cranfield Centre for Security Sector Management. She holds degrees in Commerce, International Relations, War Studies and Security & Defence Management. She currently serves on the Boards of the Institute for Research on Public Policy, Saferworld, the Canadian International Council (CIC), and the Security Sector Advisory Group for UK Trade and Investment. She also chairs the International Working Group on National Security.

Since joining Cranfield’s faculty in 2001, Ann has served as Associate Dean (Research) and has led Cranfield's Centre for Security Sector Management for the past eight years.  She is also Course Director for the Master’s program in Security Sector Management that is delivered in both the UK and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 

Ann is widely published on issues concerning international security interventions, strategic planning for national security and the role of non-state actors in promoting national stability and growth. She has advised the governments of a number of post-conflict and developing countries (Lebanon, Ethiopia, Haiti, Indonesia, Nepal, Botswana and Sierra Leone) on issues relating to national security policy and strategy issues  and, in 2011, was appointed by the United Nations and the African Union's High Implementation Panel as Facilitator for the post-referendum peace talks between North and South Sudan.

In recognition of her considerable achievements in the field of global security, Ann was awarded  Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in December.