This event will examine China's strategic influence throughout the Middle East and North Africa, focusing on how Beijing's expanding political, military, and private security engagements are transforming the region's security dynamics.

Specialists Alessandro Arduino, Andreas Krieg, Zeno Leoni (King’s College London), Meia Nouwens (International Institute for Strategic Studies) and Rhodri Williams (Chatham House) will analyse the consequences of China's increased presence in the Middle East and its effects on the region's unstable security environment.

Join us for a discussion followed by drinks and networking on Tuesday 15 October at 6pm.

Schedule:

6-7.30pm Panel discussion

7.30-9pm Drinks reception

This is a hybrid event. Please select in-person or online attendance when registering. Registration is required.

Speakers

Alessandro Arduino is recognized as a foremost expert on Chinese private security and the author of the reference book on the subject ‘China’s Private Army’, recently translated into the Chinese language. His latest book Money for Mayhem: Mercenaries, Private Military Companies, Drones, and the Future of War (Rowman & Littlefield, 2023) forecasts what the future of war looks like in a world dominated by private armies.  Alessandro is a member of the Advisory Group of the International Code of Conduct Associations for private security companies, an affiliate lecturer at Lau China Institute, King’s College London and visiting professor at the Geneva Graduate Institute.

Andreas Krieg is a senior lecturer at the School of Security Studies at King’s College London, Royal College of Defence Studies and fellow at the Institute of Middle Eastern Studies. He has spent more than ten years living, studying and working across the MENA region. In his research, Andreas has focused on a variety of different subjects relating to the academic discipline of Security Studies in the geographic context of the MENA region.

Meia Nouwens is a senior fellow for Chinese Security and Defence Policy at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). Meia’s expertise lies in Chinese cross-service defence analysis, China’s defence industry and innovation, as well as China’s regional strategic affairs and international relations. She leads IISS research on China’s Digital Silk Road, and was a co-lead of the China Security Project with the Mercator Institute for China Studies.

Rhodri Williams is Head of International Public Policy for American International Group (AIG). Before joining AIG, Rhodri was a British diplomat, whose 23-year career included postings in Austria and Jordan and a wide range of senior UK-based policy roles. He is a graduate of the Ashridge Business School Leadership Process and the UK Government’s Top Management Programme. In 2011 Rhodri was FCO Fellow at the London School of Economics IDEAS. He is currently a Member of Council at the international affairs think-tank Chatham House and a Visiting Professor at Strathclyde University.

Zeno Leoni is a lecturer in Defence Studies at King’s College London. He is also an affiliate of the Lau China Institute, King's College London, where he is co-convenor of the same institute’s policy brief series named China in the World. His research focuses on US and Chinese grand strategies, US-China relations, AUKUS, and world order; he published two books on this topic and is currently writing a third book on the new Cold War.