Robin Niblett

Last updated

Sir Robin Niblett

KCMG
Robin Niblett, Director, Chatham House (37656542155) (cropped).jpg
Born
Robin Christian Howard Niblett

(1961-08-20) 20 August 1961 (age 62)
Education New College, Oxford (BA, MPhil, DPhil)

Sir Robin Christian Howard Niblett KCMG (born 20 August 1961 [1] ) is a British specialist in international relations. He is a distinguished fellow at Chatham House [2] and at the Asia Society Policy Institute, [3] and a senior adviser at British strategic advisory firm Hakluyt & Company. [4]

Contents

He was the director and chief executive of Chatham House, also known as the Royal Institute of International Affairs, for 15 years between 2007 and 2022. [5]

Education and personal life

Niblett is the son of Alan and Christine Niblett. [6] In 1990, he married Trisha de Borchgrave, with whom he has two daughters. [7]

He was educated at Cottesmore School and Charterhouse. [8] He studied at New College, Oxford, and obtained a BA in Modern Languages in 1984, followed by MPhil in 1993 and DPhil in International Relations in 1995. [9] His doctoral thesis was entitled The European Community and the Central European Three, 1989–92: a study of the Community as an international actor.

Early career

On leaving Oxford, he was a musician 1985–87 (he lists electric guitar among his recreations in Who's Who). [10]

Center for Strategic and International Studies

He was resident associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, DC 1988–91 and their Europe representative 1992–97. He was director, strategic planning, 1997–2000; executive vice-president and chief operating officer, 2001–06. [11] During his last two years at CSIS, he also served as director of the CSIS Europe Program and its Initiative for a Renewed Transatlantic Partnership. [12]

Chatham House (The Royal Institute of International Affairs)

Niblett was appointed director and chief executive of Chatham House in January 2007. His 15-year tenure spanned major world events, from the financial crisis of 2007-08, the Arab Spring, Brexit, Russia's annexation of Crimea and the invasion of Ukraine.

Over that period, Chatham House tripled in size as an organisation. It now counts more than 200 full-time staff and 150 associate fellows, working across the full range of topics related to international affairs including geopolitics, the energy transition and technology competition. [2]

He announced in October 2021 that he would be stepping down from his role the following year. [13] In April 2022, he was succeeded in the role by Bronwen Maddox. [14] Three months later, in July, he was appointed a distinguished fellow and made a lifetime member by Chatham House’s governing Council, in recognition of his "exceptional service to the institute". [15]

Other roles

Niblett (left) being interviewed by Carolyn Quinn in 2010 Robin Niblett with Carolyn Quinn on BBC R4 PM Programme (4565122413).jpg
Niblett (left) being interviewed by Carolyn Quinn in 2010

Niblett has participated as a panellist at conferences and events around the world [16] [17] as an expert on transatlantic relations and European order. He has given evidence to the House of Commons Defence Select Committee about the future of NATO and European defence, [18] to the Foreign Affairs Committee about the US-UK relationship [19] and the future of UK government policy towards the European Union, [20] and to the Select Committee on Soft Power and the UK's Influence. [21] He has appeared as an analyst on these topics in major media including the BBC [22] and CNN [23] and has written and commented for prominent newspapers including the Financial Times , [24] Washington Post , [25] The Guardian [26] and the Daily Telegraph . [27]

He is the editor and contributing author of the book America and a Changed World: A Question of Leadership and has edited and co-authored books on transatlantic cooperation and European integration. Most recently he authored a chapter in the book Influencing Tomorrow: Future Challenges for British Foreign Policy. [28]

He is a non-executive director of Fidelity European Values Investment Trust since 2010, [29] member and former Chairman of the World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Council on Europe. [30]

He chaired the British Academy forum on language needs for UK public policy making and implementation [31] and is currently Chairman of the Experts Group for the 2014 NATO Summit. [32]

He is a non-resident distinguished fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute. [3]

Since 2022, he has been a senior adviser on geopolitics and international affairs at the British strategic advisory firm Hakluyt & Company. [4]

Honours

Niblett was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 2015 New Year Honours for services to promoting the UK as a global centre for foreign policy [33] [34] and Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in the 2022 Birthday Honours for services to international relations and British foreign policy. [35]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Institute for Strategic Studies</span> British international affairs think tank

The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) is a British research institute or think tank in the area of international affairs. Since 1997, its headquarters have been at Arundel House in London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Center for Strategic and International Studies</span> American think tank in Washington, D.C.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is an American think tank based in Washington, D.C. From its founding in 1962 until 1987, it was an affiliate of Georgetown University, initially named the Center for Strategic and International Studies of Georgetown University. The center conducts policy studies and strategic analyses of political, economic and security issues throughout the world, with a focus on issues concerning international relations, trade, technology, finance, energy and geostrategy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Wallace, Baron Wallace of Saltaire</span> British politician and writer (born 1941)

William John Lawrence Wallace, Baron Wallace of Saltaire,, is a British academic, writer, and Liberal Democrat politician, who was a Lord in Waiting from 2010 to 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chatham House</span> British think tank founded in 1920

Chatham House, also known as The Royal Institute of International Affairs, is a think tank headquartered in London, England. Its stated mission is to help governments and societies build a sustainably secure, prosperous and just world. It is the originator of the Chatham House Rule.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian Institute of International Affairs</span> Australian non-governmental organization

The Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA) is an Australian research institute and think tank which focuses on International relations. It publishes the Australian Journal of International Affairs. It is one of the oldest active private research institutes in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Esther Brimmer</span> American civil servant

Esther Diane Brimmer is an American foreign policy expert and former Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs. In June 2013, she left her post as Assistant Secretary and returned to academia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timothy Garden, Baron Garden</span> British air marshal and peer (1944–2007)

Air Marshal Timothy Garden, Baron Garden,, FRUSI, FCGI was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force (RAF) who later became a university professor and a Liberal Democrat politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Cox (academic)</span> British academic

Michael E. Cox is a British academic and international relations scholar. He is currently Emeritus Professor of International Relations at the London School of Economics (LSE) and Director of LSE IDEAS. He also teaches for the TRIUM Global Executive MBA Program, an alliance of NYU Stern and the London School of Economics and HEC School of Management.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses</span> Indian think-tank based in New Delhi, India

The Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA), New Delhi, is India's foremost think tank for advanced research in international relations, especially defence, strategic and security issues, and providing training to civilian, military and paramilitary officers of the Indian government. It is funded by the Indian Ministry of Defence but operates as a non-partisan and autonomous body. It aims to promote national and international security by carrying out research on defence and security-related issues and disseminating the knowledge among the policy-makers and wider public.

The Atlantic Community was a German-American project to apply Web 2.0 ideas to transatlantic foreign policy strategy. Launched in April 2007 as an undertaking of the Atlantic Initiative, the Atlantic Community aims at facilitating discussion between young thinkers and established members of the foreign policy realm in order to increase participation in a system that, in Europe, is often closed off to the public at large. The Advisory Board of the Atlantic Community is non-partisan, and includes journalist Marvin Kalb, UK Liberal Democrat Lord Wallace, and German diplomat Jürgen Chrobog as members. In January 2009 the Atlantic Community was selected as a "Landmark in the Land of Ideas" by Germany: Land of Ideas. Germany: Land of Ideas is a shared initiative of the German government, commerce, and industry under the patronage of former Federal President Horst Köhler.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lawrence Freedman</span> British military historian

Sir Lawrence David Freedman, is a British academic, historian and author specialising in foreign policy, international relations and strategy. He has been described as the "dean of British strategic studies" and was a member of the Iraq Inquiry. He is an Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King's College London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robin Shepherd</span>

Robin Shepherd is a British-born political commentator and analyst. Formerly a senior fellow, running the Europe programme, at Chatham House in London, he has also held fellowships with a number of leading think tanks in the United States and Europe including the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and the German Marshall Fund of the United States. Shepherd is Executive Director, North America for GLOBSEC, Central and eastern Europe's pre-eminent think tank dedicated to democracy and international security. He previously served as vice president of the Halifax International Security Forum.

The Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies (LKI) is a foreign policy think tank currently based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka is ex officio the Chairman of LKI. LKI conducts independent research and functions as an autonomous organisation. LKI was established in 2006 and is named after the late Sri Lankabhimanya Lakshman Kadirgamar, PC, MP, and former Sri Lankan Foreign Minister. The Institute is the realisation of a goal actively pursued by the late Minister, to fulfill the country's need for a think tank in the field of foreign policy research and engagement. Its stated mission is 'to engage in independent research of Sri Lanka’s international relations and strategic interests, and to provide insights and recommendations that advance justice, peace, prosperity and sustainability.'

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taras Kuzio</span> Ukrainian political scientist

Taras Kuzio is a Professor of Political Science at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. His area of study is Russian and Ukrainian political, economic and security affairs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Vaïsse</span> French international relations scholar

Justin Pierre Albert Vaïsse is a French historian and intellectual. Since March 2019, he is the Director General of the Paris Peace Forum organization, an independent NGO he founded in 2018 under the impetus of French President Emmanuel Macron. The Paris Peace Forum is an annual event that aims at promoting new rules and solutions to address the global challenges of our time. Prior to this role, he was Director of Policy Planning at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2013 to 2019.

LSE IDEAS is a foreign policy think tank at the London School of Economics and Political Science. IDEAS was founded as a think tank for Diplomacy and Strategy in February 2008, succeeding the Cold War Studies Centre founded in 2004. It is led by Professor Christopher Alden and Professor Michael Cox. LSE IDEAS has been ranked as the top European university-affiliated think tank and the number two university-affiliated think tank in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rachel Briggs</span>

Rachel Briggs OBE was Founding Executive Director of Hostage US, the first Director of Hostage UK and was awarded an OBE in the 2014 Honours List for services to hostages and the families of victims kidnapped overseas. She is the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Global Center on Cooperative Security, an expert on foreign and security policy and an Associate Fellow of Chatham House.

Professor Richard G. Whitman is an academic, think tank member and media commentator focusing on the European Union's international role and the UK's foreign policy. He is professor of politics and international relations and a member of the Global Europe Centre at the University of Kent. He is also an associate fellow at Chatham House.

GLOBSEC is a non-partisan, non-governmental organisation based in Bratislava, Slovakia. One of its main activities is the annual GLOBSEC Bratislava Global Security Forum, in existence since 2005. Other projects include the Tatra Summit conference on European affairs or Chateau Béla Central European Strategic Forum. Its think-tank called GLOBSEC Policy Institute boasts a wide research area based on four pillars. Its main outputs are policy papers and analyses on different topics in the area of international politics and security issues. Since 2016, GLOBSEC is not only the name of one of the top forums on international security worldwide, but also of the legal entity and organiser of the Forum.

References

  1. ↑ "Birthdays". The Guardian . Guardian News & Media. 20 August 2014. p. 35.
  2. 1 2 "Robin Niblett | Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank". Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Sir Robin Niblett KCMG DPhil | Asia Society". Asia Society. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  4. 1 2 "Sir Robin Niblett KCMG - Hakluyt" . Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  5. ↑ "How the world has changed on my watch | Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank". Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  6. ↑ Who's Who. A & C Black. 2016.
  7. ↑ Who's Who. A & C Black. 2016.
  8. ↑ Who's Who. A & C Black. 2016.
  9. ↑ Who's Who. A & C Black. 2016.
  10. ↑ Who's Who. A & C Black. 2016.
  11. ↑ US China Economic Security and Review Commission bio
  12. ↑ atlantic-community.org, Atlantic Faces: Dr Robin Niblett, 3 December 2010
  13. ↑ "Dr Robin Niblett decides to leave after almost 15 years | Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank". Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  14. ↑ "Chatham House appoints new director and chief executive | Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank". Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  15. ↑ "Sir Robin Niblett becomes distinguished fellow and lifetime member | Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank". Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  16. ↑ FORA.tv Speaker – Robin Niblett
  17. ↑ YouTube, Davos Annual Meeting 2010 – Rethinking the Eurozone
  18. ↑ House of Commons Select Committee on Defence Minutes of Evidence, 9 October 2007
  19. ↑ House of Commons Global Security: UK-US Relations – Foreign Affairs Committee, Written evidence from Dr Robin Niblett, Director, Chatham House
  20. ↑ The future of the european Union: UK Government policy, Written evidence from Dr Robin Niblett, Director, Chatham House
  21. ↑ Chatham House, Soft Power, Hard Foundations: The Future of the UK’s International Influence, 1 March 2014
  22. ↑ BBC News – Today, Cameron's 'hard headed' diplomatic strategy, 29 July 2010
  23. ↑ CNN, Connect the World, 2 November 2010
  24. ↑ Financial Times video, Jan 12: Robin Niblett on Europe's Russia policy
  25. ↑ The Washington Post, Critics Smell Politics in Decision to Honor Obama, 10 October 2009
  26. ↑ The Guardian, Debating Defence, 2 February 2010
  27. ↑ The Telegraph, Analysis: Barack Obama's decision on missile shield shows he is sticking to the diplomatic path, 18 September 2009
  28. ↑ Amazon.co.uk, Robin Niblett: Books
  29. ↑ Bloomberg Businessweek, Robin Niblett: Executive Profile & Biography [ dead link ]
  30. ↑ World Economic Forum, Robin Niblett
  31. ↑ "Policy and research". The British Academy. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  32. ↑ Press Release, Director of Chatham House to Chair New NATO Group of Policy Experts, http://www.chathamhouse.org/media/news/view/198369
  33. ↑ "No. 61092". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2014. p. N4.
  34. ↑ https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/391415/Diplomatic_and_Overseas_NY15_Honours_List.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
  35. ↑ "No. 63714". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 June 2022. p. B3.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.