Sam has spent his career at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
After an undergraduate degree in Mandarin, he worked on a wide range of policy areas, from China and the Far East, to regional security in Iraq and Syria. He has specialisms in intelligence analysis and assessment, risk management, learning and development, and acted as a Conflict, Security and Stability Advisor for Afghanistan and South Asia. Most recently he led a project on UK Overseas Counter Terrorism strategy, working across UK government departments. He recently completed a Master’s in Terrorism, Security and Society at King’s College London, conducting research into post-ISIL accountability in Iraq.
Sam works on a range of issues across the foreign-policy spectrum, including the Indo-Pacific, Transitional and post-conflict justice, and counter-terrorism. He volunteers for the Samaritans, a UK-based suicide-prevention listening service, and a number of faith-based organisations.