The CES Team
Raising the profile
The Context
The Centre for Economic Security was established because the development of geostrategic events since the Global Financial Crisis suggests that:
- Economic warfare is no longer just a domain of warfare in its own right, where economic statecraft (sanctions, tariffs, export controls and trade restrictions) are used to compel our adversary’s behaviour to our will; instead it has become an existential war between economic systems, reminiscent of the early years of the Cold War.
- Western governments are yet to adjust to this paradigm; they have failed to recognise that the competing aims of our adversaries have shifted from deterring, minimising or defeating the impact of the current suite of economic weapons, to emasculating the very foundations of the International Rules Based Order (IRBO) on which the effectiveness of Western economic statecraft measures depend.
- While our adversaries continue to work within the existing rules of a market-based system today, China’s increasing dominance of the digitisation of trade, trade financing and the data this generates, aligned with political and financial outreach to many of those who have been disenfranchised by the IRBO, promotes a potentially very different future economic system.
- Unchecked, we face the prospect of a global economy in which the US dollar is displaced as the primary reserve currency, directly undermining the Western economic centre of gravity.
- In the face of the direct threat this would represent to our economic prosperity and therein our capacity to field a credible defence, we need to consider how to defeat it: Economic Statecraft 2.0.
The case for developing Economic Statecraft 2.0, and hence the role for the Centre for Economic Security, rests on the fact that economic warfare such as it is currently playing out will:
- Impact our capacity to war fight because of persistent under-investment in defence and security and critical supply chains.
- Limit our capacity to finance conflict of any kind.
- Undermines the principles of civil society, access to free markets and individual democratic freedoms because digital money transfers information and data about market behaviours into “unknown” hands, who may well be adversaries.
Our Team
CEO: Dr Rebecca Harding
Dr. Rebecca Harding is CEO of the Centre for Economic Security, a Senior Fellow of the British Foreign Policy Group, an Associate at Earendel Associates, an independent trade economist and strategic adviser to financial services organisations, and a public speaker.
She has built three data-based technology businesses, and in 2022 was awarded the Scale Up Group’s “Net Zero Entrepreneur of the Year” Award. She has held senior positions as Head of Corporate Research at Deloitte, Senior Fellow at London Business School, and Chief Economist roles at the Work Foundation and at UK Finance. She acted as Specialist Adviser to the Treasury Select Committee and advised the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Entrepreneurship. She is an associate Partner of the T3i network, and a member of the World Trade Board, and the ICC’s sustainable trade “Eco-terms” working group. She co-chairs the ITFA’s ESG Audit Council. Between 2004 and 2018 she was a Director and Trustee of the German-British Forum.
Her books, “The Weaponization of Trade: the Great Unbalancing of Policy and Economics” and “Gaming Trade: Win-Win Strategies for the Digital Era” defined the trade-based nature of strategic competition in the digital era. She has authored 8 other books on the German economy, technology and innovation and finance, and frequently appears in broadcast media internationally as a commentator on trade, economics and geopolitics.
Chair of the Advisory Board: Richard Wardlaw
Before retiring from the Army in late 2023, Lieutenant General Richard Wardlaw had been the UK’s first Chief of Defence Logistics and Support since October 2019 where he spent 4 years leading the development of this function, a c£14Bn/annum enterprise employing c60,000 people across UK Defence. He is currently the Head of Logistics for Hinkley Point C, the UK’s new £48Bn nuclear build in Somerset.
General Wardlaw gave over 30 years’ service in the Army and NATO including key staff posts such as Assistant Director Manning, Director Plans (Army), Chief of Staff Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC) and Director Army Basing and Infrastructure – serving in a wide range of countries across the world.
Arguably, though, General Wardlaw is best known for his commitment to making Defence greener. He challenged conventional thinking and highlighted opportunities for enhancing operational effectiveness through the use of sustainable technologies and modern mindsets. He was the architect of Project PROMETHEUS, the large-scale deployment of solar farms across the Army estate, and Defence’s Sustainable Support Strategy and Defence’s Operational Energy Strategy promoting the use of green technology and energy in the future force.
Strategic Advisors
Ian Cohen
Ian has held senior roles across financial markets and the third sector in the UK, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Currently, he is COO of CDP, a global environmental and climate repository. Previously, he was Group COO and acting CEO of the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) and COO/Deputy CEO of OSTC, a UK commodities derivatives trading firm. Ian spent 15 years at HSBC, with roles including Chairman of HSBC Securities in Taiwan and Singapore and COO for Asia. He has chaired committees for ASIFMA and AFME/LIBA and served on multiple boards. Ian is also a trustee and advisor to various charities.
Kevin Reed
Mr. Reed has over 25 years of experience in C-suite roles, involved in over 30 acquisitions across diverse industries, including engineering, software, real estate, defense, and commodity trading. He co-founded a Canadian financial institution, leading transactions worth $12 billion. Mr. Reed co-founded Project Hero, a scholarship program for children of fallen soldiers, and served as an Honorary Colonel in the Canadian Armed Forces. He has held leadership roles in various companies, including RF Piper Financial Inc., Magellan Engineering, and BlackShire Capital Corp., and actively supports Canadian sports and charitable causes.
Robbie Boyd
Robbie Boyd is the CEO of Encompass with nearly 40 years of experience in Defence and Security. He previously managed client relationships and consulting delivery at Gartner across NATO’s commands and served as a Brigadier General in the British Army, advising NATO’s Military Committee. He has held senior roles in the UK Ministry of Defence, focusing on cyber, nuclear, and military operations. A technology innovator, his expertise spans digital workplace interoperability, AI, and cloud migration. Boyd has been awarded several prestigious honors, including the OBE and NATO’s Meritorious Service Medal. He holds advanced degrees and is a senior fellow and advisor to various defense institutes.
Dr Jack Harding
Dr. Jack Harding is an Assistant Professor for Defence & Security at Rabdan Academy in the UAE. Previously, he was the Strategy Team Leader at UK Strategic Command, where he also served as the Liaison Officer for the Integrated Review and Defence Command Paper. With a decade of experience in data intelligence, Jack was Head of Political Risk at a tech firm, where he developed a model for tracking dual-use goods proliferation and predicting crises. He holds a PhD in International Relations from the University of Glasgow, an MA in Intelligence and International Security from King’s College London, and is an Associate Fellow at RUSI. Jack’s current research focuses on Integrated Deterrence, and he is writing a book on the subject, to be published in 2025.
Paul Larcey
Paul Larcey has extensive experience across corporate R&D, venture capital, and global industrial sectors, focusing on funding strategies for major projects, M&A, Private Equity, and risk analysis. He has worked in strategic consulting with BCG and Roland Berger. Currently, Paul works with the UK government’s innovation agency, focusing on national security and defense, including quantum technologies, AI, Space, and novel computing. He is co-director of the Global Systemic Risk group at Princeton University, researching resilience in systems, global supply chains, and international security. Paul has studied Engineering, Materials Science, and Finance at London, Oxford, and Cambridge Universities.
Sean Edwards
Sean Edwards is Head of Legal and Special Adviser at a major Japanese global bank, with expertise in trade finance. He is Chairman of the International Trade & Forfaiting Association (ITFA) and a draftsman of key trade finance rules, including the Uniform Rules for Forfaiting and the Standard Definitions for Supply Chain Finance. Sean is a former ICC Banking Commission Executive Committee member and a WTO Trade Finance Expert Group member. He is also a non-executive director of KomGo S.A. and serves on several advisory boards. Sean writes for major trade finance publications and frequently presents at conferences.
Rob Palfrey
Rob Palfrey is the Founder and Managing Director of Minerva SRM, specializing in social risk management services that help clients navigate complex socio-political environments. He has over 25 years of experience in the British Army, focusing on stabilisation and counter-insurgency, including deployments in Afghanistan and Kenya. Rob pioneered a successful mentoring approach for Afghan National Army battalions. He is a certified conflict negotiator and has worked with the UK government’s Stabilisation Unit. Rob also serves as a director at Human Rights at Sea International. He holds a Master’s in Social and Global Justice and multiple professional qualifications.
Kris Makuch
Kris Makuch has over 20 years of experience in marketing, communications, and digital leadership, with roles as Chief Marketing Officer and Director of Digital in start-ups and leading London agencies. He has worked with global brands like AmEx, HSBC, and BlackRock and currently leads marketing at the a fast-growing Fin-Tech start-up. Kris also founded W’A.I, an AI consultancy specialising in AI applications for business management. His expertise spans digital strategy, advertising, content creation, and brand development. He has won multiple awards and played key roles in growing start-ups, generating significant revenue, and expanding customer bases.
Bryce G. Hoffman
Bryce G. Hoffman is a bestselling author, leadership speaker, and strategic advisor who helps leaders in business, government, and the military navigate complexity and make better decisions. Named one of Inc.’s “Top 100 Leadership Speakers,” Bryce authored American Icon and Red Teaming, which provide leaders with strategies to create winning cultures and manage uncertainty. In 2015, he founded Red Team Thinking® to teach applied critical thinking, and became the first civilian to graduate from the U.S. Army’s Red Team Leader Program. His clients include multinational corporations, U.S. and international defense agencies, and the World Bank. Bryce also writes for Forbes and hosts The Thinking Leader podcast.
Matthew Locsin
Matthew Locsin is an advisor to the Centre for Economic Security. Currenly, he is a Managing Director of Strategy & Innovation at Sapient and serves as a non-executive director for a number of sustainability and resilience-focused ventures.Matt helps leaders and teams across industries and governments shape the future—bringing bold innovations to life and building the skills to sustain them.With deep expertise in human-centered design, strategy, and innovation, he helps organizations develop and scale transformative ideas, driving sustainable growth and inclusive prosperity.
About our Strategic Advisors
Strategic Advisors bring their own expertise and experience to the CES in one or more of the following areas:
- Security and defence funding and delivery
- PR, branding, sales and business development
- C-suite advisory work in the areas of geostrategy and economic security
- Research and consulting
- War-gaming
- Education and training
Strategic Advisors are committed to raising the profile of CES and the issues of economic warfare, developing strategic relationships, and creating and delivering business opportunities alongside the CEO, Chair and management team.
Our products include events and communications, consultancy & research, economic war-gaming and C-suite advisory in the area of economic warfare and the consequences for strategy.