CHACR Conference 2022

Making sense of a confusing world

ABOUT CHACR

The Centre for Historical Analysis and Conflict Research (CHACR) exists to gather and present a wide range of views and perspectives to inform the British Army. It contributes to decisions concerning strategy, capability and force development and operations whilst challenging conventional wisdom and testing evolving concepts. We do this by conducting and sponsoring research and analysis (both in-house and through a wide network of associates and colleagues across the globe) into the enduring nature and changing character of conflict on land.

At the same time the CHACR is an active hub of scholarship, professional enquiry and debate to help to sustain and develop the British Army’s conceptual component of fighting power. Importantly, CHACR acts not just as a champion for individual ‘soldier-scholars’, but the promotion of a ‘brains-based’ approach throughout the Army. In short, CHACR promotes the notion that it’s as important to ensure that the army is not out-thought as it is to ensure that it is not out-fought.

KEY SERVICES:

l Commissioned research to support strategic planning, deployments, operations, projects, and senior level visits and talks.

l Keynote events (conferences, lectures and debates) by internationally renowned experts to provide conceptual development, in-depth thinking and insight.

l Formal and informal red-teaming and review to enable you to test your ideas and projects with leading experts; either in written form, wargame or in small roundtable discussions. The CHACR network can also source Army, national or international SMEs tailored to your requirements.

l Bespoke briefings on specific countries or issues for operational, strategic or defence engagement purposes.

l Mentoring and advice for Masters and PhD theses and academic and think tank placements.

l Bringing CHACR to regional hubs across the UK to ensure as many of the Army as possible are able to access cutting edge insight and analysis in-person.

l Support to Staff Rides by carefully selected history and war studies experts.

l Defence engagement through visits to, and hosting of, foreign delegations and partnered research coordinated with Army communication and engagement priorities. CHACR provides a nuanced strategic communication messaging platform, neither military nor academic, it can gain insights and provide introductions not easily accessible by serving Army personnel.

l The British Army Review, print and online articles. The journal of British military thought delivers high quality academic articles from across the Army and academia, supported by online and print commentaries, in-depth briefings, and summaries of global ideas. chacr.org.uk

PROGRAMME

0900

Speaker

0905

Speaker

Welcome and introduction

Dr Ziya Meral, Director Research & Programmes, CHACR

Opening address

Brig John Clark CBE, Head of Strategy, British Army

0915

Speaker Keynote address

Dr Robert Johnson, Director of the Secretary of State for Defence’s Office of Net Assessment and Challenge

0945

Chair Panellists

Panel I: Geopolitical risks

Suzanne Raine, Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics, Cambridge University

Veerle Nouwens, RUSI

Dr Leslie Vinjamuri, Chatham House

Dr Alex Clarkson, King’s College London

Air Marshall (Retd.) Edward Stringer CB CBE

1100

Break

1110

Chair Panellists

Panel II: Key trends

David Patrikarakos, Journalist and author

Lt Gen (Retd.) Richard Nugee CB CVO CBE

Dr Simon Copeland, RUSI

Rear Admiral (Retd.) John Gower CB OBE

Emily Taylor, Chatham House

1220-1225

Closing remarks

Maj Gen (Retd.) Dr Andrew Sharpe CBE, Director CHACR

BIOGRAPHIES

OPENING SPEAKERS

DR ZIYA MERAL

CHACR’s Director of Research and a Senior Associate Fellow at RUSI, Ziya frequently lectures to British Army and wider NATO military audiences, as well as leading academic and diplomatic institutions. He holds a PhD in political science from the University of Cambridge and an MSc in Sociology from the London School of Economics. His book, How Violence Shapes Religion: Belief and Conflict in Africa and the Middle East, was published by the Cambridge University Press in 2018.

BRIG JOHN CLARK CBE

John is the Head of Strategy at the British Army’s Strategic Centre. He commissioned into the Royal Engineers in 1999 and has served much of his career amongst Airborne Forces, commanding 16 Air Assault Brigade in his previous appointment. Prior to brigade command he worked as the Military Assistant to the Prime Minister from 2016-2018. He read Arabic and History at the University of Oxford and Military Art and Science at the US School of Advanced Military Studies.

DR ROBERT JOHNSON

Robert is the Director of the Secretary of State’s Office for Net Assessment and Challenge (SONAC), responsible for the provision of independent advice to the Secretary of State and the Defence Board. He is also Director of the Changing Character of War programme at the University of Oxford and a Senior Research Fellow at Pembroke College, where he has advised and delivered direct support to government and armed forces in defence and security matters, including the United States, Europe and Australia.

SUZANNE RAINE

An Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University, Suzanne served for 24 years in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, working on foreign policy and national security issues. She specialised in counter-terrorism, holding a number of senior domestic appointments including Head of the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre from 2015-2017 and was a senior member of the UK government assessment community.

A lecturer in German and European, and International Studies at King’s College London, Alex completed his doctorate at the University of Oxford in 2006. His research and teaching focus on two areas. The first examines the impact transnational diaspora communities have had on the politics of Germany and Europe after 1945. The second area of focus is on how the European Union’s border system has seen an increased emphasis on militarisation that has affected its relationship with neighbouring states.

DR ALEX CLARKSON

PANEL I

AIR MARSHALL (RETD.) EDWARD STRINGER CB CBE

A retired Royal Air Force officer and Senior Fellow at think tank Policy Exchange, Edward was previously Director General of the Defence Academy. He served as Director General of Joint Force Development, Strategic Command from 2018 to 2021, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff from 2013 to 2015, and as Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Operations) from 2015 to 2018. A former head of RAF Intelligence, he has had operational commands in Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Balkans.

VEERLE NOUWENS

A Senior Research Fellow at the International Security Studies Department of the Royal United Services Institute, Veerle has a focus on geopolitical relations in the Asia-Pacific region. Her research interests include China’s foreign policy, cross-strait relations, maritime security and ASEAN. Previously, she worked for the European External Action Service at the Delegation of the European Union to Singapore’s Political, Press and Information Section.

DR LESLIE VINJAMURI

Leslie is Director of the US and the Americas programme and Dean of the Queen Elizabeth II Academy for Leadership in International Affairs at Chatham House. She is Deputy Chair of the Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission and a Trustee of the Carnegie Council for Ethics and International Affairs. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and on the Advisory Board of LSE IDEAS and the LSE Phelan United States Centre and Vice President of the Board of the Institute for Integrated Transitions.

PANEL II

DAVID PATRIKARAKOS

David Patrikarakos is a renowned journalist and the author of Nuclear Iran: Birth of An Atomic State and War in 140 Characters: How Social Media Is Reshaping Conflict in the Twenty First Century. He routinely writes for newspapers and websites across the political spectrum and regularly reports from war zones. He has recently returned from reporting from the front-line in Ukraine. He is a graduate of the University of Oxford.

LIEUTENANT GENERAL (RETD.) RICHARD NUGEE CB CVO CBE

Richard was appointed as Non-Executive Director for Climate Change and Sustainability in the MOD in March 2021. Before this appointment he spent a year leading on the Climate Change and Sustainability Strategic Approach at the Ministry of Defence. In 2016 he was appointed Chief of Defence People. His military career of 36 years includes joint, single service and international appointments and he was awarded the US Legion of Merit for his services in Afghanistan in 2014.

EMILY TAYLOR

Emily is an associate fellow with Chatham House on the International Security programme. She is CEO of Oxford Information Labs, author of several research papers, and is a frequent panellist and moderator at conferences and events around the world. Her roles have included chair of ICANN WHOIS Review Team, Internet Governance Forum Multi-stakeholder Advisory Group and director of Legal and Policy for Nominet. Emily is a graduate of Cambridge University and is a qualified solicitor.

DR SIMON COPELAND

Simon is a Research Analyst in the Terrorism and Conflict research group at RUSI. His research focuses on violent extremist narratives and networks. He previously worked as a researcher at Swansea University examining online terrorist propaganda, in particular, how jihadist and right-wing groups attempt to inspire their supporters. In other roles he has analysed terrorist and violent extremist groups in Sub-Saharan Africa. Simon completed his PhD in Politics and International Relations at Lancaster University.

REAR ADMIRAL (RETD.) JOHN GOWER CB OBE

Prior to his retirement from the Royal Navy in 2014, John was Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Nuclear & Chemical, Biological). Previously, he had spent nearly half his 36-year military career at sea, culminating in the sequential command of two globally deployed submarines. He spent 17 years ashore in the MoD specialising in UK nuclear weapon and counter-CBRN policy. He led the MOD’s contribution to the international activity to counter the threat of Syria’s CW, culminating in their successful removal and destruction.

CLOSING REMARKS

MAJ GEN (RETD.) DR ANDREW SHARPE CBE

Andrew is the Director of CHACR. Following a 34-year military career and nine operational tours he left the British Army as a Major General. After commanding at every level from Second Lieutenant to Brigadier he completed his time in uniform as the Director of DCDC. He is a senior mentor on the Army’s Generalship programme, has an MA in International Studies from King’s College London, and a PhD in the Strategic Leadership of International Intervention from Trinity College Cambridge.

NOTICES

SECURITY

In the case of a fire or another emergency, please make your way as directed to the rugby pitches in front of New College (right turn out of Churchill Hall) whilst the Academy security staff deal with the situation.

FIRST AID AND EMERGENCIES

Should there be a requirement for first aid please contact a member of the event team who will ensure a qualified individual will be able to assist. In the event of a more serious emergency a member of staff will contact the permanent Academy staff who will arrange an escort for the necessary emergency services.

POST-EVENT MEDIA CONTENT

Following the event all panel discussions will be made available on Defence Connect.

TWITTER

To get involved, follow us on @CHACR_Camberley and use the #CHACRConf22 hashtag.