Mark Leonard

Mark Leonard, a leading authority in international affairs, co-founded the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) in October 2007, establishing the first pan-European think-tank dedicated to developing a common European foreign policy. He currently serves as the Director of ECFR, where his work focuses on geopolitics, geoeconomics, China, and EU politics. Earlier in his distinguished career, Leonard founded the Foreign Policy Centre in the late 1990s, operating under the patronage of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. During his tenure at Demos in the 1990s, he authored the influential ‘Britain™’ report, which is noted for launching the ‘Cool Britannia’ initiative.

Currently, Leonard continues to be a prominent voice in global affairs. He hosts the weekly podcast “Mark Leonard’s World in 30 Minutes,” offering incisive analysis to a wide international audience, and contributes a syndicated column on global affairs to Project Syndicate. His expertise is further leveraged through his active membership in the UK Soft Power Council and his service on the UK Foreign Secretary’s External Foreign Policy Board, providing strategic counsel on critical international policy matters.