The Speaker Table with Ilana Bet-El and Charlie Stuart

Ilana Bet-El is a Brussels-based geopolitical strategist, historian and writer specialising in international security, European foreign policy and the long historical arc of power. Her work sits at the intersection of history and strategy, examining how conflict shapes states, institutions and markets over time. Bet-El served as a United Nations peacekeeper and senior advisor in the Balkans during and after the wars of the 1990s, an experience that continues to inform her analysis of conflict, post-war reconstruction and institutional resilience. She has advised governments, international organisations and multinational corporations on European security, EU-Russia relations, transatlantic affairs, NATO-EU dynamics, energy security, political risk and strategic negotiation. Bet-El is a Senior Associate Fellow at the European Leadership Network, where she contributes to policy analysis and hosts the Women Leaders podcast, featuring global practitioners in security and geopolitics. She is also an Adjunct Professor at the Paris School of International Affairs at Sciences Po, and a Senior Visiting Fellow in the Department of War Studies at King’s College London. Earlier in her career, she held research and policy roles focused on European integration, defence and foreign policy, and has worked extensively on questions of reputation management and strategic risk for corporate and institutional clients. She holds a PhD in History from University College London. Her academic research explores war, memory and the political uses of history, themes that continue to shape her public commentary. Bet-El has published 3 books,writes regularly on European and global affairs and has contributed to outlets including The Guardian and Euractiv.

Charlie Stuart is a distinguished British diplomat with a rich background in military service, diplomacy, and security strategy. Currently the European Union’s Chief Security Advisor on Africa, Charlie plays a crucial role in shaping security policies across the continent. Before entering diplomacy, Charlie served with distinction in the British Army. His transition into diplomatic service saw him hold senior roles, including Head of Delegation for the EU in Tanzania and Deputy Chief of Mission in both Tanzania and Iraq. In addition to his public service, Charlie brings valuable experience from the private sector, where he served as a director of a global security firm based in the UK. He also has a background in corporate law, specializing in major projects and oil exploration.