With former director of JTAC, and former heads of Afghan and Swedish foreign intelligence.
Event description:
This panel will explore the multifaceted challenges of leadership within the national security and intelligence sectors. Drawing from diverse experiences, panelists will discuss the complex dilemmas faced by leaders, illustrated by real-world examples that reveal the critical decision-making required in high-stakes environments. We will explore the formation of personal leadership styles, highlighting how adaptability is essential for effective guidance both in routine operations, during as well as post crises. Additionally, we will explore the imperative for national security and intelligence leaders to enhance their agencies' adaptability to emerging threats. Cultural factors and their impact on leadership will be addressed, with examples demonstrating how strong leadership can drive cultural change within organisations. Ultimately, this panel aims to shed light on the evolving nature of leadership in intelligence and national security, emphasising its significance in shaping organisational effectiveness.
Speaker bios:
Suzanne Raine writes and speaks on terrorism, risk analysis and warning. She is a Visiting Professor in the Department of War Studies at KCL and works at the Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University. She served for 24 years in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office on foreign policy and national security issues, including postings in Poland, Iraq and Pakistan. She specialised in counter-terrorism, holding a number of senior domestic appointments including Head of the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre from 2015-2017. She is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Imperial War Museum, the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), Stop The Traffik, and the International Bomber Command Centre in Lincoln.
Ahmad Zia Saraj served as the General Director of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan from September 2019 to 15 August, 2021. Prior to this position, he served as the deputy director general for operations, chief of counter terrorism department, deputy chief of counterintelligence and foreign intelligence. For almost two decades (2001-2019), he served as chief of liaison of NDS. In 2013, Saraj obtained his master’s degree from King’s College London in the field of defence studies. He was also awarded the level 7 degree in strategic management and leadership by Chartered Management Institute of the United Kingdom. In 2012, Saraj attended Advanced Command and Staff Course at Shrivenham. Saraj has been Visiting Professor at KCSI since 2023.
Major General (ret.) Gunnar Karlson started his career in the Swedish Army in 1980. He has held a number of positions in the Armed Forces, including as commander of the Gotland Regiment. He served in international operations in Bosnia and Chechnya and he has worked for the Ministry of Defence at NATO, and as military advisor at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. His last post in the Armed Forces was as director of Must, Sweden´s foreign intelligence organisation, from 2012 to 2019, when he retired from active service. Today he sits on several boards, including the Swedish Space Corporation. He has led and leads government inquiries and works as a consultant. In that role, his main costumer is the Swedish Defence University. He is married to Anette and lives in Växjö in southern Sweden.