Fatma manages Albany’s Middle East and Africa portfolio. She has a wealth of practical experience managing and delivering programmes on stabilisation, early recovery initiatives and preventing violent extremism (PVE). Acting as the former Deputy Chief of Party for a US Government cooperative agreement she provided the technical expertise in the establishment of the IGAD Center of Excellence in Countering and Preventing Violent Extremism. Fatma is certified trainer for advancing the role of Youth, Peace and Security in support of resolutions 2250 and an IVLP (International Visitors Leadership Program) alumni.

Paul Bell specialises in the development of comprehensive communications campaigns and countering violent extremism in conflict and post-conflict zones. Before his work with Albany, he was Chief Executive and subsequently Deputy Chairman of London’s largest public relations group, Bell Pottinger. Paul was raised in South Africa and worked there as a journalist before serving as Director of Communication for the country’s Independent Electoral Commission, helping deliver its historic first non-racial, democratic general election. He has worked in Botswana, Latvia, Russia, Turkey, the United States, Iraq and Yemen, and elsewhere in the Middle East. He is a Trustee of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award for Young People.

Lord Black of Brentwood is Deputy Chairman of the Telegraph Media Group (publisher of The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph). Previously he was Director of Communications for Conservative Central Office and Press Secretary to Rt Hon Michael Howard QC, and Director of the UK Press Complaints Commission. Additionally, he is Chairman of the Press Standards Board of Finance, Chairman of the Royal College of Music, Vice-President, News Media Europe and Patron of the Rory Peck Trust.

Rachel Bryson designs programmes to bring peace in countries affected by conflict, terrorism, radicalisation and disinformation. She has a wealth of experience researching terrorism and counterextremism, with her previous role at the Tony Blair Institute focusing on analysing Islamist ideology, deradicalization and the role of women and children in terrorist groups. She grew up in East Africa and has an MA in Arabic and French from the University of Edinburgh, with a distinction in spoken Arabic.

Ina is an experienced senior Executive Assistant having previously worked for Thomson Reuters, Westminster Abbey, Canopius Group, and the Royal Bank of Scotland where she served as personal assistant to Sir Stephen Lamport (former Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales) GCVO, DL. In May 2014, Ina was privileged to attend the Order of the Bath ceremony presided by HM The Queen at Westminster Abbey. This and other extraordinary experiences not only enriched her professional life, but also made her personal life more fulfilling. Ina earned her BSc degree in Business Administration (IT) in Virginia, USA. During her spare time Ina enjoys playing tennis, swimming, skiing, crossword puzzles, chess, reading, and charity work.

Tihomira joined Albany as a Research and Innovation Executive, focusing on disinformation and Eastern Europe. She comes from a communications background with experience as a journalist, foreign correspondent and a media researcher. She has conducted field work in the Balkans and Cyprus, with emphasis on media literacy, press freedom, women’s rights and ethnic conflicts. Completing her journalism studies with an MA in Strategic Communications from King’s College London, she wrote her thesis on China’s interests in Eastern Europe. Tihomira also published a research paper on Russia’s influence in the Western Balkans’ information environment with the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence.

Sir Robert is the chair of Albany Associates. He completed a full military career that included posts as Commandant General of the Royal Marines and Director of Operations in the MoD, advising successive Prime Ministers on the response to 9/11. After leaving military service in 2007 he became CEO of Hewlett Packard’s defence and security business and was appointed chair of Albany Associates in 2011. He is a member of the executive council of the Royal United Services Institute and a visiting professor at King’s College, London. He writes occasionally for a number of periodicals and is a regular contributor to Prospect Magazine.

Rachael supports the Middle East and Africa team’s project accounts, and is predominantly focused on countries in East Africa. She works on a variety of projects from upskilling civil society organisations, to stabilisation efforts, and communications campaigns focused on countering violent extremism. Prior to joining the team at Albany, Rachael worked as a researcher at the Tony Blair Institute and focused on geopolitics and extremism. She worked on a global monitor that tracked violent extremism and efforts to counter it, analysing the movement, tactics, and predominant victims of extremist groups worldwide. Rachael previously gained a BA in Sociology from the University of Leeds, where she focused on international relations and inequality.

Doug is a lawyer specialising in media and communications strategy and policy.  He has advised government and civil society, drafted legislation and regulation, and developed and implemented programmes for a number of communications projects across Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.  His expertise includes ICT law, broadband, digitalisation, broadcast and internet policy.  Prior to joining Albany, Doug was in private practice with an international law firm in New York, Moscow and Paris.  Doug also speaks French.

Simon is an early innovator in media interventions in countries emerging from violent conflict. Since co-founding Albany, he has directed strategic communications, CVE and media development projects across Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. He is a frequent speaker on information operations and counter radicalisation and propaganda issues. He also served for 23 years as an officer in the UK Royal Marines. In the Balkans, from 1996 to 2003, he was the NATO Spokesman in Sarajevo, Deputy High Representative for Media Affairs in the High Representative’s office in Bosnia, Temporary Media Commissioner in Kosovo and then Director of Public Information for UN mission there. He then went on to head the UK FCO’s media development team in Iraq.

Emily is a Research and M&E Executive working across projects in the MENA region, the Balkans, South East Asia, and East Africa. Emily joined Albany following the completion of an MPhil in Islamic Studies and History from the University of Oxford, with a research specialism in Iran and the surrounding region. She has lived and studied in Turkey and the USA, and has a particular interest in counter-state propaganda, P/CVE, and the dynamic role of data science and strategic communications in understanding and responding to complex local and international issues. Emily’s previous work includes time as a researcher and archivist for the Eastern Art Department of the Ashmolean Museum, and internships at BBC Radio 4 and Untamed Borders - an adventure travel company specialising in trips to some of the world’s most remote and challenging regions.

Yasmin is an Account Manager in the Middle East and Africa team and currently manages and develops communications projects throughout the MENA region and the Horn of Africa, specifically in Somalia in countering violent extremism and stabilisation. She led on the development and delivery of several communications campaigns focused on tackling complex social issues and targeting audiences within the PVE and CT arena. She oversaw the development of multiple capacity building programmes in the UK with CSOs through the development of a network of credible messengers with the CT sphere on behalf of RICU-UK programmes. Furthermore, she played a significant role in the tactical communications rapid response events during the terrorists attacks in the UK in 2017, providing crisis communications advice to the UK Government with the aim of challenging the divisive rhetoric and hostile environment commonplace in the aftermath of security related incidents.

Sukhwinder assists with a wide range of accounting and financing issues, often involving some of the world’s most challenging environments. She has considerable experience with projects in Africa before joining Albany. Sukhwinder worked in France and Kenya and also speaks Punjabi, Hindi and Kiswahili.

Bertie spent seven years in the Royal Marines and deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq in both close-combat command roles and as part of Brigade and Divisional Headquarters. He finished his last tour as 3 Commando Brigade Operations Officer, commanding the Joint Operations Centre in Task Force Helmand. Bertie then spent four years on a strategy team at Deutsche Bank, gaining a wealth of business operations experience, before joining a technology company as their Head of Operations. He helped the business close a seed-funding round and to double revenues over a two-year period.

Dieter co-founded Albany after a career in the Royal Marines, running a niche regional PR agency, holding several senior positions in Bosnia’s media and communications regulatory authority and working in Iraq as a communications consultant for the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He has garnered over 20 years of experience in strategic communications, institution building and media and communications regulatory development, helping to establish and advising more than twenty media and press councils across South East Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Dieter is on the board of trustees for the Commonwealth Press Union Media Trust.

Liliya joined Albany after working for 12 years in the architecture industry. Since she came to the UK in 2001, having completed an HNC in Business at Metropolitan University. She gained an AAT accounting qualification with Kaplan and worked full time during her studies. Liliya has a wide range of accounting and financial experience and has worked in very challenging and fast expanding environments. She speaks Ukrainian and Russian.

Jack works on a range of communications and capacity building projects throughout the Western Balkans, North Africa and Central Asia, that seek to support free and independent media, build strategic communications capacity of governments and counter violent extremism. Jack gained a BA in Politics and French from Queen Mary University of London where he specialised in US foreign and counterinsurgency policy in Iraq in the 21st century.

Zakiy is Albany’s Head of Government and External Relations, a role which mixes business development and external relations. He previously headed up the Research and Innovation Hub. Zakiy was a Strategic Communications Adviser for RICU International at the Home Office, and spent most of 2018 on posting in North Africa prior to joining Albany. Before this, he honed his communication and political skills in Westminster, working on several high-profile political campaigns, including senior roles in the 2016 EU Referendum, Theresa May’s leadership campaign, and the 2017 General Election. He also had a brief stint in corporate PR, specialising in crisis communications and strategy. Zakiy began his career as a Researcher in Parliament for two Conservative MPs, after graduating from Oxford with a degree in Modern Languages, where he spent a year in Paris at a diplomatic think-tank.

Struan assists in the project accounts team at Albany, where he is involved in managing communications projects from several different funders in countries such as Afghanistan, Ukraine and in the Western Balkans. He helps manage strategic communications projects which aim to improve independent media, media pluralism, and the development of media literacy and capacity in government departments. Struan is from Cape Town, South Africa where he specialised in foreign policy and conflict in Africa at UCT. In addition, Struan has interests in international relations and environmental politics, specifically the politics of climate change and sustainable development.

Laura is Albany’s Monitoring and Evaluation specialist, overseeing M&E activities across all projects. She has conducted field work in Africa and the Western Balkans as well as primary research in Central Asia and the Middle East. Resulting from her work with Hedayah, she co-authored a paper on preventing violent extremism through education in Uganda. With a background in communications, Laura is experienced in project management within global corporations and NGOs. Laura is bilingual in English and French.

Maurice is an experienced Finance Director. His early career, after qualifying as a Chartered Accountant, was as FD for major media and advertising agencies. After gaining his MBA from the London Business School, he specialised in start-ups, raising finance, turnarounds and growing entrepreneurial businesses. He held senior positions with News International as FD of a technology business and was MD of BskyB’s rapidly growing SkyTalk telecoms operation. He was Regional Director for the FD Centre, placing part time FDs into SMEs. He then worked independently helping business and entrepreneurs get clarity of direction and how to overcome the brick walls that hold up growth. Before joining Albany, he was Chairman of a fast growing technology start up and held various non-executive positions and part time FD roles for a range of businesses and charities.

Ania has experience managing communications, capacity building, peacebuilding and community engagement projects for Albany in places such as Afghanistan and Yemen. Prior to joining Albany, she advised corporate and political clients on crisis communications, reputation management and public affairs. She also helped run capacity building workshops and media training for clients, and gained on-the-ground experience in high-risk zones such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Zambia and Mozambique. Ania also speaks Polish and German.

Kierat assists on projects in the Middle East and Africa. Prior to joining Albany, Kierat interned at a 'think and do' tank working to counter extremism and polarisation globally and, previously, at the King's Centre for Strategic Communications. Kierat has also worked as a regional security analyst at a geopolitical, security and risk management consultancy focusing on the MENA region. Kierat has a MA in International Peace and Security (with a focus on strategic communications and PCVE/CT) and na LLB in Law with French Law and Language.

Leah manages a diverse portfolio of projects on countering disinformation and violent extremism in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa. She previously delivered a range of programmes focussing on the intersection between technology and terrorism whilst working on the UN CTED ‘Tech Against Terrorism’ initiative. She has also written about the relationship between radical beliefs and violent behaviour for the Flemish Parliament. Leah holds an MSc in European Studies: Ideas, Identities and Ideologies (distinction) from the LSE, and received the Michael Oakeshott Award for her dissertation, which focused on the UK's counter-terrorism 'Prevent' legislation and education.

Jem leads Albany’s training in media relations, media literacy and strategic communications with a specific interest in communication aspects of foreign policy and post-conflict reconstruction. He has delivered courses across Africa, the Middle East and Asia and has developed and implemented instruction for UK ambassadors and senior UN management. Prior to joining Albany, he had a long career in the Royal Navy, where he was spokesperson for the EU in Bosnia-Hercegovina and Chief Instructor at the UK MoD's Defence Media Operations Centre.

Derek is an experienced project manager specialising in the development of capacity building initiatives within both the public and private sectors. Derek’s area of focus is countering violent extremism (CVE) and is geographically focused on MENA, South-East Asia and the Western Balkans. Within this space he works on strategic communications projects that encompass both new and traditional media, the use of emerging technology to counter extremist narratives, and government & civil society capacity building in medial & digital literacy. Derek has worked with industry-leading organisations to develop implementation strategies to launch new products and has developed learning and development content to globally recognised standards.