Ben Wallace

Rt. Hon. Ben Wallace “was the most important defense secretary in decades”

Until very recently, Rt. Hon. BEN WALLACE occupied the position as NATO’s longest-serving Defense Secretary. His tenure covered major global security crises, especially his early support of Ukraine and pivotal role building a global coalition. The Telegraph has called Wallace “the most important defense secretary in decades,” and his time in office saw him steer both the domestic and international response to Ukraine, Afghanistan, the Salisbury poisoning, the WannaCry cyberattacks as well as NATO and defense reform. He is the UK’s most experienced Minister in the field of defense, security, and foreign affairs. Wallace was also a top contender to run NATO, given his vast experience leading the UK’s counter strategies against Russia and China, which featured multi-level responses across negotiations, trade, and promoting a philosophy of freedom for all global players. As he stepped down from office, Wallace warned of the threat of wider global conflict by the end of the decade: ”I think a conflict is coming, whether it’s hot or cold is to be seen… We need to all be prepared for it.”

Wallace’s comprehensive experience is sought after by financial institutions, government organizations, and leaders across industries seeking a thorough examination of how geopolitical realities will impact decision-making now and in the future.

Watch Ben Wallace’s final statement on defense plans in House of Commons >>

Watch Ben Wallace at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change >>

Rt. Hon. Ben Wallace speaks to the emergence of new technologies in defense and the impact on global security

Former NATO Defense Secretary Rt. Hon. BEN WALLACE has witnessed first-hand the emergence of new technologies in defense and the impact on our security. During his tenure as the UK’s longest-serving Conservative Defense Secretary, a key achievement was navigating the Wannacry mass cyberattack, which revealed immediate danger of cyberterrorism as a security concern for governments, organizations, and individuals. Wallace led the establishment of the National Cyber Force, which realizes his philosophy that defense must be done differently – responding to the digital arena as the future of conflict and transforming defensive and offensive capabilities to redefine a compelling security strategy. Wallace also published the UK’s first Defense AI strategy, which includes a goal to place fewer troops on the frontline and a shift in organizational strategy to be ‘AI ready’. Balancing the need to implement available and ever-changing technology with the responsibility to shape the future development of that technology to promote democratic values, Wallace shares an informed and enlightening view on the future of security that accounts for all possibilities.

Watch Ben Wallace speak on the modernization of defense via the Guardian >>

Read about Ben Wallace’s leadership in the UK’s new science-driven strategy >>

Rt. Hon. Ben Wallace offers an expert geostrategic outlook on China as an economic power

Heralded as the United Kingdom’s most experienced Minister in the fields of Defense, Security, and Foreign Affairs, Rt. Hon. BEN WALLACE offers an expert geostrategic outlook on China as an economic power. With China’s epoch-defining growth over recent decades and new status as an economic power, Wallace brings a considered perspective to ongoing strategy in the Pacific informed by his role as NATO’s longest-serving Defense Secretary. Leveraging his experience as an early leader in support of Ukraine, Wallace illustrates the lessons from the UK approach to strategies countering Russia and China, mapping the similarities and key differences. As Wallace illuminated in his keynote for the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, “none of our most fundamental global issues can be solved without engagement with China.”

Wallace emphasizes a three-pronged approach focusing on commitment to a rules-based international system of law (which protects and enables all participants), backing free trade, and the promotion of principles and values including self-determination, fairness, and defense. Wallace is uniquely positioned to delve into the specifics of the moment while extrapolating the import for geopolitical opportunities and challenges going forward.

Watch Ben Wallace on CNBC Squawk Box Asia >>

Watch Ben Wallace’s keynote for IISS on building a stable & balanced Asia-Pacific >>

Rt. Hon. Ben Wallace called “a true friend of Ukraine” for his pivotal role in building international coalition

Longest-serving Conservative UK Defense Secretary Rt. Hon. BEN WALLACE received profound gratitude from The Ukrainian World Congress for his support and assistance against Russian invasion and aggression. Calling Wallace “a true friend of Ukraine,” the statement acknowledged his pivotal role in creating a global coalition of countries supporting Ukraine and its people. UWC president Paul Grod said, of the recently retired Defense Secretary, “Your courage, determination, devotion, and energy inspired many other leaders of the Free World to stand with Ukraine in the darkest hour.”

Wallace led the UK’s immediate response since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. He has written persuasive and illuminating pieces, appeared in countless news interviews, and given engaging keynotes that expand the global implications for his audience. Identifying Russia as the most direct and pressing threat to Europe and its allies, Wallace’s vast experience in defense, security, and foreign affairs give him a unique vantage point to address geopolitical concerns with strategic thinking for global results.

Watch Ben Wallace’s keynote for the RUSI Land Warfare Conference >>