Navigating Global Power Shifts: Intelligence, Diplomacy, and the Future of Global Security
WILLIAM J. BURNS delivers a compelling, insider’s perspective on the shifting landscape of global security, intelligence strategy, and diplomatic statecraft. Drawing from his decades of experience as CIA Director, Deputy Secretary of State, and a top U.S. diplomat, he provides unparalleled insights into the decision-making processes of world leaders, including Vladimir Putin, Chinese officials, and Middle Eastern power players. His speeches analyze great power competition, emerging security threats, cyber warfare, and the future of U.S. foreign policy, offering a nuanced understanding of whether today’s geopolitical tensions will lead to greater stability or heightened conflict. With firsthand experience navigating high-stakes negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program, U.S.-Russia relations, and the evolving role of China on the world stage, Burns distills complex international issues into clear, actionable takeaways for policymakers, business leaders, and security professionals. His unique ability to assess political motivations, anticipate strategic moves, and explain intelligence-driven decision-making makes him one of the most authoritative voices on global security, diplomacy, and the risks shaping the world’s future.
The Future of Power in Asia: Geopolitics, Intelligence, and U.S. Strategy in the Indo-Pacific
Few figures have had a closer, more strategic vantage point on Russia’s evolving role in global affairs than WILLIAM J. BURNS. As a former CIA Director (2021–2025), U.S. Ambassador to Russia (2005–2008), and Deputy Secretary of State (2011–2014), Burns has spent decades engaging directly with Vladimir Putin, Russian intelligence officials, and global power players to navigate the complex and often volatile U.S.-Russia relationship.
In this compelling speech, Burns offers an insider’s perspective on Russia’s geopolitical ambitions, military strategy, and economic leverage—and what they mean for the future of global stability, U.S. foreign policy, and Western alliances. Drawing on his extensive diplomatic experience and intelligence leadership, he provides a clear, strategic analysis of Russia’s motivations, its challenges, and how the U.S. and its allies should respond.
Key topics include:
Putin’s Grand Strategy – How Russia’s leadership views its role on the world stage and its long-term goals.
The War in Ukraine and Beyond – The broader implications of Russia’s military aggression and what it signals for future conflicts.
Russia, China, and the New Global Power Dynamics – How Moscow and Beijing are reshaping alliances to challenge Western influence.
Cyber Warfare, Energy, and Economic Influence – The tools Russia uses to project power beyond traditional military means.
The Future of U.S.-Russia Relations – What comes next in diplomacy, sanctions, intelligence strategy, and global security cooperation.
With his unparalleled firsthand experience negotiating with Russian leaders, managing intelligence operations, and crafting U.S. foreign policy, Burns delivers a sharp, deeply informed analysis of the risks, challenges, and strategies needed to navigate the most pressing geopolitical tensions of our time. Whether addressing policymakers, business leaders, or security experts, he provides clear takeaways on how governments and industries must prepare for the evolving geopolitical landscape.
Global Power Shifts: How insights from William J. Burns, as welcomed on national news, can inform your organization on intelligence, diplomacy, and security
As the world faces unprecedented shifts in power dynamics, WILLIAM J. BURNS, former Deputy Secretary of State and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, stands at the forefront of global security analysis and strategy. With a career spanning decades in U.S. diplomacy and intelligence, Burns offers unparalleled expertise on navigating the complexities of an evolving world order.
Drawing from his extensive experience in both intelligence and international relations, Burns examines the shifting balance of power between rising global players and traditional powers regularly with outlets such as NPR, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and more. His thought leadership focuses on understanding the interconnectedness of global security challenges, from emerging threats to the future of diplomacy, and the vital role intelligence plays in responding to these changes.
Through his speaking engagements, Burns shares critical insights on how governments, businesses, and leaders can better anticipate global developments and prepare for the challenges ahead. He explores how countries can adapt their strategies to safeguard peace and stability in a rapidly changing world, offering practical lessons from his vast diplomatic and intelligence experience.
As a trusted advisor to U.S. presidents and world leaders, Burns is uniquely positioned to offer profound perspectives on the strategic decisions that shape the global landscape. His discussions on intelligence, diplomacy, and security resonate deeply with audiences, offering timely and actionable guidance on navigating today’s complex global security environment.
Watch William J. Burns speak on global security at Georgia Tech >>
Bill Burns was sworn in as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency in March 2021, making him the first career diplomat to serve as Director. He was promoted to Cabinet rank by President Biden in June 2023.
Director Burns has served six Presidents and Administrations of both parties during nearly four decades of public service in diplomacy and intelligence. He is only the second serving career diplomat in history to become Deputy Secretary of State, and also served as U.S. Ambassador to Russia and Jordan.
Following his retirement from the Foreign Service in late 2014, Director Burns served as President of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He is the author of the bestselling book, The Back Channel: A Memoir of American Diplomacy and the Case for Its Renewal (2019). He earned a bachelor's degree in history from LaSalle University and master's and doctoral degrees in international relations from Oxford University, where he studied as a Marshall Scholar. He and his wife, Ambassador Lisa Carty, have two daughters.
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