Experience

NYU Graduate School of Arts and Science

• United States
• Higher Education
• 1 - 100 Employee

• MA IR Professor of Global Risk

  • 2012 - Present

  As a professor in NYU GSAS’ MA International Relations Program, *teach* self-designed, qualitative MA courses on global risk; *advise* students on MA theses and independent studies; *research* global risks, future geopolitical/political/socioeconomic trends and shock events; *write* opeds and books on global risk (e.g. Future World Order (2019) with fellowship support from the London School of Economics' Institute of Global Affairs); *produce* creative content on global risk e.g. The Global Kid and other political comic books; *speak* on global risk to specialist audiences (e.g. academics, think tanks, international organizations); teach condensed version of my NYU MA course on global risk to an international cohort of high school students at Pioneer Academics and young diplomats at the Global Diplomatic Forum online (part-time) Show less



World Economic Forum

• Switzerland
• Non-profit Organizations
• 700 & Above Employee

• Expert Member of 2023-2024 Global Future Council (Complex Risks)

  • Jan 2023 - Present

  As a member of the interdisciplinary 20-expert Global Future Council (GFC) on Complex Risks (an invitation-only community that serves as a brain trust for the World Economic Forum), identify long term global risks and make recommendations to counter such risks; attend annual GFC meetings. The council plays an essential role in challenging assumptions, providing thought leadership, promoting innovative thinking to shape our future, and helping leaders understand, address and prepare for the post-COVID world shaped by war and climate change. These risk insights are shared through the Annual Meeting in Davos, Global Risks Report, white papers, expert videos, digital media campaigns and blogs to enable better foresight and pre-emptive action. (part-time) Show less

• Expert Member of 2020-2022 Global Future Council (Frontier Risks)

  • 2020 - Dec 2022

  As a member of the interdisciplinary 20-expert Global Future Council on Frontier Risks, discussed the longer term risks in the Covid, post-Covid and war era in several online meetings over two years (co-chaired by Oxford's Ngaire Woods and IADB's Eric Parrado). These risk insights were shared through the Annual Meeting in Davos, Global Risks Reports, Future Focus 2025 Report, and blogs. Also co-presented on the risks associated with solar geoengineering – a proposed strategy for climate change and a topic I later spoke about at COP27. (part-time) Show less



Future World Order

• International Affairs

• Author of Global Spring: Predictions for a Post-Pandemic World

  • 2023 - Present

  Writing books on global risk and future trends to help my readers make better sense of the world today and where we are headed.This year, I'm launching my second book, A GLOBAL SPRING: Predictions for a Post-Pandemic World – the first sequel to FUTURE WORLD ORDER. Through the lens of global risk in a post-pandemic era, this book offers predictions for how our geopolitics, politics, economies and societies may evolve this decade.

• Author of Future World Order

  • 2019 - Present

  My first seven-time award-winning book FUTURE WORLD ORDER (2019 & 20) on our global legitimacy crisis hit the top 15 in the Amazon bestseller list in the Utopian Ideology (paperback) section and Top 25 in the Forecasting & Business Planning (Kindle) and the Women in Politics sections (Kindle), alongside books by thinkers like Michelle Obama, Muhammad Yunus and Thomas Hobbes. I gave 15% of profits to charity Peace & Sport’s Syrian refugee youth project in Jordan’s Za’atari camp 2019-2021 (i.e. the Abid Aziz Fund honoring my late brother). I launched the book in spring 2019 at London's Conduit club and then shared its core ideas with varied audiences in my global book tour through March 2020 (e.g. Egypt's Women Economic Forum, Morocco’s Cyfy Africa conference, Sweden’s Educator’s Challenge, London’s Big Tent Ideas Festival, tech startups, millennial networks online, womens book clubs). The Winter 2020 edition launched in January at London's historic and royal Marlborough house – home to the Commonwealth Secretariat. Show less



The Global Kid 2.0

• United States
• International Affairs

• Creator of VR/AR Political Comic Book The Global Kid

  • Feb 2019 - Present

  Launched Dec 2021 for tweens: with award-winning, London-based edtech partner Musemio and Rome-based contributor AR Market, created the world's first VR/AR political comic book; winner of 10 awards including 2022 Digital Female Leader Award; hit Top 10 on Amazon US bestseller list within six weeks and Top 5 (#2) in Amazon Australia and Singapore (#1); donated month's profits to Covid Solidarity Response Fund for the WHO, UNICEF's Ukraine Appeal, Pakistani flood relief via The Citizen Foundation and the Abid Aziz Fund for Syrian refugee youth via charity Peace & Sport; comic features a female superhero with canine sidekick Lucky (based on my rescue Yorkiepoo!); content is based on key ideas from my original comic plus my books Show less

• Cartoonist Creator of The Global Kid (2016)

  • Jan 2013 - Jan 2019

  Created world's first Indiegogo-crowdfunded, educational comic book on global politics for tween & teens; 100% of profits went to education non-profits that help youth reach their potential, US-based Global Glimpse and Pakistan-based Developments In Literacy; winner of seven awards: the 2016 Wonder Woman Award in NY, the 2017 INSPAD Peace Award in Pakistan, the 2017 WEF Excellence Award in Iceland, the 2018-2019 Educators’ Challenge Award ($5000 prize in Sweden which I donated to my brother's memorial fund to support Syrian refugee youth in Jordan's Za'atari camp; finalists featured at 2018 Paris Peace Forum), winner of the 2019 Next Generation Foresight Practitioner Education Award in Belgium, 2021 Distinguished Favorite Award (education) at Independent Press Awards and NYC Big Book Awards in US; plus Proud Nominee of 2017 Alternative Comic Book Award at Europe's second largest comic book festival in Angloueme, France and Finalist (Education Category) in 2019 British Muslim Awards; www.theglobalkid.org Show less



London Speaker Bureau

• United Kingdom
• Events Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Keynote Speaker on Global Risks, Future Trends & Strategy

  • 2021 - Present

  As a keynote speaker represented by the London Speaker Bureau – the largest international network of speakers for corporations and governments globally, I share ideas on global risk and future trends from my books (Future World Order and Global Spring) and comics (The Global Kid) to diverse audiences. How will a pandemic-shaped, post-Trump, climate crisis-hit era evolve this decade? (part-time) As a keynote speaker represented by the London Speaker Bureau – the largest international network of speakers for corporations and governments globally, I share ideas on global risk and future trends from my books (Future World Order and Global Spring) and comics (The Global Kid) to diverse audiences. How will a pandemic-shaped, post-Trump, climate crisis-hit era evolve this decade? (part-time)



Speakers Connect

• Hong Kong
• Events Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Keynote Speaker on Global Affairs

  • 2021 - Present

  As a keynote speaker represented by Speakers Connect – a Hong Kong-based speaker agency for businesses & organizations looking for a global perspective, I share my ideas on global affairs based on my books (Future World Order and A Global Spring) and comics (The Global Kid) on global risk. How do we best prepare for a decade that will likely be shaped by more shock events? (part-time) As a keynote speaker represented by Speakers Connect – a Hong Kong-based speaker agency for businesses & organizations looking for a global perspective, I share my ideas on global affairs based on my books (Future World Order and A Global Spring) and comics (The Global Kid) on global risk. How do we best prepare for a decade that will likely be shaped by more shock events? (part-time)



Chartwell Speakers

• United Kingdom
• Events Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Keynote Speaker on Post-Covid Geopolitics, Politics & Society

  • 2021 - Present

  As a keynote speaker represented by Chartwell Speakers – a speaker agency for events & conferences globally, I share future-focused ideas on the geopolitics, politics & society of a post-Covid era based on my books (Future World Order and Global Spring) and comics (The Global Kid) on global risk. What will the 2020s look like – and what can we do to achieve the best outcome? (part-time) As a keynote speaker represented by Chartwell Speakers – a speaker agency for events & conferences globally, I share future-focused ideas on the geopolitics, politics & society of a post-Covid era based on my books (Future World Order and Global Spring) and comics (The Global Kid) on global risk. What will the 2020s look like – and what can we do to achieve the best outcome? (part-time)



Wikistrat

• United States
• Information Technology & Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Political Consultant

  • 2012 - Present

  At world's first geopolitical crowdsourced consultancy, as lead analyst map out possible risks & futures of countries, regions, world in interdisciplinary crowdsourced analysis for governments; through other networks, offer insights on global trends, political risk, extremism (part-time) At world's first geopolitical crowdsourced consultancy, as lead analyst map out possible risks & futures of countries, regions, world in interdisciplinary crowdsourced analysis for governments; through other networks, offer insights on global trends, political risk, extremism (part-time)



Medium

• United States
• Online Audio and Video Media
• 700 & Above Employee

• Political Blogger

  • 2018 - Present

  Researching and writing blog series on different aspects of global risk to enlighten the reader about this sensitive turning point, for online blogging platform Medium created in 2012; also contribute to Thrive Global (part-time) Researching and writing blog series on different aspects of global risk to enlighten the reader about this sensitive turning point, for online blogging platform Medium created in 2012; also contribute to Thrive Global (part-time)



The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

• United Kingdom
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Visiting Fellow

  • 2018 - 2020

  As Visiting Fellow at the London School of Economics' Institute of Global Affairs, advised on new research initiatives (e.g. extremism, education), shared my research on global risk through my blog and book FUTURE WORLD ORDER (www.futureworldorder.org) (part-time) As Visiting Fellow at the London School of Economics' Institute of Global Affairs, advised on new research initiatives (e.g. extremism, education), shared my research on global risk through my blog and book FUTURE WORLD ORDER (www.futureworldorder.org) (part-time)



HuffPost

• United States
• Online Media
• 300 - 400 Employee

• Political Blogger

  • 2014 - 2017

  Researched and wrote opinion blogs on global politics, political risk, prediction and strategy for The Huffington Post and its political offshoot, The WorldPost – the 2014-2017 partnership between The Huffington Post & think tank Berggruen Institute (part-time) Researched and wrote opinion blogs on global politics, political risk, prediction and strategy for The Huffington Post and its political offshoot, The WorldPost – the 2014-2017 partnership between The Huffington Post & think tank Berggruen Institute (part-time)



Bloomberg News

• United States
• Online Audio and Video Media
• 700 & Above Employee

• Global Politics Columnist

  • 2009 - 2014

  Wrote Asia, Middle East and Africa-focused columns on political risk, prediction and strategy for Bloomberg Businessweek; wrote columns on global politics for CNN World's Global Public Square Wrote Asia, Middle East and Africa-focused columns on political risk, prediction and strategy for Bloomberg Businessweek; wrote columns on global politics for CNN World's Global Public Square



University of London

• United Kingdom
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Senior Teaching Fellow

  • 2009 - 2011

  Researched and taught undergraduate course on democracy, development and militant groups in South Asia Researched and taught undergraduate course on democracy, development and militant groups in South Asia