Director

Dr. Paul G. Buchanan

Dr Paul G. Buchanan is a former policy analyst and intelligence consultant to US government security agencies who specializes in matters of security, comparative and international politics. He is a US citizen permanent resident in New Zealand. He has taught at the National University of Singapore, University of Auckland, University of Chile, New College of Florida, University of Arizona, Monterey Institute of International Studies and US Naval Postgraduate School, and has held research appointments in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Portugal and the US. He has received Heinz, Kellogg, Tinker, Council on Foreign Relations and Pacific Rim Universities fellowships as well as numerous other awards.

Besides his academic background (which includes lecturing and mentoring  junior intelligence officers in Latin American affairs and unconventional warfare), Buchanan has provided regional, subject and country-specific analysis and advice to senior US military, intelligence and diplomatic decision-makers. In his US government related capacities he handled daily intelligence flows from the field, prepared congressional testimony, met with foreign and domestic policy-makers and responded to Official Information Act requests. He was the co-team leader of the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) Cuba Task Force as well as being Caribbean desk officer and Regional Policy Analyst for the Interamerican Region in 1993-94. These responsibilities required him to have a Top Secret security clearance issued by the US government. After emigrating to New Zealand in 1997 he worked with the New Zealand Defense Forces as an educational consultant on issues of unconventional warfare, and has more recently lectured at the Australian Defense College on Southeast Asian geopolitics. He has an established profile as a media commentator on matters of international import.

Summary
Buchanan is the author of three books, over fifty scholarly articles, chapters, monographs and reviews as well as more than 130 opinion pieces in various media. He has extensive experience as a media commentator on international affairs. He also has practical and scholarly experience in international security affairs, including intelligence analysis and unconventional warfare.

Specialties
Political risk, strategic assessment, market and geopolitical intelligence analysis and forecasts.

Business Development Manager

Joe Ward

Joe  has spent the last 13 years as a professional rugby player both in New Zealand and England. He has represented New Zealand Under 19’s, U21’s, North Harbour NPC and the Hurricanes Super Rugby franchise until his departure for the UK in 2005. Whilst playing over 160 games for the London Wasps franchise, he was part of the team that won all major European Trophies, and subsequently selected for the England Squad. In the summer of 2011, Joe signed with Manchester based Sale Sharks in the Premiership, where he eventually retired in December of 2012.

Along with his rugby career, Joe studied a Bachelor of Business Studies degree at Massey University whilst in NZ and more recently St Andrews University in Scotland, doing a Masters Degree in Terrorism Studies. Joe then went on to work for G4S Risk Management (London), working on their Global Intelligence Service website and Bank of America Merrill Lynch (London) as an Intelligence Analyst working within their Corporate Security Division.