The new economic diplomacy

Change is a given in international economic relations. But recent events and decisions by major economic powers have led to a debate about the future of international economic cooperation. How states and entities such as the European Union respond to the profound changes we are seeing today depends on their approach to decision making and negotiation in international economic relations. In other words it depends on their economic diplomacy.

This event looks at the new economic diplomacy upon the publication of The New Economic Diplomacy: Decision-making and negotiation in International Economic Relations. It suggests ways in which academic research can help understand the factors shaping developments and inform the policy responses to the current disruption of established norms of international economic relations.

Meet our speakers

Alexander Bobroske is a former US political campaign operative and trade policy advisor. He is also an LSE alumnus, having participated in the 'Economic Diplomacy' course with Stephen Woolcock. He has advised corporates, investors and non-profits across sectors to navigate global trade policy risks and opportunities from US-China tensions to Brexit and evolving transatlantic relations.

Maaike Odano-Heijmens is a Senior Research Fellow at the Clingendael Institute in The Hague, where she leads the ‘Geopolitics of Technology and Digitalisation’ programme. Her main research interests are the geopolitics of technology and digitalisation in EU-Asia relations, with a special focus on China, Japan and the Indo-Pacific.

Stephen Woolcock is Senior Advisor at the LSE Trade Hub and former Associate Professor in International Relations at LSE. He is also editor of the 5th edition of The New Economic Diplomacy: Decision-making and negotiation in International Economic Relations.

Discussants

John Alty is a Visiting Professor in Practice at the LSE European Institute. His career has been spent in HM Government working on regulation, markets and business issues, with a strong EU and international dimension. Before leaving the Government in 2021, John was the Director General for Trade Policy, Department for International Trade, responsible for building UK trade capacity and developing trade policy post EU referendum.

Tomas Baert is Trade Adviser to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. His responsibilities are trade, economic Security, WTO contact point, sanctions, accession to the European Convention on Human Rights, and the Project Group on Economic Security. He is also an LSE alumnus, having participated in the ‘Economic Diplomacy’ course with Dr Stephen Woolcock.

Chair

Boram Lee is Assistant Professor in the Department of International Relations at LSE.

More about this event

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