Ian Lesser

Distinguished fellow and adviser to the president, the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF)

Based in Brussels, Ian Lesser is distinguished fellow and adviser to the president at the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF). He has served in a range of leadership positions at GMF, including vice president and acting president of the organisation. As managing director of Ian Lesser BV, Ian Lesser advises American and European clients on questions of risk and strategy. He also holds the chair in Transatlantic Affairs at the College of Europe in Bruges, and is a senior fellow at the Policy Center for the New South in Rabat.

Prior to joining GMF, Ian Lesser was vice president and director of studies at the Pacific Council on International Policy. He came to the Pacific Council from the RAND Corporation, where he spent over a decade as a senior analyst specializing in strategic studies. From 1994-1995, he was a member of the Secretary’s Policy Planning Staff at the US Department of State responsible for southern Europe, Turkey and the multilateral track of the Middle East peace process. Ian Lesser has written widely on international questions and is a frequent contributor to global media. He received his D. Phil from Oxford University.