Ben Judah was director of the Transform Europe Initiative and a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center. His research focused is on the European consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, transnational kleptocracy, European energy and decarbonization politics, Europe in the Middle East and Britain’s attempts to reset its diplomatic posture after Brexit. He has advised progressive politicians and campaigns on both sides of the Atlantic. 

He was previously a fellow at the Hudson Institute in Washington, DC, leading research on the institute’s Kleptocracy Initiative. He was also previously a fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations in London and the European Stability Initiative in Istanbul.

He has interviewed and profiled global figures including French President Emmanuel Macron, former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, and former First Lady Melania Trump. As a journalist, he has reported on the Russo-Georgia War; unrest in Central Asia, the Arab Spring, and elections in the United Kingdom, France, and United States.

He is the author of three acclaimed books: Fragile Empire, a study of Vladimir Putin’s Russia, This is London, a book on the British capital, and This Is Europe, a book on various European cities.

He has been commended as British Feature Writer of the Year at The Press Awards (formerly known as the British Press Awards), has been selected as a Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe, was a finalist for the 2019 Ryszard Kapuściński Award for Literary Reportage, and most recently was awarded a Travelling Scholarship by the Society of Authors.