Chatham House appoints Professor Marc Weller as the new Director of the Global Governance and Security Centre
News release
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Professor Weller begins the new role immediately.
Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs, is pleased to announce that Professor Marc Weller will from today take over the directorship of its Global Governance and Security Centre (GGSC). Professor Weller is currently Director of Chatham House’s International Law Programme, one of the four programmes in the Centre, alongside International Security, Digital Society and Global Health. He is also a professor of international law at the University of Cambridge.
Professor Weller will lead the Centre, set up a year ago, in its ground-breaking work into the future of international rules and order: whether that is in retreat, or will be determined by the US and China, or can be remade by other countries and companies.
Among the issues covered in Professor Weller’s early expert commentaries for Chatham House were Gaza and Ukraine. He has also argued that the US capture of President Nicolás Maduro has no justification in international law and examined the history of Greenland.
Professor Weller comments on the US operations against Venezuela.
Earlier this month he gave evidence to the UK House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committee about the legality of US actions in Venezuela. He set out how developing countries are uniting in defence of international law, and described Chatham House’s work to defend the international legal system.
Professor Weller holds the Chair of International Law and International Constitutional Studies at the University of Cambridge, where his teaching focuses on public international law, including the use of force, dispute settlement, self-determination and peace-making.
In 2011/12 he served as a full-time senior mediation expert in the Department of Political Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat in New York and was senior legal advisor in the UN-led Vienna process of final status negotiations between Kosovo and Serbia.
He also served as senior advisor to UN Special Representatives for Syria (Kofi Annan, Lakhdar Brahimi and Staffan de Mistura) and to Jamal Benomar, former UN Under Secretary-General for Yemen.
Under Professor Weller’s leadership the Global Governance and Security Centre will, through its research and convening, pursue improved governance and institutional reform worldwide.
The Centre utilizes Chatham House’s unique reputation to draw together stakeholders from policy, the private sector and civil society, helping to bridge the gap between policymakers, business and the public.
Upon the announcement of his appointment, Professor Weller said:
‘Global governance is under pressure. But the urgent global issues requiring global answers remain, including security threats, the need to ensure preparedness for the next global health crisis, or to ensure governance of AI in the new knowledge economy, along with the international rule of law more broadly.
‘I am delighted to lead our effort at Chatham House to offer answers to these challenges through the Global Governance and Security Centre, making full use of the opportunity to draw upon the amazing expertise and experience within the Centre and Chatham House as a whole.’
Bronwen Maddox, Director and Chief Executive of Chatham House, said:
‘I am delighted that Marc, who joined us last year and has already made a considerable impact on our work and influence, will lead the Global Governance and Security Centre at this time when the world wants the answers to the questions it is addressing.’
Chatham House is a London-based international affairs think-tank. Its purpose is to address geopolitical challenges and international problems. Through this, we aim to help governments and societies to build a secure, sustainable, prosperous and just world.
We do this by providing independent analysis and advice, and by convening meetings of the people and organizations that can bring about change. Read more about our mission and values here: https://www.chathamhouse.org/about-us/our-mission-and-values
