Robin Niblett

{{Short description|British international relations scholar}}

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{{Infobox person

|name = Sir Robin Niblett

|honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|KCMG}}

|image = Robin Niblett, Director, Chatham House (37656542155) (cropped).jpg

|birth_name = Robin Christian Howard Niblett

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1961|8|20}}

|birth_place =

|death_date =

|death_place =

|education = New College, Oxford (BA, MPhil, DPhil)

}}

Sir Robin Christian Howard Niblett {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|KCMG}} (born 20 August 1961{{cite news

| title = Birthdays

| newspaper = The Guardian

| pages = 35

| publisher = Guardian News & Media

| date = 20 August 2014

}}) is a British specialist in international relations. He is a distinguished fellow at Chatham House{{Cite web |title=Robin Niblett {{!}} Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank |url=https://www.chathamhouse.org/about-us/our-people/robin-niblett |access-date=5 June 2023 |website=Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank|date=22 November 2022 }} and at the Asia Society Policy Institute,{{Cite web |title=Sir Robin Niblett KCMG DPhil {{!}} Asia Society |url=https://asiasociety.org/policy-institute/sir-robin-niblett-kcmg-dphil |access-date=5 June 2023 |website=Asia Society|date=20 September 2022 }} and a senior adviser at British strategic advisory firm Hakluyt & Company.{{Cite web |title=Sir Robin Niblett KCMG - Hakluyt |url=https://hakluytandco.com/team/sir-robin-niblett-kcmg/ |access-date=5 June 2023}}

He was the director and chief executive of Chatham House, also known as the Royal Institute of International Affairs, for 15 years between 2007 and 2022.{{Cite web |title=How the world has changed on my watch {{!}} Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank |url=https://www.chathamhouse.org/publications/the-world-today/2022-06/how-world-has-changed-my-watch |access-date=5 June 2023 |website=Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank|date=26 May 2022 }} He will begin his tenure as the Warden of New College, Oxford in September 2026.{{Cite web |title=Election of New Warden {{!}} New College |url=https://www.new.ox.ac.uk/news/election-new-warden |access-date=2025-06-14 |website=www.new.ox.ac.uk}}

Education and personal life

Niblett is the son of Alan and Christine Niblett.{{cite book|title=Who's Who|date=2016|publisher=A & C Black}} In 1990, he married Trisha de Borchgrave, daughter of Arnaud de Borchgrave, with whom he has two daughters.

He was educated at Cottesmore School and Charterhouse. He studied at New College, Oxford, and obtained a BA in Modern Languages in 1984, followed by an MPhil in 1993 and DPhil in International Relations in 1995. His doctoral thesis was entitled The European Community and the Central European Three, 1989–92: a study of the Community as an international actor.

Early career

On leaving Oxford, he was a musician 1985–87 (he lists electric guitar among his recreations in Who's Who).

Center for Strategic and International Studies

He was resident associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, DC 1988–91 and their Europe representative 1992–97. He was director, strategic planning, 1997–2000; executive vice-president and chief operating officer, 2001–06.[http://www.uscc.gov/bios/2005bios/05_07_21_22/niblett_robin.htm US China Economic Security and Review Commission bio] During his last two years at CSIS, he also served as director of the CSIS Europe Program and its Initiative for a Renewed Transatlantic Partnership.atlantic-community.org, [http://www.atlantic-community.org/index/Global_Must_Read_Article/Dr._Robin_Niblett,_Director_of_Chatham_House Atlantic Faces: Dr Robin Niblett], 3 December 2010

Chatham House (The Royal Institute of International Affairs)

Niblett was appointed director and chief executive of Chatham House in January 2007. His 15-year tenure spanned major world events, from the 2008 financial crisis, the Arab Spring, Brexit, Russia's annexation of Crimea and the invasion of Ukraine.

Over that period, Chatham House tripled in size as an organisation. It now counts more than 200 full-time staff and 150 associate fellows, working across the full range of topics related to international affairs including geopolitics, the energy transition and technology competition.

He announced in October 2021 that he would be stepping down from his role the following year.{{Cite web |title=Dr Robin Niblett decides to leave after almost 15 years {{!}} Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank |url=https://www.chathamhouse.org/2021/10/dr-robin-niblett-decides-leave-after-almost-15-years |access-date=5 June 2023 |website=Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank|date=10 October 2021 }} In April 2022, he was succeeded in the role by Bronwen Maddox.{{Cite web |title=Chatham House appoints new director and chief executive {{!}} Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank |url=https://www.chathamhouse.org/2022/04/chatham-house-appoints-new-director-and-chief-executive |access-date=5 June 2023 |website=Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank|date=4 April 2022 }} Three months later, in July, he was appointed a distinguished fellow and made a lifetime member by Chatham House’s governing Council, in recognition of his "exceptional service to the institute".{{Cite web |title=Sir Robin Niblett becomes distinguished fellow and lifetime member {{!}} Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank |url=https://www.chathamhouse.org/2022/07/sir-robin-niblett-becomes-distinguished-fellow-and-lifetime-member |access-date=5 June 2023 |website=Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank|date=19 July 2022 }}

Other roles

File:Robin Niblett with Carolyn Quinn on BBC R4 PM Programme (4565122413).jpg in 2010]]

Niblett has participated as a panellist at conferences and events around the world{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20090411195747/http://fora.tv/speaker/1166/Dr_Robin_Niblett FORA.tv Speaker – Robin Niblett]}}YouTube, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drC3ULvBhbo Davos Annual Meeting 2010 – Rethinking the Eurozone] as an expert on transatlantic relations and European order. He has given evidence to the House of Commons Defence Select Committee about the future of NATO and European defence,[https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmselect/cmdfence/111/7100902.htm House of Commons Select Committee on Defence Minutes of Evidence], 9 October 2007 to the Foreign Affairs Committee about the US-UK relationshipHouse of Commons Global Security: UK-US Relations – Foreign Affairs Committee, [https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmfaff/114/114we20.htm Written evidence from Dr Robin Niblett, Director, Chatham House] and the future of UK government policy towards the European Union,The future of the european Union: UK Government policy, [https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmselect/cmfaff/writev/futunion/m25.htm Written evidence from Dr Robin Niblett, Director, Chatham House] and to the Select Committee on Soft Power and the UK's Influence.Chatham House, [http://www.chathamhouse.org/publications/papers/view/198685 Soft Power, Hard Foundations: The Future of the UK’s International Influence], 1 March 2014 He has appeared as an analyst on these topics in major media including the BBCBBC News – Today, [http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8866000/8866256.stm Cameron's 'hard headed' diplomatic strategy], 29 July 2010 and CNNCNN, [http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1011/02/ctw.01.html Connect the World], 2 November 2010 and has written and commented for prominent newspapers including the Financial Times,Financial Times video, [http://video.ft.com/v/62573457001/Jan-12-Robin-Niblett-on-Europe-s-Russia-policy Jan 12: Robin Niblett on Europe's Russia policy] Washington Post,The Washington Post, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/09/AR2009100904381_pf.html Critics Smell Politics in Decision to Honor Obama], 10 October 2009 The GuardianThe Guardian, [https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/feb/02/nato-security-online-debate Debating Defence], 2 February 2010 and the Daily Telegraph.The Telegraph, [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/6206570/Analysis-Barack-Obamas-decision-on-missile-shield-shows-he-is-sticking-to-the-diplomatic-path.html Analysis: Barack Obama's decision on missile shield shows he is sticking to the diplomatic path], 18 September 2009

He is the editor and contributing author of the book America and a Changed World: A Question of Leadership and has edited and co-authored books on transatlantic cooperation and European integration. Most recently he authored a chapter in the book Influencing Tomorrow: Future Challenges for British Foreign Policy.Amazon.co.uk, [https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?_encoding=UTF8&search-alias=books-uk&field-author=Robin%20Niblett Robin Niblett: Books]

He has served as a non-executive director of Fidelity European Values Investment Trust since 2010,Bloomberg Businessweek, [http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=100536749&ticker=FEV:LN&previousCapId=874319&previousTitle=The%20Edinburgh%20Investment%20Trust%20Plc Robin Niblett: Executive Profile & Biography]{{dead link|date=April 2023|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} and is a member and former Chairman of the World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Council on Europe.World Economic Forum, [http://www.weforum.org/contributors/robin-niblett Robin Niblett]

He chaired the British Academy forum on language needs for UK public policy making and implementation{{Cite web |title=Policy and research |url=https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/policy-and-research/ |access-date=2023-08-24 |website=The British Academy |language=en}} and is currently Chairman of the Experts Group for the 2014 NATO Summit.{{Cite web | url=http://www.chathamhouse.org/media/news/view/198369 | title=Director of Chatham House to Chair New NATO Group of Policy Experts | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160107052302/http://www.chathamhouse.org/media/news/view/198369 | archive-date=2016-01-07}}

He is a non-resident distinguished fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute.

Since 2022, he has been a senior adviser on geopolitics and international affairs at the British strategic advisory firm Hakluyt & Company.

In September 2026, he will take up the post of Warden of New College. {{cite web |title=Election of New Warden |url=https://www.new.ox.ac.uk/news/election-new-warden |website=www.new.ox.ac.uk |publisher=New College, Oxford |access-date=16 June 2025}}

Honours

Niblett was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 2015 New Year Honours for services to promoting the UK as a global centre for foreign policy{{London Gazette|issue=61092|supp=y|page=N4|date=31 December 2014}}{{Cite web | url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/391415/Diplomatic_and_Overseas_NY15_Honours_List.pdf | title=Order of St Michael and St George | website=www.gov.uk}} and Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in the 2022 Birthday Honours for services to international relations and British foreign policy.{{London Gazette|issue=63714|supp=y|page=B3|date=1 June 2022}}

References