Turning Hindsight into Foresight

I am a researcher, strategic advisor, and professor of international relations with over two decades of experience at the nexus of policy and research across three continents.

My writing, speaking, and teaching focus on foreign policy and international security with an emphasis on NATO and Transatlantic security, the future of international order, geopolitical forecasting, strategic scenarios, and the geopolitics of AI. 

Currently, I am Senior Fellow for Strategic Foresight at the Montreal Institute for Global Security (MIGS), Senior Fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute (MLI), and Senior Fellow at the Centre for Strategic Statecraft. I am also an Adjunct Research Professor at Carleton University where I teach courses on the geopolitics of AI, transatlantic security, and strategic foresight.

I am the Co-Founder and Principal at the Pendulum Geopolitical Advisory, a boutique strategic advisory practice based in Ottawa, Canada. As a strategic advisor, I help governments and organisations anticipate the future and make better decisions through geopolitical forecasting, strategic scenarios, and bespoke training and briefings.

I am also an expert forecaster and trainer for Good Judgment, Founding Board Member of the Alliance for Global Security (AGS), and Associate Editor of the Journal of Geoeconomics.

Previously, I was the Director of the Transatlantic Program at the Macdonald Laurier Institute and held faculty positions in the universities in Denmark, the US, and Turkey and taught courses on foreign policy, international security, geopolitical forecasting, strategic foresight, and global catastrophic and existential risks.‍ ‍I was a Superforecaster in the US intelligence community sponsored geopolitical forecasting competition Good Judgment Project.

My public commentary has appeared in The Globe and Mail, National Post, Toronto Star, Toronto Sun, The Hub, The Hill, and Inside Policy, among other outlets. I'm a regular contributor to major Canadian media, including CBC, CTV, Global News, and national radio programs. I have testified in the House of Commons in Canada, briefed senior policymakers in several NATO nations, and spoken in dozens of academic conferences, workshops, high-level policy forums, closed-door strategic diaologues, and public panels across the world.

In June 2025 I was awarded the Gold Cross of Merit by the Republic of Poland.

For speaking engagements, consulting opportunities, media inquiries, or customized training and workshops, please contact me at balkan [at] balkandevlen [dot] com or through LinkedIn.