Authors of The Routledge Handbook of Political Risk establish Academic Institution

The Political Risk Studies Association (PRSA) serves as a space to promote networking and scientific/academic exchange among researchers, students, companies, consultants, and any individuals interested in the topic of political risk analysis and management.

The Association will maintain a digital platform to foster open conversation, exchange of ideas, updates, publications, and discussion of a variety of aspects of political risk analysis for both experts and individuals interested in the topic. It will also provide information on seminars and webinars, conferences or workshops on the topic of political risk. We plan to host one in-person event per year, with the first taking place in spring 2026.

Membership is free. If you are passionate about political risk, come and join in the conversation.

LM PRISK Partnership with LexisNexis

As of July 1, 2025, L&M PRISK is the exclusive partner for trade compliance of the Compliance Network Austria. The network aims to professionalize and anchor compliance in Austrian companies. Information, further training and the transfer of experience and knowledge are the focus of all network activities. The heart of the network is the platform www.compliance-praxis.at, which provides daily updates on innovations and trends and invites active networking. LM PRISK will contribute its expertise on the current and highly relevant topic of trade compliance management. With a focus on geopolitical framework conditions, investigative insights and best-practice know-how on the latest standards of trade compliance requirements, LM PRISK stands for methodical competence and innovative solutions.

Assessment of geopolitical shifts and security challenges in the Black Sea region

On June 18, 2025, the Austrian Institute for European and Security Policy (AIES), in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Defence, hosted an expert workshop that addressed recent developments in the Black Sea region and provided in-depth country-specific perspectives on Georgia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Romania, Ukraine and Russia. The focus was on the ongoing war in Ukraine and its far-reaching regional impact. As Johannes Leitner pointed out, hybrid warfare has a direct negative impact on economic and business security and requires a policy that takes into account the full spectrum of national security.

“Doing Business in Ukraine” conference in Berlin and German-Uzbek Economic Council in Duesseldorf

During the “Doing Business in Ukraine” conference, organized by the “Ostausschuss der deutschen Wirrtschaft” on June 11th 2025, Johannes Leitner discussed with business representatives current opportunities and challenges for companies in Ukraine. There are numerous high-level initiatives that aim at paving the way for more investments in Ukraine, among others the Business Advisory Council which prepares recommendations and concrete projects to support Ukraine’s business environment.

The German-Uzbek Business Council, which took place in Düsseldorf on June 20, aimed to discuss current and potential future business projects in Uzbekistan. Given the dynamic society, promising economic development and improving political conditions, the country is a promising destination. However, knowledge of the cultural and business peculiarities is a must. For this reason, Hannes Meissner and Johannes Leitner took part in various personal discussions and shared their insights and knowledge.

Webinar of Paris based ESCP Geopolitics Institue

In a world increasingly shaped by geopolitical uncertainty, the webinar delved into how businesses can assess and respond to political risks. From pandemics and nationalism to climate change, technological disruption, and war, the discussion explored the evolving threats facing global enterprises. Hosted by Maxime Lefebvre and Vanessa Strauss-Kahn, this special session brought together three of the four editors of the Routledge Handbook of Political Risk to examine both the theory and the real-world implications of political risk for decision-makers. While Cecilia Sottilotta focused on theoretical-conceptual questions, Julian Campisi focused on managerical questions. Hannes Meissner contributed his expertise from a consulting perspective. This in-depth conversation is a must-watch for professionals, academics, and students seeking to understand how political risk intersects with global business strategy. To watch it, please follow this link to Youtube.

Mutual Benefits for Customers in the Course of Rebuild Ukraine programmm

On June 27, Johannes Leitner and Hannes Meissner met with Igor Basanskyi in Bratislava to sign a partnership agreement between L&M PRISK and Itera. The Norwegian company has a strong presence in Scandinavia, Central and Eastern Europe and Ukraine and focuses on digital business, data, AI, analytics and cloud services. They are part of the “Rebuild Ukraine” program, supporting companies entering Ukraine. In this context, Itera uses its extensive local network of politicians, international organizations and suppliers and supports foreign companies in identifying, developing and implementing new business opportunities in Ukraine. Here, too, they combine business and digital agendas. L&M PRISK supports with valuable expertise in political risk management, screening, monitoring and analysis of the political and market environment as well as the development of customized solutions. A key asset is L&M PRISK's corporate intelligence networks in the region, which provide in-depth and highly specific answers to investors' pressing questions about KYC, the market and the political environment. As a first step, Itera and L&M PRISK prepare join events in Vienna and Bratislava in autumn.

From left to right: Hannes Meissner (LM PRISK), Igor Basanskyi (Itera), Johannes Leitner (LM PRISK)

Presentation by Johannes Leitner at the “Ostausschuss der Deutschen Wirtschaft”

Johannes Leitner from LM Political Risk and Strategy Advisory was invited by the “Ostausschuss der Deutschen Wirtschaft” to give an update on the current situation in Russia. The online format “Current Situation in Russia” was held on April 1, 2025. Johannes Leitner presented the following conclusions: The peace negotiations with Ukraine will not come to a conclusion, the sanctions by the USA will not be tightened for the time being, but they will not be lifted either, and the EU will adopt further sanctions packages. Russia itself is currently writing new rules of the game for Western companies that are interested in re-entering the market once the war and sanctions have ended. It must also be clear that the market in Russia itself has changed. For more information, please see the slides.

New article by Johannes Leitner, Hannes Meissner and Matthijs Verheijen in the Journal "Compliance Praxis"

As peace approaches, the sanctions against Russia will be lifted. As nice as this assumption may sound, it is currently unlikely. The USA has not lifted a single sanction under Trump and the EU remains convinced that sanctions will continue. An end to the conflict is a long way off. This is the link to the full article (behind a pay-wall).

Public Event with Johannes Leitner and Hannes Meissner at the Austrian Institute of International Politics (OIIP)

The “Routledge Handbook of Political Risk” has recently been published by Taylor and Francis. The book that consists of 33 chapters has furthermore been edited by Cecilia Emma Sottilotta and Julian Campisi. It explores the context, analysis, and management of political risks arising from recent tectonic geopolitical challenges posed to the world order by pandemics, nationalist policy interventions, changing supply chains, technological transformation, and the climate ctrisis. The public event at the OIIP titled "Political Risks, Threats and Opportunities in a Changing World – Assessing the Business Context" was moderated by Cengiz Günay (Director OIIP). Another panelists was Zeynep Arkan (OIIP/Hacettepe University, Ankara). The book presentation was followed by a discussion based on questions and comments from the audience, focusing on two main topics: Firstly, poltical risks characteristic of emerging countries, and secondly, supply chain interruptions. In the latter regard, Andreas Tengler (Tengler Consulting) concluded: „In order to counter both geopolitical and national disruptions, companies today have great opportunities to adapt their supply chain as quickly as possible with big data, AI and integrated planning. Unfortunately, however, most companies are not yet well enough positioned in terms of processes, organisation and data quality.” With this statement, he underlined the key message of the event: political risks must be managed.

From left to right: Cengiz Günay, Zeynep Arkan, Johannes Leitner, Hannes Meissner

Hannes Meissner as Speaker at Workshop with Managers, Experts, and Researchers at University of Zurich

How can companies in Ukraine track geopolitical risks and navigate them? This question was explored in an invitation-only workshop, jointly organized by the European Business Association (EBA) and the University of Zurich. The event brought together business leaders operating in the region with experts and researchers working on the topic for an action-oriented workshop on how to navigate geopolitical risks related to the war in Ukraine. In their invitation to the workshop, the University of Zurich and EBA highlighted that the war in Ukraine has accelerated deglobalization and the move toward a multipolar economy beyond the old West-East divide. Companies operating in the region must stay highly aware of political developments. Markets are shaped by politics – through supply chain regulations, trade barriers, and conflicts. In his speech, Hannes Meissner introduced human intelligence (HUMINT) and open-source (OSINT) methods of how to investigate and analyse geopolitical risks. He furthermore addressed latest geopolitical risk management strategies, inter alia cuttinge-edge trade compliance approaches, scenario-analysis, and geopolitial risk impact assessment models. Concering Ukriane, he drew the conclusion that companies need a realistic picture of chances and geopolitical risks that can be managed though. Although a peace-agreement is unlikely and state capture remains a major risk, the country offers promising opportunties for European enterprises.

The group of speakers and participants.

Guest Lecture by Hannes Meissner at the University of Vienna

Managing Partner Hannes Meissner recently gave a guest lecture at the University of Vienna, addressing the questions of what development prospects Ukraine has in regards to socioeconomic development and EU integration and what opportunities and risks the country opens up for foreign direct investment. Major Western support for Ukraine in the form of possible EU membership and the high level of financial support for reconstruction raise hopes of a democratic Ukraine that guarantees maximum security to enterprises through a functioning rule of law, and whose economy is booming thanks to the inflow of external financial resources and investment. In this regard, the lecture discussed two important political risk categories that are major obstacles to this development perspective: state capture and geopolitical risks. The lecture concluded that it is unlikely that a peace agreement will be reached soon, that important reforms have recently been delayed under the conditions of war, and that the EU has only limited options in the current battle for geopolitical zones of influence. Details and arguments can be found in the slides.

Although L&M PRISK’s consulting focus is on political risks for companies and management strategies in the post-Soviet region, our expertise often covers other areas as well. Since Managing Partner Hannes Meissner wrote his doctoral thesis on Turkmenistan and since he spent time in the country, he has also been asked by the media about completely different topics related to Turkmenistan. Kevin Schulte from NTV recently did a podcast with Hannes Meissner about the football club “Arkadag” from Turkmenistan. Because no other soccer club in the world wins as many games in a row as this one. After being founded two years ago, the club is undefeated in its own country - and has even won its first international title. The club is the latest toy of Turkmenistan's supreme leader, dictator Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. This the link to the podcast.

From Russia and China to the U.S. - the economic and political system are undergoing enormous changes. Trust in security coordination, supply chains and energy cooperation is waning. Politics and businesses need to maneuver in a volatile environment characterized by de-globalization and fragmentation. The panel will assess risks, threats and opportunities.

The event takes place on the occasion of two publications: (1) The Routledge Handbook of Political Risk, edited by Hannes Meissner, Johannes Leitner, Cecilia Sottilotta and Julian Campisi, and (2) European Security and Hybrid Threats: A Narrative in the Making, by Zeynep Arkan, Palgrave Macmillan.

Participants:
Zeynep Arkan
oiip, Hacettepe University, Ankara

Johannes Leitner
Managing Partner at LM Political Risk and Strategy Advisory; University for Economics, Business and Finance, Vienna

Hannes Meissner
Managing Partner at LM Political Risk and Strategy Advisory, University for Economics, Business and Finance, Vienna

Chair:

Cengiz Günay
Director oiip

When: 15.05.2025, 17:30 - 19:00

Where: oiip, Währinger Strasse 3/12, 1090 Wien

Please register under the following link.

On March 5, 2025, Dr. Johannes Leitner (L&M PRISK), Dr. Hannes Meissner (L&M PRISK), Dr. Cecilia Emma Sottilotta (University for Foreigners in Perugia) and Dr. Julian Campisi (University of Toronto) - the editors of “The Roudledge Handbook of Political Risk” - launched their book at the International Studies Association (ISA) General Conference in Chicago. Following a meeting at the Taylor & Francis booth in the publishers' exhibit hall (see photo below), a public roundtable was held where the editors emphasized the relevance of the handbook for academics, practitioners and consultants in light of the current global polycrisis. In addition, three other authors presented their chapters. Carlo Gallo, who traveled from Santa Monica, spoke about political risk methodology, Scott Malcomson (Strategic Insight Group) from New York shared his insights from the US-China tech war, and Florence Ertel (University of Passau) spoke about political risk for companies using the example of Kazakhstan.

From left to right: Hannes Meissner, Johannes Leitner, Rob Sorsby (Taylor & Francis), Cecilia Emma Sottilotta, Julian Campisi

On March 20, 2025, Johannes Leitner spoke about geopolitical risks at the Corporate Venturing & Entrepreneurship Summit 2025 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Together with Patricia Klopf from the Erasmus School of Management, Johannes Leitner analysed current geopolitical dynamics and how they affect global institutions, logics and economic globalization in particular. In a further step, they discussed the effects on corporate strategies. Here is a link to the event homepage.

On the 100th day of the ongoing protests in Georgia, a panel bringing together experts in Georgian politics and international relations took place at the Central European University. The aim was to provide critical insights into the challenges the Georgian democracy faces and the broader regional significance of the country.

Together with Professor Kornely Kakachia (Tbilisi State University/Georgian Institute of Politics), Ambassador Natalie Sabanadze (Chatham House), and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Ambassador David Dondua, Hannes Meissner discussed the underlying causes of Georgia’s democratic backsliding, institutional erosion, elite power consolidation, and external influences. The panel also explored the geopolitical ramifications of these shifts, particularly in the context of growing Russian influence and the European Union’s wavering engagement. With Georgia’s political trajectory mirroring broader illiberal and autocratic trends across Europe, the discussion further assessed the role of international actors, civil society, and opposition forces in countering democratic decline. For more information on the event, please follow this link.

In front on site: Dr. Hannes Meissner, Ambassador David Dondua and the Moderator of the Panel, Jaba Devdariani. Copyright: CEU

Eastblog article by Matthijs Verheijen and Hannes Meissner in the Austrian Newspaper “Der Standard”

The Ukraine Reconstruction Conference in June 2024 sent a clear signal to European companies. Indeed, hopes were raised for a pro-European and democratic Ukraine that would guarantee maximum security for European companies through a rule of law and whose economy would boom thanks to the influx of external funds and foreign direct investment. However, a viable peace scenario has not emerged since then, and since Donal Trump took office, Ukraine's future is more uncertain than ever. In their latest Eastblog article, Matthijs Verheijen and Hannes Meissner analyze the geopolitical changes following Trump's inauguration, the uncertain future of Ukraine and the resulting risks and opportunities for European companies. Various scenarios - from a prolonged war to Russian hegemony - are associated with different consequences for companies. Please follow the link to the article.

NTV Podcast with Hannes Meissner

Georgian society has a strong pro-European orientation. Economically, however, the country is closely linked to Russia. What are the goals of the ruling party ‘Georgian Dream’? And what does this mean for Europe. These are the questions that Hannes Meissner discusses with Andrea Sellmann in the new NTV podcast ‘Wirtschaft, Welt & Weit’. These are the links to the podcast:

NTV

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

RTL+

Article by Johannes Leitner in the journal “Compliance Praxis”

Modern trade compliance management is essential to protect the company from sanctions violations and ensure safe business practices in a geopolitical world. Embargoes and sanctions are important tools of international politics to react to military aggression without intervening militarily. Russia is one of the most heavily sanctioned countries, with the aim of weakening its military-industrial complex and economic capacities in order to stop the war against Ukraine. Despite the sanctions, Russia can continue its war through revenues from oil and gas sales and access to Western technology. Western countries such as the USA, UK and EU are expected to tighten their sanctions further. They will quickly introduce new sanctions in the event of further conflicts. This is the link to the article.

Eastblog Article by Johannes Leitner and Ana Todua

Ana Todua and Johannes Leitner analyse the political situation in Georgia following the parliamentary elections on 26 October 2024 and their significance for the country's future foreign policy. The elections are controversial and there are serious allegations of electoral offences. Nevertheless, the ruling party ‘Georgian Dream’ insists that it won the election de facto, which led to nationwide protests. The article describes the party's ‘multi-vector foreign policy’, which pursues both rapprochement with Russia and Euro-Atlantic integration. This contradictory strategy is presented as problematic, as it leaves the country's geopolitical orientation unclear. Which strategy is to be expected can be read in the article. Please follow his link.