Our Academy ambassadors represent Chatham House’s commitment to developing the next generation of leaders in international affairs. Drawn from all corners of the UK, the ambassadors help shape the Academy’s programme of engagement and progress their own professional development through leadership training and events.
Oliver Taylor
Ollie is a KPMG UK associate specialising within Private Client Advisory. Ollie joined KPMG in 2017 on their national apprenticeship scheme and has completed his AAT Professional Diploma in accounting, progressing to his chartered qualifications in 2021.
Ollie is a national charity champion for the KPMG- National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) partnership. He walked the Great Wall of China in aid of the charity and led the fundraising in the South. Ollie is also a mentor for the Social-Mobility Foundation. In his spare time, Ollie is a referee within semi-professional football, a keen sportsman and a supporter of Bristol City FC.
Joseph Magee-Billson
Joseph Magee-Billson is a student at the University of Edinburgh, pursuing an MA in Economics and Politics. He spent a year at LUISS Guido Carli on an exchange program in Rome.
His interests are around sustainable development, political economy, and financial inclusion, and he aims to pursue a masters in one of these fields. His previous professional work includes working for Finance for Impact, consulting on projects for the World Bank, the EU, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), on a variety of issues including financial inclusion, the Blue Economy, worker’s protections in investment, and Housing, Land and Property (HLP) rights.
Amira Ismail
Amira is currently studying an MA in International Relations at the University of Birmingham, where she has also gained her BA in History. She is currently undertaking a 10-month Patchwork Foundation Masterclass allowing her to connect with key leaders in politics.
As a researcher for the Equality Act Review Campaign, Amira is working to broaden the 2010 Equality Act so that it protects the most vulnerable people in society. Through her work with Beatfreeks, Amira is carving out space for young people of colour in the realm of heritage and now sits on the board of the Don’t Settle Project.
Daniel Tomkins
Daniel is currently working for the NHS in the hope of making a local difference as part of the broader pandemic response. Daniel studied his undergraduate degree in Public Services, in which he focused his studies on the struggles of youth deprivation.
Understanding this is a plight of global proportions, he committed another year to study MSc Global Governance at the University of South Wales. Intrigued by the interconnectivity of the modern, globalised world, he has developed an interest in analysing online discourse and the associated governance mechanisms; a lens that has provided an interesting perspective on inequality.
Araminta Watson
Araminta recently graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a First-Class Honours History and Politics degree. While studying, she spent a year at the University of Pennsylvania, where she completed a research dissertation examining the impact of presidential rhetoric on gun control legislation.
She is particularly interested in global leadership in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic which she believes has strengthened the need for international cooperation in response to transnational threats. Since graduating, Araminta has worked as a Remote Intern for AKE International, producing regular written reports on political violence trends in Latin America.
Leyla Helvaci
Leyla recently graduated from Cardiff University with a BA in politics and philosophy. She is interested in feminist politics and how it relates to international relations. Leyla works for Consortium as equity fund project officer to support community-led LGBT+ organizations working across key intersectional, equity issues.
Having previously worked for a domestic abuse charity in aftercare, recovery, early intervention, prevention, and outreach services, Leyla oversaw volunteering projects including campaigning and skill-based workshops. She is also a mentee in the Equal Power Equal Voice public life mentoring programme as part of the Women’s Equality Network Wales cohort.
Dakota Reid
Dakota is a final year International Politics and Conflict Studies student with a specific interest in environmental politics and policy. Dakota is part of the Our Bright Future environmental campaign group and also a volunteer with The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and an active biodiversity recorder for several projects and databases.
Dakota views climate breakdown and biodiversity loss as the most catastrophic issues of our time, across politics, society and the economy and believes that robust discussion and cooperation on ideas at an international level are essential to make a change.
Amy Jane Thompson-Lancaster
Amy is a postgraduate student studying Diplomacy at the University of Birmingham. Throughout her undergraduate degree in Politics and International Relations, she engaged with a variety of subjects such as public policy, security, migration, and US Foreign Policy.
Whilst reading she developed a strong interest in the United Nations which motivated her to undertake an MA. Amy’s research is focused on conflict resolution and international law which appeals to her interests greatly. Outside of University Amy is engaged with several voluntary activities including her role as a regional campaigner for Oxfam and as a delegate for the National Union of Students.
Hafsa Ali
Hafsa is an intern for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Staff Council in Geneva and a master’s graduate in International Relations from Liverpool John Moores University.
She has a BA in International Relations and Politics from the University of Salford. Hafsa previously volunteered for Refugee Action, Oxfam, Islamic Relief and Human Appeal. She speaks English and Somali, and studied French and Arabic. Her interests lie in refugee rights, women’s rights and the eradication of poverty and racial inequality. Her master’s dissertation analysed Feminist International Relations theory from the perspective of Black Muslim women. Her research resonated with her background as a British Black Muslim woman.
