William Leben
Analysis | Consulting | Writing
I bring serious capacity for complex problem solving, team development and planning to bear on impactful public and private sector decisions. My interests are eclectic and reflect a conviction that silo breaking is increasingly essential.
Climate change impacts | power & culture in organisations | defence and foreign policy | strategic planning | future war | identity, leadership and teams | Australian colonial history | & much else
I have a unique combination of organisational leadership, planning and policy analysis capacity. I hold an Oxford MPhil, completed as a Monash Foundation Scholar, and previously served as an Australian Army officer, including operational deployment. I bring clarity to poorly defined problems, in contexts demanding trusted judgement and discretion.
Recent published work:
A More Prepared Australia
Climate change and geopolitical instability pose serious threats to Australia’s national resilience. Linked to these threats are growing concerns about the health of our democracy and the cohesion of our communities. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the breadth
and depth of responses that can be required at different levels of government in a crisis. This Policy Options Paper, and weightier Occasional Paper, offer a range of recommendations to address these challenges.
These papers were launched at the NSC’s landmark Securing Our Future Conference in April 2024.
Escalation Risks in the Indo-Pacific
Increased competition, a growing trust deficit between global and regional powers and potential miscalculations heighten the risk of conflict. There needs to be a more engaged Australian discussion on conflict-escalation risks and how they might be managed. This has clearly been made a priority by the Australian government – with senior ministers frequently talking about ‘guardrails’. This major report suggests some options for doing so.
Contact me
Sound like we might be able to work together? Drop me a line
w.leben [at] protonmail.com