Dr Bryce Wakefield works at the intersection of international affairs, geopolitics, and global power, helping organisations understand how global politics shapes risk, strategy, and decision-making. He is known for his ability to explain complex international dynamics clearly and calmly, without sensationalism or jargon.
Bryce is the CEO of the Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA) and a Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University. A political scientist by training, his work focuses on international relations, security, and the evolution of global order, with particular expertise in East Asia and the Asia-Pacific. He has lived, worked, and conducted research across the United States, Japan, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific, giving him a genuinely international perspective.
Earlier in his career, Bryce led Northeast Asian programs at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC. In that role, he designed and delivered high-level policy briefings — including for the U.S. Congress — and organised major international conferences involving policymakers, diplomats, and scholars from around the world. He has also held tenured academic positions in Europe, teaching international relations and East Asian politics, and has trained diplomats in both The Hague and Japan.
Bryce is an experienced public communicator who regularly speaks to government departments, corporate audiences, policy professionals, and the general public. His work is valued for its independence, balance, and practical relevance, particularly in periods of geopolitical uncertainty. His commentary has appeared widely in international media, and he has been described by the New York Times Tokyo bureau chief as one of the most “influential and reliable intellectuals” working on Japan and regional affairs outside Washington.
As a speaker, Bryce delivers keynotes, panels, briefings, and workshops, adapting his approach to suit senior leadership audiences as well as broader public forums. He is particularly effective at helping audiences move beyond headlines to understand the deeper forces shaping global politics — and what those forces mean in practice.
Talking Points
Global Order
In this keynote, Bryce Wakefield explores how the global order is changing, where it is under strain, and what continues to shape stability in international politics. Moving beyond crisis narratives, he explains how power, institutions, and interests interact — and what this means in practice for decision-makers navigating uncertainty.
Global Order
The Indo-Pacific Region
In this keynote, Bryce Wakefield examines the forces shaping security and power in the Indo-Pacific, from great-power competition and alliances to regional stability and risk. He moves beyond headlines to explain what is changing, what is not, and what it means in practice for decision-makers.
The Indo-Pacific Region
