John Sitilides

Expert on Global Affairs & Politics

John Sitilides

Expert on Global Affairs & Politics

Add to List Availability & Fees

Biography

John Sitilides is Principal at Trilogy Advisors LLC in Washington, D.C., specializing in geopolitical risk, international security, and federal government affairs, and is Senior Fellow for National Security at the Foreign Policy Research Institute.

He is a professional speaker at corporate, investor, and industry conferences, and before government, military and intelligence community audiences, on geopolitical and geo-economic risk management and the business impacts of national security policies. He explores the complex decisions that impact markets in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and worldwide, helping corporate executives, investment managers and civic audiences better understand, anticipate, and mitigate risk.

From 2006 to 2023, he was a U.S. Department of State Diplomacy Consultant under Presidents Biden, Trump, Obama, and Bush, managing professional development at the Foreign Service Institute, the diplomacy academy for American foreign policy professionals.

He was Board Chairman of the Woodrow Wilson Center Southeast Europe Project, following seven years as Executive Director of the Western Policy Center, an international relations institute specializing in U.S., NATO & EU interests in Europe and the Middle East until he negotiated its 2004 merger with the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

He launched his career in the U.S. Senate, has testified before Congress, and is a frequent national security commentator on U.S. and international media such as Bloomberg News, CNN, FOX News, CNN International, and NewsNation, and has been interviewed or cited in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, Washington Times, Newsweek, The National Interest, Politico, National Public Radio, Asia Times, Institutional Investor, South China Morning Post, and other leading print and digital media.

Sitilides serves on the Executive Committee of Leadership 100, a national Orthodox Christian endowment. He served on the Board of Directors of an advanced media technology company and a personalized biopharmaceutical company; of International Orthodox Christian Charities, a global humanitarian organization; and of the Advanced Imaging Society, promoting the global motion picture industry’s arts and technologies.

He is a member of the Association of International Risk Intelligence Professionals, the Intelligence and National Security Alliance, the Columbia University Club of Washington, D.C., and the Association of Former Senate Aides. He holds a Master’s Degree in International and Public Affairs from Columbia University. His wife is an attorney and businesswoman, and they have four sons.

Speaker Videos

Sept. 25 Geopolitics & Energy Keynote Presentation (Live): American Energy Security Summit

June 8 Geopolitics Keynote Presentation (Live): Royal Fidelity Bank & Trust, Grand Cayman

2024 U.S. presidential elections & potential NATO crises beyond 2025

Speech Topics

Geopolitics in a World Re-Ordered: Trade, Technology, Energy & Markets

Geopolitical strategist John Sitilides - National Security Senior Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and former U.S. Department of State Diplomacy Consultant (2006-2023) under Presidents Bush, Obama, Trump & Biden – is a professional speaker at leading corporate, investor, and industry conferences, and before government, military, and intelligence community audiences, on geopolitical and geo-economic risk management and the business impacts of international security policies.

Sitilides’ presentation examines the Trump Administration’s sweeping foreign policy reset, including:

Strategic dominance of the Western Hemisphere;
Technology competition and military deterrence against China's disruption of trade and financial systems;
U.S. tariff policies and global commerce impacts;
New security architectures and trade ties in the Middle East and Europe;
Supply chain security and protected shipping lanes; and
Advanced technology impacts on energy, rare earth, and commodity markets.

Sitilides’ dispassionate and non-partisan assessments, delivered through a visually dynamic presentation using open-source intelligence, maps, charts, and leader portraits - with zero text - equips executives and investors to understand, anticipate, and mitigate the complex risks that will disrupt and dominate the global landscape for years to come.

Geopolitics, Geo-Economics & Great Power Threats to Global Supply Chains

The Big Picture: A Geopolitical & Geo-Economic Outlook

China, Russia & America: Geopolitics & Geo-Economics in the Decade Ahead

Testimonials

"It went really well….! We really enjoyed having John participate in the meeting and his presentation was so fascinating."

- Lockton Insurance

“Thank you so much…. We all thoroughly enjoyed the session….!”

- CF Industries

"Thank you for kicking off SVIA's Fall Forum with a discussion of geopolitical risks….Many thanks for a riveting presentation. It was a pleasure to meet and work with you. Good people come from Astoria Queens!….This was a home run!"

- Stable Value Investment Association

"The thoughtful, comprehensive, understandable and practical view you brought to the complex problems and issues revolving around geopolitics truly enlightened and engaged the audience at P&I’s Global Future of Retirement conference. Setting the tone on the second day of the event kept people talking, and your presentation was referred to numerous times by other speakers throughout the day."

- Director of Conference Programming, Pensions & Investments, Inc.

"Your presentation on "The Grand Arc of Economic Geography: Shaping the 21st Century" was very well received by our students and faculty. The audience appreciated the length and breadth of your analysis, and the presentation both of a compelling "big picture" as to where the world is heading in both geopolitical and geo-economic terms, and the ways in which you connected "dots" in East and South Asia, Latin America, Africa and Europe together. It was a masterful performance and one that has provoked ongoing discussion and debate."

- U.S. Naval War College

"John Sitilides gave our keynote talk on geopolitical risks at GAIM Ops Cayman, a 500+ person event for COO/CCO/CFOs in the alternative investment industry. I can honestly say it was one of the best talks I’ve seen. John provided fascinating insights on geopolitical issues including Russia, China, the Middle East, North Korea and Europe. He brought a new perspective to understanding the issues and appreciating their significance on a whole new level. His cutting edge, up-to-date knowledge of the topics and of latest political developments, and the fact that John is an excellent and engaging speaker, made for a fascinating presentation. Our audience loved it. The room was packed and it’s been rated as a favorite session by many of the attendees. John is top of my list for any geopolitical analysis in the future."

- Director & Editor-in-Chief, GAIM Ops & GAIM | KNect365

"Your maritime security presentation was absolutely fascinating and one of the most interesting presentations I have ever attended."

- Director, Aon Risk Solutions/Global Broking Centre

"I thought your presentation at GAIM Ops London was brilliant. As an enthusiastic observer of world events, I found your presentation to be the most concisely informative and interesting presentation I have probably ever heard on the world's current and future trouble zones."

- Europe Director, Financial Risk Mitigation, Inc.

"Incredibly informative and phenomenal global risk presentation!"

- Iron Cove Partners

"You were brilliant talking about global geopolitical risk at the Asia-Global Hedge Fund Summit in New York. Your presentation was one of the most interesting and widely-discussed. Thank you for enriching the summit!"

- Access Alts Asia

"Your passion for and understanding of the strategic geopolitical challenges facing the United States and global community are inspiring. Your presentation was excellent."

- Checchi Capital Advisers LLC

"Your talk was easily the best received one of the Family Office Wealth Management Forum."

- Chief Investment Officer, MTrust

"Your presentation was by far the most engaging at the RiskMinds conference. The pace of delivery was excellent for this audience: bankers with a keen interest to learn the key issues on all international hotspots."

- True North Partners LLP

"You were clearly the best presenter… You have a unique gift to succinctly wrap geopolitical issues into a coherent methodology of whom, why and how."

- Ager Consulting

"Consistently rated your sessions as the very best - your expertise … is unequalled."

- National War College

"Our participants were greatly impressed and satisfied with the way you guided us through the political landscape of the contemporary United States. Your insights provided us with a clear and solid background to understand the current changes in America."

- Telenor ASA

"Thank you again for a spectacular presentation. You were superbly forceful, articulate, and persuasive, and I have heard nothing but compliments from our participants."

- Wofford College

"Extremely insightful – very timely and pertinent to our business and lives. Great way to start the conference. I found the content to be well thought out and a good summary of the global geopolitical situation. Excellent speaker who was comprehensive, insightful and engaging."

- Investor Sub-Advisory Roundtable in NYC