Michael Martin Richter

Michael Martin Richter is a Research Fellow and Lecturer in International Relations at the University of Surrey, currently working on the Horizon Europe project REDEMOS: Reconfiguring EU Democracy Support. Prior to this, he was a PhD candidate at the University of Bremen's Research Centre for East European Studies as part of the Horizon 2020 MARKETS project. His work focuses on political economy, anti-corruption reforms, and state-business relations in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), particularly Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia.

• University of Surrey (2023–2024): Postdoc Research Fellow and Lecturer in International Relations
• University of Bremen (2020–2023): Scientific employee (PhD candidate) in the MARKETS project

His research explores the adaptation of enterprises in autocratic regimes, corporate governance in post-Soviet countries, and SME entrepreneurship in Eastern Europe. His publications analyze Ukraine’s institutional development, EU-Russia relations, and post-war reconstruction strategies.

Recent articles address REDEMOS project themes, including EU democracy support in the Eastern Neighbourhood, post-war governance, and anti-corruption initiatives. Trends in his work highlight the interplay between transparency, institutional resilience, and geopolitical dynamics in hybrid regimes.

Scientific Awards

• European Neighbourhood Policy scholarship (2019–2020)
• Konrad Adenauer Foundation scholarship for outstanding students (2016–2019)

Richter earned dual master’s degrees from University College London (UCL) and Higher School of Economics (HSE) Moscow (2017–2019), followed by an M.A. in EU Public Affairs at the College of Europe, Natolin (2019–2020). He completed a B.Sc. in International Management (double degree) from European School of Business (ESB) Reutlingen and Jagiellonian University Cracow (2013–2017).