Simon Staffell

Dr Simon Staffell is a Visiting Research Fellow in technology and international security at the Department of War Studies, affiliated with the School of Security Studies. He serves as UK Government Affairs Director at Microsoft and holds a fellowship at RUSI. Previously, he held senior UK government roles in national security across the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Home Office, and Cabinet Office, with postings in Cairo and Washington DC. He earned his PhD in politics from Sheffield University (2010) and was an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University.

His research focuses on emerging technologies' impact on national security, cybersecurity, AI governance, and counter-terrorism. Key publications include works on UK defense strategy, AI policy frameworks, and global jihadist ideology. He co-edited a seminal 2016 book on jihadism and contributed to Chatham House and RUSI analyses on democratic digital governance.

Staffell’s career bridges academia, government, and corporate sectors, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to technology and security challenges. His recent work highlights the intersection of AI regulation, international diplomacy, and counter-terrorism strategy.