Louise Heywood
 

Louise Heywood

Position: Associate Fellow

Louise Heywood currently works for BAE Systems as a geo-political analyst. She is an Associate Member of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) and contributes to debates on Counter Insurgency, the Comprehensive Approach and Smart power. 

In Oct 2008 Louise took a sabbatical from BAE Systems and deployed to the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Helmand Province, Afghanistan to work as Political Officer for a year. She worked as a member of a political team made up of Foreign Office, Ministry of Defence, Intelligence Corps and US State Department staff and her primary responsibilities included building contacts with the Governor's office, Provincial Council and other leading Afghan figures; and analysis of and reporting on the political landscape in southern Afghanistan for various Whitehall and NATO audiences. She had particular responsibility for coverage of the Afghanistan Presidential and Provincial Council elections in August 2009.  

Previously Louise worked for RUSI as Head of the Armed Forces Programme and prior to this held the position of Head of Defence Management. She has also worked at NATO as a research assistant to the Special Advisor on Central an Eastern European Affairs and as a military officer on Full Time Reserve Service.

Louise is a Reservist Captain in the Royal Engineers and has served in Iraq where she worked in the Brigade HQ implementing Governance initiatives prior to the PRT being established in Southern Iraq. She is also a Deployable Civilian Expert (DCE) for the UK Stabilisation Unit.  She holds a Master of Letters from Aberdeen University in Strategic Studies and a BSc (Hons) in Environmental Science and Technology.

 

RUSI articles and analysis by this author

Photo Essay :: Iraq briefing Reducing the British Military Footprint in Iraq’s South East Multi-National District 20 Dec 2006
As the White House currently considers the option to ‘Redeploy and Contain’ US troops in Iraq, what options are the UK Government considering for British armed forces in the South?

British forces in Iraq CIMIC in Iraq 19 Dec 2006
An Analysis of British-led Peace Support Operation in Iraq.
More >> >>
RUSI Annual Report
RUSI crest 2
Access the 2011-2012 Annual Report for the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies
More >>
RUSI Library of Military History
Library Home Card
A unique collection of national historical and cultural importance.
More >>
New Benefits
Membership badge
A greater range of membership packages announced
More >>
Follow RUSI.org
Podcast badge
Follow RUSI through Twitter, Facebook and RSS feeds