Eliza Lockhart

Eliza Lockhart is a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Finance and Security at RUSI, where her research focuses on the intersection of law, finance and global security. She specialises in foreign interference in democratic processes, the role of alternative financial systems in economic security, and financial rewards for economic crime whistleblowers.

Eliza has contributed to parliamentary committees, inquiries and policy reviews in the UK, Europe and Australia. Her research has been featured in The Financial Times, The Telegraph, The Times, Reuters, BBC Radio 4's Today programme and The Rest Is Politics podcast. It has also been cited by the UK government and in parliamentary and independent reviews in support of policy reforms concerning financial rewards for economic crime whistleblowers and cryptocurrency donations to UK political parties.

A qualified lawyer and legal policy expert, Eliza previously practised at Linklaters in Australia where she worked on complex regulatory and law enforcement investigations. Her legal experience includes anti-bribery and corruption, anti-money laundering, sanctions, business human rights, election-related misconduct, disruptive technologies, intellectual property, and risk and compliance.

Before joining RUSI, Eliza served as Associate to the Hon. Justice Kenny AM of the Federal Court of Australia and Chairperson of the Australian Electoral Commission. During the 2022 Australian federal election, Eliza developed specialist knowledge of electoral integrity matters and democratic resilience challenges.

Eliza holds a Master of Law (LLM) and an MPhil in Public Policy (MPP), both with Distinction from the University of Cambridge, and has additional certification in digital assets.

In more detail, Eliza’s research covers:

• State and hybrid threats: the methods by which hostile states and malign actors seek to interfere in democratic processes, undermine political institutions and exploit financial systems.
   
• Cryptoassets and political influence: the use of crypto and other opaque financial channels to facilitate foreign interference and undue influence in democratic processes.
   
• Alternative financial systems: the development of alternative payment systems and financial networks by states seeking to reduce their reliance on Western-dominated financial infrastructure.
   
• Economic security: the intersection of economic policy and national security, including economic coercion, strategic dependencies and the development of policy frameworks to strengthen national and collective economic resilience.
   
• Whistleblowing and economic crime: the role of whistleblowers in detecting and investigating economic crime, with a particular focus on the design and effectiveness of financial reward programmes.