Tim Willasey-Wilsey CMG

Tim Willasey-Wilsey is an author, historian, academic, and former diplomat. In addition to his role at RUSI, he is a Visiting Professor of War Studies at King’s College, London. His first book, The Spy and the Devil, was published in May 2025. He also advises a leading AI company.

Tim served for twenty-seven years as a British diplomat in Africa, Latin America, Asia, and Europe. He worked in Angola during the Cold War, South Africa in the years just before majority rule, Central America at the time of the Sandinista/Contra war and in the Middle East following the Oslo accords. Latterly he focussed on South Asia and Northeast Asia.

He lectures and writes on government approaches to conflict and its resolution and on terrorism and insurgency. Tim has a particular interest in the Kashmir dispute, India-Pakistan, Afghanistan, the Koreas and the survival of a sovereign and secure Ukraine.

Tim advises international banks and large companies on geopolitical risk and on how to calibrate their risk-appetites to international clients and transactions. 

He writes and speaks extensively on geopolitics. In the UK his main outlets are RUSI and Times Radio. Overseas he is a regular contributor to the US global security website Cipher Brief and the Indian Council on Global Relations.

He was elected by the membership to two three-year terms on the Chatham House Council and reviewed books for their journal, International Affairs. He also lectures to overseas universities and governments.

Tim has an MA (First Class) in Modern History from St Andrews University. He was awarded the CMG in the 2007 New Year Honours List. 

'The Spy and the Devil: The Untold Story of the MI6 Agent who Penetrated Hitler's Inner Circle', published in May 2025 by Blink, an imprint of Bonnier UK.