The Director's Chair – Details, episodes & analysis

As part of the Lowy Institute Re-Cast series, we are republishing the best podcasts of 2024. In case you missed them the first time around or if you want revisit these engaging conversations, the Re-Cast series has you covered.

In this episode of The Director’s Chair, the Lowy Institute’s Executive Director Michael Fullilove is joined by UK Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

They discuss David Lammy’s journey from cathedral chorister to the House of Commons, what kind of prime minister Keir Starmer would make, foreign policy under a Labour government, the UK’s relationship with Europe, China and the United States, how he was influenced by the revered West Indies cricket team of the 1970s, and how Australian manager Ange Postecoglou has influenced his beloved Tottenham Hotspur.

The Director’s Chair is a podcast by the Lowy Institute: https://www.lowyinstitute.org/

Twitter:
@LowyInstitute
@mfullilove
@DavidLammy

Host: Michael Fullilove 
Producers: Josh Goding and Andrew Griffits 
Research: David Vallance

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As part of the Lowy Institute Re-Cast series, we are republishing the best podcasts of 2024. In case you missed them the first time around or if you want revisit these engaging conversations, the Re-Cast series has you covered.

In this episode of The Director’s Chair, the Lowy Institute’s Executive Director Michael Fullilove is joined by US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell.

They discuss Kurt Campbell’s new role in the State Department, American policy towards China, the relationship between Moscow and Beijing, Xi Jinping’s recent visit to France, Dr Campbell’s aims for the AUKUS pact, and the things that make him optimistic when he looks at the world today.

The Director’s Chair is a podcast by the Lowy Institute: https://www.lowyinstitute.org/

Twitter:
@LowyInstitute
@mfullilove
@DeputySecState 

Host: Michael Fullilove 
Producers: Josh Goding and Andrew Griffits 
Research: David Vallance

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of The Director's Chair, Michael Fullilove speaks with Dr Henry Kissinger, the former US Secretary of State and National Security Adviser. They discuss the role of individuals in history, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the future of Australia's relationship with China.

Dr Henry Kissinger was National Security Adviser to both the Nixon and Ford administrations, and from 1973 to 1977, he served as the 56th US Secretary of State. He is the only person to serve concurrently in both roles. Born in Germany, Dr Kissinger emigrated to the United States in 1938 and became a citizen in 1943. He received MA and PhD degrees from Harvard University in 1952 and 1954. His most recent book is Leadership: Six studies in World Strategy published in 2022 by Penguin.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this special episode of The Director's Chair, Michael Fullilove speaks with Sanna Marin, the Prime Minister of Finland. They discuss Finland's decision to join NATO, and the security challenges facing all of Europe as a consequence of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This conversation was recorded at a live event at the Lowy Institute on 2 December 2022. 

Sanna Marin was appointed Prime Minister of Finland on 10 December 2019. She has been actively engaged in politics since 2006. In 2015, she was elected to Parliament and has been a member of the Grand Committee, Legal Affairs Committee and Environment Committee. Ms Marin is the third female Prime Minister of Finland and the youngest prime minister in Finland’s history.

Video and audio recordings of the full event are available at the Lowy Institute website.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of The Director’s Chair, Michael Fullilove speaks with Sir Lawrence Freedman, who is in Australia as the Lowy Institute’s 2022 Distinguished Fellow for International Security. Michael and Sir Lawrence discuss Russia’s war in Ukraine, and the lessons it offers for military strategists around the world. They discuss the implications for China and Taiwan, and how the AUKUS security pact has changed Australia’s strategic outlook. 

Sir Lawrence Freedman is Emeritus Professor of War Studies, King's College London. Elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 1995 and awarded the CBE in 1996, he was appointed Official Historian of the Falklands Campaign in 1997. In 2003, he was awarded the KCMG. In June 2009, he was appointed to serve as a member of the official inquiry into Britain and the 2003 Iraq War. He has written widely on international history, strategic theory and nuclear weapons issues, as well as commenting on current security issues. Among his books are Strategy: A History (2013) and Command: The Politics of Military Operations from Korea to Ukraine (2022).

The Distinguished Fellowship for International Security is supported by the Australian Department of Defence through the Strategic Policy Grants program.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of The Director's Chair, Michael Fullilove speaks with author and journalist Susan Glasser about next week's US midterm elections and the likely results. They discuss US political perspectives on the war in Ukraine, the Biden Administration's performance on foreign policy, and the continued influence of former president Donald Trump on US politics.

Susan Glasser is a journalist and author, and currently a staff writer at The New Yorker, where she writes a weekly column on life in Washington. She has been the editor of Politico Magazine and the editor-in-chief of Foreign Policy. With her husband Peter Baker of The New York Times she has written two books: The Man Who Ran Washington, a biography of the statesman and politician James Baker which was published in 2020, and The Divider: Trump in the White House, 2017-2021, which was published in September by Doubleday.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of The Director's Chair, Michael Fullilove speaks with His Excellency José Ramos-Horta, the President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. José and Michael discuss the fallout from Russia's invasion of Ukraine, relations between Timor-Leste and Australia and the role of China's in the Indo-Pacific region. José reflects on his time in leadership roles, and the need for his generation to effectively hand on political power to younger generations.

José Ramos-Horta was Timor-Leste's first foreign minister when it declared independence from Portugal in 1975. Following Indonesia’s invasion later that year, he became the international voice of the Timorese people. In 1996 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. When Timor-Leste became a new nation following the Popular Consultation of 1999, he returned from exile to serve as the new nation’s first foreign minister. From 2006 to 2007 he served as Prime Minister, and from 2007 to 2012 he served as President. This year he came out of retirement and returned to the presidential palace. He was inaugurated on 20 May, which was 20th anniversary of the restoration of Timor-Leste’s independence.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new season of The Director's Chair is about to arrive. In the first episode, Michael Fullilove speaks to José Ramos-Horta, the President of Timor-Leste about power politics, regional relationships and generational change. The Director's Chair now has its own home in your favourite podcast app. Search for Director's Chair or visit our website to subscribe. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of The Director’s Chair, Michael Fullilove speaks with Senator Penny Wong, the Shadow Foreign Minister and Leader of the Opposition in the Senate. Penny was elected to the Senate in 2001 and was appointed to Shadow Cabinet in 2005. She served as Climate Change Minister between 2007 and 2010 and as Finance Minister between 2010 and 2013.

Michael and Penny discuss the politics of climate change in Australia, the AUKUS pact, and the findings of the Lowy Institute’s Diplomat Database. Penny reflects on her upbringing, Labor’s priorities for the region, and the current state of the Australia-China relationship.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of The Director’s Chair, Michael Fullilove speaks with the former Jordanian diplomat, UN High Commissioner for  Human  Rights and think tank president  Dr  Zeid  Ra’ad  Al Hussein. Zeid served as Jordan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Ambassador to the United States, and served as UN High Commissioner for  Human  Rights between 2014 and 2018. Zeid is the CEO and President of the International Peace Institute in New York and a professor of the practice of law and human rights at the University of Pennsylvania.

Zeid and Michael speak about global efforts to address climate change, the situation in Afghanistan, and China’s record on human rights. Zeid reflects on his time as High Commissioner and his lifelong association with the UN, and discusses what the pandemic reveals about the international community.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.