Co-Director Sebastian Brixey-Williams spoke to Cristo Foufas on TalkRADIO on 28 February 2022 about Russian…
Sebastian Brixey-Williams
Co-Director
Sebastian Brixey-Williams is the Co-Director of BASIC, a London-based think tank working to build international trust, reduce nuclear risks and advance disarmament. A researcher, facilitator, and mediator, his areas of expertise and practice include multilateral nuclear diplomacy, strategic risk reduction, arms control, nuclear responsibilities, and nuclear weapons law. He leads the Programme on Nuclear Responsibilities in collaboration with the Institute for Conflict, Cooperation and Security, University of Birmingham, in the context of which he is presently running a track II dialogue process in the Asia-Pacific.
Across the different dimensions of his practice, Sebastian is seized by the questions of how the practices of nuclear diplomacy can be strengthened to improve their outcomes; the relationships between nuclear weapons and wider existential risks such as the ecological crises of the Anthropocene; and how to enable the transition towards a more safe, secure and sustainable global security system.
A strong proponent of diversity and inclusion in the field, Sebastian provided the original thought leadership behind BASIC’s Emerging Voices Network and co-founded the breakfast series that produced the Gender, Think Tanks and International Affairs Toolkit (2021) with Chatham House and the Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy. Sebastian is a Gender Champion in Nuclear Policy, an ELN Mentor, and a member of the Younger Generation Leadership Network on Euro-Atlantic Security. Over 2020-2021, he was an N Square Fellow working to improve the sustainability of the nuclear policy field.
Sebastian has been invited to brief national and international policy forums, including the United Nations Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Nuclear Disarmament, the UN-ROK Jeju Process, three UK All-Party Parliamentary Groups (on Drones, on Global Security and Non-Proliferation, and on Future Generations), and the UK House of Lords International Relations Committee.
Outside of work, Sebastian is a multi-instrumentalist who has been known to dabble with pianos, guitars, fiddles, accordions, synthesisers, and music production.
Office: +44 20 3488 6974
Read Sebastian Brixey-Williams’ Content
Discover below Sebastian’s posts ordered from newest to oldest
BASIC Co-Director Gives Remarks at the P5 Process
Sebastian Brixey-Williams, BASIC Co-Director, was invited to be a rapporteur at the P5 Process held in Paris.
BASIC Co-Director gives remarks at the Jeju Process
On November 11, 2021 BASIC Co-Director, Sebastian Brixey-Williams, was invited to give his remarks to…
The ‘Responsibility Turn’ in Nuclear Diplomacy
The New Atlantic Charter provides the first time that the specific language of ‘responsible state behaviour’ has been used publicly in an official capacity in relation to nuclear weapons.
The Nuclear Responsibilities Toolkit: A Practical Guide for Thinking, Talking and Writing
Publication of the Nuclear Responsibilities Toolkit (2021), a conceptual and practical guide to policy communities who would like to experiment with the Nuclear Responsibilities Approach.
BASIC Co-Director gives remarks at KAS Multilateral Dialogue and Atomic Reporters Study Programme Launch
On 7 July 2021 BASIC Co-Director, Sebastian Brixey Williams, was invited to give his remarks at the launch of the KAS Multilateral Dialogue and Atomic Reporters study programme, ‘A Neglected Story – The Legacy of Splitting the Atom.’
Event Recording: BASIC Co-Director Presents at OxPeace 2021
On 15th May, BASIC Co-Director Sebastian Brixey-Williams was invited to speak at the OxPeace 2021 Conference ’Peace in the Nuclear Era: threats, treaties and public understanding.’ View the recording here.
The Nuclear Weapons Dimensions of the 2021 Integrated Review: A First Look
The Johnson Government has set a decisive course away from the United Kingdom’s three decade-long trend of successive nuclear reductions and increasing transparency.
Meet Our Staff
Our dedicated and professional team brings a diversity of expertise, approaches and perspectives. Meet its members below.
Dr Gry Thomasen
Dr Gry Thomsen is a Policy Fellow at BASIC working on the Nuclear Disarmament Programme.
Marion Messmer
Marion Messmer is the Co-Director of BASIC and Director of BASIC’s Programmes on Risk Reduction and the Stepping Stones Approach to Nuclear Disarmament.
Dr Rishi Paul
Rishi Paul is a Senior Nuclear Policy Analyst at BASIC and leads our engagement in Southern Asia.
Eva-Nour Repussard
Eva-Nour Repussard is a Policy Fellow, working on the Nuclear Responsibilities and Risk Reduction programmes.
Anuradha Damale
Anuradha Damale is a Policy Fellow and Programme Manager at BASIC, as well as a PhD researcher on ‘Responsibility in Outer Space’ for the EU Funded Third Nuclear Age Project at the University of Leicester.
Chiara Cervasio
Chiara Cervasio is a Policy Fellow, working on the Nuclear Responsibilities Programme.
Chris Spedding
Chris Spedding is a Policy Fellow and Programme Manager at BASIC, managing the Emerging Technologies Programme.
Alice Spilman
Alice Spilman is a Researcher on the Programme on Nuclear Responsibilities with BASIC and the ICCS, University of Birmingham.
Meet Our Authors
Read more about our main contributors and browse their latest content and publications.
Zara Levy
Zara Rizvi joined BASIC in September 2016 to support the daily office operations and to help develop our communications strategy.
Nick Ritchie
Nick researches and teaches in the areas of international relations and international security at the University of York. His particular…
Vinod Kumar
A. Vinod Kumar is Associate Fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), and a Visiting Faculty at the Institute of…
Norman Moss
Norman Moss is an author, journalist and broadcaster. He was born in London in 1928 but was raised and educated partly in New York.
Anthony Rinna
Anthony V. Rinna is a Senior Editor with Sino-NK, a research organization dedicated to analyzing Northeast Asia. Formerly trained as an…
Rebecca Cousins
Rebecca Cousins was BASIC’s Programme Director for the Next Gen project. Prior to that, she was a diplomat in the British Foreign and…
Rachel Staley Grant
Rachel Staley Grant joined NTI in August 2016 and serves as the Director of Public Education. Between 2011 and 2016, Staley Grant…
Edmond Seay III
Ted Seay is an independent arms control and disarmament consultant currently based in London. He was assigned to the U.S. Mission to…
Ward Wilson
Ward Wilson Senior Fellow Ward Wilson was senior fellow and director of the Rethinking Nuclear…
Ian Kearns
Dr Ian Kearns is the co-Founder of the European Leadership Network and serves on the ELN’s Board of Directors. Dr Kearns served as…
Anne Penketh
Anne Penketh was BASIC Program Director in Washington from 2009 to 2012. Previously she was a staff journalist with major media…
Tim Street
Tim recently completed his PhD exploring the politics of nuclear disarmament at Warwick University as part of a collaborative…
Lianet Vazquez
Lianet Vazquez was the Herbert Scoville Jr Peace Fellow at BASIC in 2014.
Tabitha Sanders
Tabitha Sanders is one of the organisers of #NatSecGirlSquad, a US initiative to support women working in National Security. She was a…
Nina Sofie Pedersen
Nina Sofie Pedersen is a Researcher at BASIC. Her current responsibilities include researching and developing the Programme on…
John Thomson
Sir John Thomson was a British Diplomat who was High Commissioner to India and Ambassador to the UN. He served as adviser to BASIC.
Chris Lindborg-Pena
Christina Pena was BASIC’s Analyst and Programme Manager.
Ian Davis
Dr Ian Davis is an independent human security and arms control consultant, writer and founding director of NATO Watch…