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Effective implementation of sanctions requires cooperation with partners around the globe.

Before 7 October 2023, the terrorist threat posed by Hamas was largely clouded by preoccupation with geopolitical tensions and the ongoing war in Ukraine. But not anymore. Hamas’s coordinated attacks on Israel and the resultant conflict have made the terror group’s threat and its financing unavoidable.

Recently, the political class in Westminster has been consumed with with the conduct of bank accounts or, more specifically, when these are being closed, unilaterally, by banks. It’s a long running problem. Might the spotlight brought to the issue by Nigel Farage finally create some overdue action by the UK government?

As multilateral organisations battle strong geopolitical headwinds, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) – the global financial crime watchdog – is not immune to such pressures.

Tom Keatinge and Alanna Putze, two of your CFCS podcast hosts, introduce a new concept for the Suspicious Transaction Report podcast, offering listeners fresh content on the intersection between finance and security. Here is a glimpse of what’s in store, including some of the guests, topics and ideas that will feature throughout the season.

Is there a resurgence of state threats or have democracies just opened up their eyes to this complex challenge?

How do adversarial states exploit cyber to pursue their own strategic objectives?

Disinformation is not new, but it has certainly evolved. Today, it is strongly linked to international security, as malign actors seize on it to pursue their own strategic interests.

Hybrid warfare is on the rise. From cyber and disruptive technologies to energy security and economic interconnectedness, malign actors have an array of domains to exploit.

How are organised crime and illicit finance exploited as vectors of state-based threats? This episode focuses on Russia and the unique capabilities it gains via illicit proceeds, including the power to subsidise occupation.

Interference and influence – whether in politics, national institutions or boardrooms – has long been an objective of adversaries of democracy, who frequently deploy money in pursuit of their goals.

What role do non-state proxy groups play in the current global security framework? This episode focuses on the Wagner Group, which has the potential to aid Russian state interests on multiple fronts, and not just on the battlefield.

Are the UK and its allies sufficiently equipped to tackle today’s threats from hostile state actors? And how might placing those threats under a financial lens help to shape responses? Host Tom Keatinge is joined by RUSI Associate Fellow and Senior Specialist at the House of Commons Ashlee Godwin, and Jonathan Evans, former Director General of MI5. They set the scene for this season’s theme of ‘finance weaponised’, exploring the evolving state threat landscape and how it might impact the future of democracy.