#172 Stephen Hunnewell on Geopolitical Risk in Asia and the Grey Zone

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association.

During this episode, Steve Hunnewell of Premise Data discusses geopolitical risk in Asia and the grey zone. Our conversation covers the rise of China and its implications for the global order, the growing strategic competition between China and the United States in Asia, the concept of hybrid warfare and how China and other countries use it, and the need for better integration of commercial solutions and implications for operations in the information environment. 

Research Question: Steve Hunnewell suggests an interested student examine the following:

• assess the “infinite game” and assess our positions of advantage? 
• How do we better integrate commercial solutions, public-private partnerships, etc to create an in-depth approach to creating resiliency?

Resources:

• Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned
  • #150 Jill Goldenziel on China and the Philippines
  • #166 John Agnello on Information Advantage
• Persuade or Perish by Wallace Carroll
• Spies and Lies: How China's Greatest Covert Operations Fooled the World by Alex Joske

Link to full show notes and resources

Guest Bio: 

Before joining Premise Data, Steve Hunnewell was the Director of the Information Office for the United States Indo-Pacific Command. In this unique role, he served as the inaugural senior executive for strategic communications guidance and strategy, which focused on using data to improve the command's ability to engage within the information domain.

Hunnewell's previous public service supported a wide range of special operations, diplomatic, and strategic communications issues throughout the U.S. government, including serving as a Strategic Advisor for Information Operations on the NATO ISAF Counterinsurgency Advisory & Assistance Team (CAAT), U.S. DoD liaison for Afghan Reconciliation & Reintegration to the U.K. Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO) & the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA); with additional roles and assignments in Ukraine, the Levant, Latin America, and Asia.

Hunnewell also has extensive experience in the private sector. He has held leadership positions at technology firms such as Novetta and Two Six Technologies. In these roles, he has worked on various issues, including leading product innovation and developing solutions that identify events, rhetoric, and behavior patterns, thus yielding actionable insights into relationships between messengers, messages, and audiences.

Steve's graduate studies and degrees include an MBA from the F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College and international affairs at The Fletcher School at Tufts University.

About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain.

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