Dr. Ian Ralby

Dr. Ian Ralby is a globally recognized expert in six main areas: 1) maritime law and security, especially identifying and addressing evolving threats; 2) maritime domain awareness and the leveraging of different technologies and data sources for analyzing the maritime space; 3) maritime strategy that integrates security, governance and the maritime economy; 4) recognizing and countering resource-related crimes; 5) regulating, governing, and overseeing private security companies;  and 6) certain aspects of international law including the legal regimes around floating armories, protection of submarine cables and the use of force by armed contractors. He is founder and CEO of I.R. Consilium, a family firm that provides leading advice and assistance on maritime and resource security, as well as a Senior Fellow at the Global Energy Center of the Atlantic Council and an Adjunct or Affiliate of several institutions including the US Naval War College, the Defense Institute of International Legal Studies, and the Institute for Security Governance. He previously spent 6 years as an Adjunct Professor of Maritime Law and Security at the US Department of Defense’s Africa Center for Strategic Studies, and 5 years as a Maritime Crime Expert for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s Global Maritime Crime Program.

Having worked in more than 85 different countries, Dr. Ralby maintains close relationships with leading professionals around the world in a variety of different disciplines.  He continues to serve as an expert advisor to and consultant for various government agencies, international organizations, and private sector entities. He earned a B.A. in Modern Languages and Linguistics and an M.A. in Intercultural Communication from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County; a J.D. at William and Mary; and both an M.Phil. in International Relations and a Ph.D. in Politics and International Studies at the University of Cambridge.