Strategic Initiatives

Finding new ways to address difficult international challenges.

Recognising a problem is not the same as knowing how to change it.

Sometimes the challenge is to identify a promising response to a problem that existing approaches have failed to resolve. Sometimes an ambitious idea already exists, but needs a credible strategy for making it happen.

The Global Strategic Initiatives Group conceives, develops and advances strategic initiatives addressing consequential international challenges.

We work with clients and partners to develop responses to problems they have identified, and we originate initiatives of our own.

Our approach

Every initiative is different. Some begin with little more than a problem worth solving; others already have a clear proposition but lack the institutional support, resources or strategy needed to advance it.

Our work can involve:

Identifying the opportunity

Examining the problem, questioning existing approaches and developing possible interventions that could make a meaningful difference.

Finding a pathway

Understanding the relevant political, legal and institutional arrangements, identifying who can make the necessary decisions and assessing what might persuade them to act.

Building the initiative

Developing a compelling proposition, testing its feasibility, identifying potential partners and funders, and establishing a practical strategy for moving forward.

Advancing the initiative

Mobilising support, building coalitions and helping coordinate the diplomatic, institutional or other action needed to pursue the proposed change.

We approach this work pragmatically. Sometimes the appropriate first step is a modest scoping study to establish whether an idea is worth pursuing. In other cases, the opportunity may already be sufficiently developed to begin securing partners and mobilising support.

Our involvement can extend into implementation, or we may help establish an initiative that others are better placed to lead.

Initiatives we originate

Alongside work developed with clients and partners, we pursue initiatives of our own where we believe we can make a distinctive contribution.

Designing Multilateralism 3.0

The international system is changing, but much of the existing architecture of multilateral cooperation was developed for a different geopolitical environment.

Designing Multilateralism 3.0 is an initiative originated by the Global Strategic Initiatives Group to examine how international cooperation might be redesigned to function effectively under changing political conditions.

The proposed process combines strategic foresight, institutional design and policy analysis to diagnose weaknesses in existing arrangements, develop possible future models of cooperation and identify practical pathways for reform.

We are currently developing the initiative and exploring opportunities for funding and collaboration.

Learn about Designing Multilateralism 3.0 →

Develop an initiative with us

Whether you’ve identified a difficult problem, see an opportunity for change or have an idea that needs a strategy for implementation, we’d welcome a conversation about what might be possible.

Get in touch