Xenia helps clients expand their thinking around international affairs and leadership and direction, to help them understand what matters most to them and their organisation, and to navigate challenging transitions. She has served the US Government in the White House and State Department, and held senior positions in business, NGOs, think-tanks, and academia.
After a lengthy career in geopolitics and international strategy Xenia Wickett has seen first-hand, and studied in-depth, the consequences of good and bad decision-making in some of the highest stake situations imaginable. She now applies this experience to work with leaders to broaden their thinking, understanding and perspective around global geopolitics, political and ESG dynamics or their own leadership, and helps them make smarter, more informed, and more confident decisions.
Xenia has worked on both sides of the Atlantic in leadership roles in the US White House, Harvard, Chatham House and Equinor. She has led on South Asia policy and helped set up homeland security after 9/11 for the US Government, run Harvard’s pre-eminent international affairs research centre, launched a peacebuilding foundation in Switzerland, and Chatham House’s Academy for Leadership. Xenia also sat on Equinor’s management team for global strategy and BD and led their geopolitics and integrity due diligence teams.
She now runs her own advisory business, Wickett Advisory, and is a moderator, interviewer, and speaker. Xenia's highlights include chairing and moderating discussions with Elon Musk, President Zelensky, and the CEOs of TotalEnergies and Equinor, and discussing the US midterms with Simon Schama and Ed Luce on stage at the FT Weekend Festival.
Xenia has spoken at the Cheltenham Literature Festival, Aspen, and the Brussels Forum, and moderated a US-UK delegation of parliamentarians and congressional leaders. She has joined on stage with a wide range of leaders including the current US Deputy Secretary of State, Wendy Sherman, Larry Summers, George Robertson, Steve Erlanger, Martin Wolf, Lionel Barber, and Armando Iannucci.
As a commentator Xenia has appeared on the BBC, Sky News, Bloomberg, Fox, PBS and the Now Show and Any Questions?.
For her day job, she regularly advises senior business executives on the impact of geopolitics on their strategy and is often brought in to discuss geopolitical issues with business leaders and their clients. Xenia also works one-to-one with senior leaders to hone their decision-making, stakeholder management and leadership skills.