A Meeting of Minds Advisory Distributors - June 2025

Anand Menon is a leading expert on the UK’s relationship with Europe, and on home and foreign affairs more widely. He is a Professor of European Politics and Foreign Affairs at King’s College London, and the Director of the UK in a Changing Europe think tank. In an academic career stretching over thirty years, he has taught and researched British and European politics at several leading universities and is a respected voice on EU-UK relations in the media.

A regular media commentator, Anand is a skilled communicator, able to convey the detail and complexity of international relations in an accessible, relevant, and often entertaining way to any audience.

With the keen clarity and objectivity of an academic, Anand also brings enthusiasm and approachability to a complex and multi-layered subject. He introduces a fresh perspective on the future of the UK and its relations with its nearest neighbour and most important trade partner. Beyond the evolution of both UK domestic policy and UK-EU relations, Anand also examines what the future could hold for the EU itself – from expansion to economic growth to security – and the implications for the whole world.

Alongside regular appearance on radio and television, including Question Time and Newsnight, the Today programme and Analysis on Radio 4, he has written for many specialist foreign policy and political, as well as mainstream, publications including The Times, the FT, Le Monde, The Guardian, the Mirror and New Statesman.

Anand is also co-author of Brexit and British Politics, which delivers an objective exploration of the underlying reasons behind the Brexit vote, the relationship between people and politics, and the implications for democracy and democratic debate in the UK.

Ben Timberlake, an esteemed author, journalist, and archaeologist, is renowned for his insightful talks on the science and history of fear, making decisions in high-risk environments, beyond resilience: post-traumatic growth, and archaeology in war zones. His bestselling autobiography masterfully blends confessional narrative, classic reportage, and humour with deep dives into the neuroscience of risk, fanaticism, extreme sex, and addiction. Timberlake’s dynamic storytelling and profound understanding of these subjects have made him a sought-after speaker worldwide.

Sara Africk is head of Private Wealth Management Digital Transformation. Her team is focused on identifying and advancing opportunities linked to emerging technologies – both on the client and investing side as well as internal implementation strategy. Prior to this role, Sara was a sales trader in the Markets Coverage Group, which provides cross asset institutional brokerage services to sophisticated private wealth investors. Sara has been at the firm for 15 years and was named vice president in 2017.