Who We Work With

Professor Laura Cleary has served as a consultant/facilitator for a number Defence and Security courses at the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College and the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre over the past 16 years. She proficiently led the UK Defence Academy and Cranfield University teams to introduce the Defence...

Laura Cleary is a highly respected professional with considerable experience of operating in the international security environment across a range of continents. I have worked with her for many years as both a client and partner where the focus of our mutual efforts has been supporting security sector transformation, particularly in Ukraine. In this respect Laura has been responsible for both the design and delivery of a range of activities aimed at enhancing understanding, and implementation of approaches to the establishment of effective civil-military relations. This is an important aspect of security transformation in Ukraine. Laura’s real strength lies in developing an intimate understanding of the environment in which she is operating, ensuring that ultimately the interventions she has designed are bespoke, not templated solutions, that meet local requirements and therefore resonate with her target audience – essential if delivery is likely to lead to sustainable effect. Laura is held in high regard for her professionalism, knowledge and interpersonal skills. Comfortable working at all levels ranging from Ministers, senior officials to junior officers and civil servants she has been an important instrument of UK’s defence diplomacy efforts delivered through Cranfield University, and more recently as an independent consultant.

As the Academic Director for Cranfield University’s Managing Defence in the Wider Security Context (MDWSC) course, Professor Laura Cleary has been at the centre of its academic rigour, development and delivery. In many ways, this course has broken new ground and her investment in the programme has returned demonstrable strategic dividends. ..

Professor Laura Cleary is an experienced professional with profound expertise in SSR as well as keen pedagogical skills. Working with Laura was both an inspiring and a learning experience because of her ability to create productive synergies with her colleagues. Laura's support was instrumental in the development and implementation of one of our trainings on SSR. Her flexibility in adjusting the pedagogical approach according to the needs of the participants, together with her ability to facilitate meaningful discussion, was conducive in achieving the training objectives.

“Professor Cleary has worked within the UK’s Defence Engagement Programme to deliver high profile Professional Military Education courses at undergraduate and post graduate level to numerous military staff colleges and national defence colleges. Not only does she have an extensive global network of alumni that stretches from the Ukraine to Burma to Ghana, it is a network that has depth with many of her alumni now senior officers or government officials in their own countries. Professor Cleary’s understanding of the countries she works in and her cultural awareness means her delivery style is optimised for her target audience to get the best out of the course.”