London
Defence
Conference

London
Defence
Conference

London Defence Conference 2024

Deterrence: Building Capacity to Counter Global Threats

 
Held in partnership with King’s College London, the 2024 conference took place at Bush House 21-23 May.
 
Our theme this year was Deterrence, featuring leaders, policymakers, military, academia and industry discussing how to strengthen defence and security in an increasingly dangerous global environment.
 
While our focus was international, given the domestic political environment this year we also invited the main UK parties to address the theme of strengthening Britain’s defences and deepening alliances.
 
 
Attendance at the annual London Defence Conference is by invitation only. It is open to media by application.
 
To find out more about attending LDC 2025 or to become a sponsor or supporter contact our team on: info@londondefenceconference.com
 

Our Sponsors

Our Supporters

Our Partnership Network

Research Partner

Moderators

Mark Urban​

Lord Hague

Deborah Haynes​

Shashank Joshi​

Adam Boulton

James Landale

Speakers and Panellists

Grant Shapps

Former Secretary of State for Defence

John Healey

Secretary for state for Defence

David Lammy

Foreign Secretary

Oliver Dowden

Former Deputy Prime Minister

Albin Kurti

Kosovo Prime Minister 

Radek Sikorski

Foreign Minister of Poland

Professor Niall Ferguson

Professor Margaret Macmillan

Professor Sir Lawrence Freedman

Dr Benedetta Berti​

Dr Jade McGlynn​

Professor Rory Medcalf

Henrik Landerholm

Professor Steve Tsang

George Magnus

Charles Parton MBE

Frank Miller

Professor Marina Henke

Dr Kristin ven Bruusgaard

Professor Sir David Omand

Jack Watling

Air Chief Marshal The Lord Peach KG GBE KCB DL

Lieutenant General Andrew Harrison DSO MBE

James Shinn

Dr Ulrike Franke

Louis Mosley

Richard Norman

Fabian Zuleeg

Whitney Stanco

John Harrison

Justin Bassi

Dina Esfandiary

Walter Russell Mead

Ambassador Kevin Rudd 

Our History

The London Defence Conference is the annual geopolitical gathering held at Bush House, King’s College London. It was established in 2022 following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
 
The LDC is a conference of friendly countries dedicated to increasing the salience and visibility of defence and security in an increasingly dangerous global environment.
 

The Organising Committee

Lord Salisbury

Chairman of the London Defence Conference.

Professor John Gearson

Head of the School of Security Studies, King’s College London, Professor of National Security Studies, and Director of the Centre for Defence Studies in the Department of War Studies.

Professor Wyn Bowen

Professor of Non-proliferation and International Security in the Department of War Studies and Co-Director of the Freeman Air & Space Institute in the School of Security Studies, King’s College London.

Iain Martin

Director of the London Defence Conference, columnist for The Times.

Neil Brown

Commodore RN (Rtd), Geopolitical Strategist, Deltroit Asset Management, Distinguished Fellow, Council on Geostrategy

Hillary Briffa

Lecturer in National Security Studies, and Assistant Director of the Centre for Defence Studies in the Department of War Studies,King's College London.

LDC Papers 2024

Do Sanctions Deter?

Russia successfully insulated itself from sanctions following its illegal invasion of Ukraine. For economic deterrence to succeed, allies must learn from the experience.

Read More »
Wyn Bowen & Matthew Moran April 30, 2024
Contact

To contact the London Defence Conference team email info@londondefenceconference.com.

Past Conferences:

LDC 2023