Dr. Kayhan Valadbaygi is the founder and CEO of Middle East Risk & Reform Advisory. He is a specialist in international relations with nearly a decade of experience in research, teaching, and consultancy.

He holds a PhD in International Relations from the University of Nottingham (UK) and has taught and researched at leading institutions, including Leiden University in the Netherlands, the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University in the UK. His expertise spans:

• Iran’s domestic politics & foreign policy

• Middle East geopolitics and regional geopolitical risk strategies

• Economic development and political economy of the Middle East

Dr. Valadbaygi has published extensively, including the monograph Capitalism in Contemporary Iran (Manchester University Press, 2024) and numerous peer-reviewed articles. He has also contributed policy-relevant research and commentary to think tanks, NGOs, and media outlets.

Fluent in English, Persian and Kurdish (Sorani), with working knowledge of Arabic and basic knowledge of Dutch and Spanish, Dr. Valadbaygi brings linguistic and cultural insight that deepens his advisory work.