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The World Affairs Council of New Hampshire is currently scheduling its fall Series of events.  You can join our email list to stay up to date on all the amazing programs hosted in New Hampshire and through our virtual platforms. JOIN HERE.

Upcoming Events

    • Friday, May 16, 2025
    • 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
    • Portsmouth Athenaeum, 9 Market Square, Portsmouth, NH 03801
    Register

     

    Offshore: Stealth Wealth and the New Colonialism



    May 16, 2025

    5:30PM

    Doors Open 5:00PM

    Portsmouth Athenaeum 

    9 Market Square, Portsmouth, NH 03801


    FREE FOR WACNH & PORTSMOUTH ATHENAEUM MEMBERS


    An eye-opening account of offshore finance: a secretive system making the rich richer while corroding democracy, capitalism, and the environment.

    How do the rich keep getting richer, while dodging the long arm of the law? From playboy billionaires avoiding taxes on private islands to Russian oligarchs sailing away from sanctions on their superyachts, the ultra-rich seem to live in a different world from the rest of us. That world is called offshore. Hidden from view, the world’s ultra-rich can use offshore finance to escape tax obligations, labor and environmental safety regulations, campaign finance rules, and other laws that get in their way.

    In Offshore: Stealth Wealth and the New Colonialism, sociologist Brooke Harrington reveals how this system works, as well as how it degrades democracy, the economy, and the public goods on which we all depend. Harrington spent eight years infiltrating this secretive world by training as a wealth manager, traveling from glossy European and North American capitals to developing countries in South America and Africa, to islands in the Indian Ocean, Caribbean, and South Pacific regions.

    Through interviews with dozens of wealth managers in nineteen countries, Harrington uncovered how this global network of offshore financial centers arose from the remnants of colonialism and has created a new, hidden imperial class.

    This engrossing deep dive reveals what offshore finance costs all of us, and how it has colonized the world―not on behalf of any one country, but to benefit a largely invisible empire of a few thousand billionaires, who help themselves to the best society has to offer while sticking us with the bill. As politicians struggle to address the deepening economic and political inequality destabilizing the world, Harrington’s exposé of the offshore system is a vital resource for understanding the most pressing crises of our time.

    This event is hybrid. 


    About the Speaker


    Brooke Harrington, is an Economic Sociologist studying the offshore financial system and the professionals who operate within it. Her research addresses both political and economic inequality, as well as globalization and the professions.

    Who creates change in markets and other financial institutions? Harrington explores how financial systems function by examining the daily activities of social actors and how their actions collectively shape the macro-level dynamics of financial markets, culture, and political institutions. Her work intersects with the fields of political economy, anthropology, social psychology, and behavioral finance.

    Since 2007, Harrington has focused on the offshore financial system, conducting research from the inside after earning a wealth management credential. This was followed by six years of global fieldwork, engaging with practitioners in 18 offshore financial centers. The findings from this ethnographic research contribute to scholarship on inequality, political economy, and the professions. The resulting book and articles from this ongoing study are linked below.

    Previously, Harrington investigated the effects of deception and fraud in financial markets, as well as the influence of diversity on the performance and decision-making processes of investment groups.


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    Sponsor

    Essential Planning - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

    • Thursday, May 29, 2025
    • 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
    • 795 Elm Street, Suite 204 Manchester, NH 03101
    Register


    T. William & Patricia Ayers:

    Global Tipping Points -

    The AI Future: 

    Defense, Ethics, and Global Security


    May 29, 2025

    6:00PM | Doors Open 5:30PM

    795 Elm Street, Suite 204

    Manchester, NH 03101

    & Online at www.wacnh.org


    As artificial intelligence rapidly reshapes every facet of global society, its impact on military strategy and national security looms larger than ever. Join the World Affairs Council of New Hampshire for the powerful conclusion of our three-part T. William & Patricia Ayers Global Tipping Points series, "The AI Future", featuring Lt. Col. Thomas Kenney — a leading expert in AI, cyber operations, and defense innovation.

    Drawing on his extensive experience, Lt. Col. Kenney will dive into how AI is transforming modern warfare, redefining defense strategies, and altering the very nature of global security. From autonomous weapons systems to cybersecurity threats and beyond, he will explore the opportunities and risks that AI presents for nations and international stability.

    Don't miss this chance to hear directly from one of the field's foremost thinkers on how AI will shape the future of conflict — and the world order itself.

    This hybrid event is free and open to the public—join us in person or online for a thought-provoking discussion on the intersection of AI and global security.


    About the Speaker


    Thomas Kenney

    Thom Kenney is a seasoned technology executive and national security leader, with a career spanning AI, autonomy, and digital transformation across the public and private sectors. He currently serves as Director of AI and Digital Transformation at Google, is a member of the Defense Science Board, and sits on the boards of several emerging technology companies. As a founder, CEO, and CTO, he has built and exited multiple venture-backed software companies, creating over $2 billion in shareholder value.

    Thom is also a Senior Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School, where he focuses on the intersection of emerging technology, national security, and public service. His work bridges entrepreneurial innovation with defense and government needs, helping shape policy and strategy for the future of responsible innovation.

    In uniform, Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Kenney has served as a Battalion Commander, Joint Staff Officer, and combat-deployed Civil Affairs Company Commander. He is dual-qualified in Civil Affairs and Information Operations and has supported operations across EUCOM, AFRICOM, and INDOPACOM. As a Civilian Senior Executive, he was Chief Data Officer and Head of AI at U.S. Special Operations Command, leading enterprise innovation across global mission sets.

    Thom holds an MBA from the University of Notre Dame and an MSc in Computer Science and AI from Georgia Tech, and resides in the Boston area with his wife and two daughters.


    Sponsor

    • Wednesday, June 25, 2025
    • 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM
    • NH Institute of Politics 100 St. Anselm Drive, Manchester, 03102
    • 162
    Register


    WACNH Global Forum:

    Building Back American Deterrence and Strength in a Dangerous World - 

    With 70th Secretary of State Mike Pompeo



    June 25, 2025

    Doors Open @ 5:00 pm

    Schedule Below

    NH Institute of Politics

    100 St. Anselm Drive, Manchester, 03102


    Contact Tim Horgan at 603-823-3408 or thorgan@wacnh.org for
    SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES


    Join the World Affairs Council of New Hampshire to hear exclusive and timely remarks at the 2025 Global Forum, featuring the 70th U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, followed by a moderated Q&A with WACNH Executive Director Tim Horgan.

    As the world faces increasing instability—marked by a rising China, a revisionist Russia, ongoing wars, and shifting U.S. foreign policy—this conversation will explore how the United States can strengthen its global leadership, rebuild deterrence, and navigate today’s complex geopolitical challenges. Drawing from his extensive experience as a military officer, U.S. Congressman, CIA Director, and Secretary of State, Secretary Pompeo will provide insights into the strategic decisions shaping America’s role on the world stage.

    This fundraising event directly supports WACNH’s mission to foster engaging, nonpartisan discussions on global affairs, helping to educate and connect our community with world-changing issues.

    Don’t miss this opportunity to hear firsthand from one of America’s key foreign policy leaders. Reserve your seat today!



    Event Schedule:


    5:00pm - Doors Open, Pre-Event Reception

    5:30pm - Private Reception Starts (Patrons & Sponsors)

    6:00pm - Event Begins

    7:30pm - Program Concludes

    8:00pm - Post Event Dinner (Dinner Ticket Required)


    About the Speaker


    Michael R. Pompeo served as the 70th Secretary of State of the United States, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and was elected to four terms in Congress representing the Fourth District of Kansas. Mike graduated first in his class from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1986. He served as a cavalry officer in the U.S. Army, leading troops patrolling the Iron Curtain. Mike left the military in 1991 and then graduated from Harvard Law School, having served as an editor of the Harvard Law Review. Up next was almost a decade leading two manufacturing businesses in South Central Kansas – first in the aerospace industry and then making energy drilling and production equipment.

    In 2010, Mike watched the government grow too big and decided to run for Congress. He won and was re-elected three more times to represent South Central Kansas – the heartland of America. Becoming America’s most senior spy, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, was Mike’s next chance to champion American values. President Donald Trump saw that good work and decided to make Mike America’s 70th Secretary of State. As our nation’s most senior diplomat in the Trump Administration and President Trump’s chief negotiator, Mike helped to craft U.S. foreign policy based on our nation’s founding ideals. During this time, America became a massive energy exporter and a force for good in the Middle East, with real peace cemented in the Abraham Accords. Mike also placed special emphasis on renewing alliances with key allies, including India, Japan, Australia, and South Korea. The largest human rights gatherings ever held at the State Department occurred under his leadership.

    Since leaving government, Mike has remained active on the global stage advancing American interests. Currently, he serves as Executive Chair of Impact Investments, a US-based strategic and financial advisory and investment firm which seeks to develop long-term partnerships with the world’s leading companies across a range of industries and geographies.

    Married to Susan, Mike and his wife have one son, Nick. Mike and Susan were thrilled to see their family grow to include a daughter-in-law when Nick married his wife, Rachael, in 2022! Mike and Susan’s two retrievers, Sherman and Mercer, each named after important American generals, are patriots too!



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*We encourage advance registration for all of our programs. For events with a ticket price, online payments can be made via our website. If you prefer to register or pay over the phone, please contact our office: 603.314.7970
 

WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL OF NH
795 Elm Street, Suite 204 - Manchester - NH - 03101

council@wacnh.org - (603) 823-3408

WACNH is an independent, non-profit, educational organization. 

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