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At the Coalface
At the Coalface is a series of conversations hosted by Philippe Rose.
Philippe's guests share stories about their life beyond the headlines of international affairs. They look for lessons learned about making an impact in the world as practitioners in diplomacy, international organisations, NGOs, journalism and the private sector.
Many of Philippe's guests are connected by their common experience of taking time away from work to attend graduate school at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy of Tufts University.
At the Coalface
Jay Truesdale - Purpose, Diplomacy, and the Craft of Understanding Risk
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In this episode, I sit down with Jay Truesdale, a geopolitical risk adviser and former U.S. diplomat and Navy Reserve officer whose career spans diplomacy, military service, and private sector leadership.
Jay traces his sense of duty back to childhood, inspired by family stories of wartime service. That early call led him into diplomacy and the Navy Reserve, with formative experiences across Russia, Ukraine, and South Asia.
We talk about the craft of diplomacy in the real world: building trust with local leaders, listening far from Washington, and learning how countries actually work beneath the surface.
Jay also reflects on his transition to the private sector, first helping bring political risk into the traditional business risk approach, and later leading two geopolitical risk consultancies. Drawing on frontline experience, he shares the frameworks he uses to help leaders think clearly about risk in a world where the old rules are rapidly breaking down.
The book Jay mentions is The Captive Mind by Czesław Miłosz, published in 1953.
Recorded on 6 March 2026.
Connect with Jay on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jrtruesdale/.
Instagram: @at.the.coalface
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