Jonathan Bentham is a Research Analyst in the Defence and Military Analysis Programme at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. He focusses on maritime security and military capability, with regional specialisms including the Arctic Ocean and the Black Sea. His data research has supported publications produced by the House of Commons Defence Select Committee and the Financial Times, while his analysis has appeared in news outlets such as the BBC and Deutsche Welle. In addition to his current role, Jonathan was previously a Non-resident Fellow at the Pacific Forum and a Future Maritime Strategist at the First Sea Lord’s Sea Power Conferences in 2021 and 2022.
Jonathan grew up in the UK, Zimbabwe and Chile, and served in the Royal Navy, where he was trained at Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. He attended the University of Oxford as an undergraduate studying Arabic and Islamic Studies, and also holds a master’s degree in Security from Loughborough University.