
Rory Cormac
- Professor and historian of intelligence and covert action
- Author of five books on secret intelligence and international security
- Co-presenter of history documentaries for Channel 4
- Regularly speaks for both corporate and government audiences in the UK and US
Rory Cormac's videos
Available for
Languages:
- English
Rory Cormac's 2025 biography
Rory Cormac – Leading Authority on Secret Intelligence and Covert Statecraft
Professor Rory Cormac’s expertise lies in secret intelligence and covert operations.
A Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, Rory has written five books on secret intelligence and international security. His most recent is How to Stage a Coup (Atlantic Books, June 2022) which examines the rise of secret statecraft amongst global powers and how we should respond to it. He co-authored Spying and the Crown with Richard Aldrich (Atlantic Books, 2021).
Rory’s research has featured in most national newspapers and he regularly appears on radio and television. Alongside Richard Aldrich, he has co-presented history documentaries for Channel 4, notably The Queen and the Coup (2020). His research has also been adapted into radio documentaries, including BBC Radio 4’s MI6’s Secret Slush Fund (2017).
Rory is an experienced speaker. He regularly engages with both corporate and government audiences and has spoken at 10 Downing Street, the Cabinet Office, the Home Office, NATO and, in the US, the Pentagon and State Department. He has also appeared at the Hay, Cheltenham and Edinburgh literary festivals.
Rory Cormac's 2025 talks & topics
Trends in espionage and likely consequences for business and governments
Espionage, the secret state and the AI revolution
How to thrive in the space between peace and war known as the Grey Zone
How to manage the threat of Russian and Chinese covert political and economic warfare
How to build resilience to subversion and sabotage
The role of industry in “whole of society” approach to deter Russian and / or Chinese aggression
How to manage messaging in a crowded information ecosystem
The costs and opportunities of covert economic operations