In Brief: The team behind 9DASHLINE
22 December 2023
2023 has been an incredible year of growth for 9DASHLINE — we have seen our team expand, our offerings diversify and we published some stellar content for our growing audience.
As we look forward to a brief break during the holiday season, 9DASHLINE’s leadership — David MacSweeney (Founder), Dr Manali Kumar (Editor-in-Chief), and Dr Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy (Head of the Associates’ Network) — reflect on the major developments over the past year and answer some frequently asked questions about our goals and hopes for 2024.
Q. It has been another remarkably busy year. What were some key moments that stood out?
MK: It’s been a really rewarding year. We published more original expert analyses this year, which reached an even larger audience than in previous years — this really makes all our efforts worth it. I have also been very happy to see the editorial team grow with new assistant and associate editors coming on board. Our team has become more international and our in-house expertise has also become broader, allowing us to cover a wider range of issues affecting the Indo-Pacific. With wars and the increasing risk of conflict dominating global headlines this year, it is even more important to make sure that we pay attention to other social, political, and economic trends in the Indo-Pacific.
ZAF: One of the key objectives of the Associates’ Network remains to develop local partnerships in the region. It has been rewarding to see that such partnerships benefit our global audience with local knowledge and insight, which has ensured that we have better, and often direct, access to what is really happening on the ground in the Indo-Pacific. This year we were delighted to partner with Korea’s Sejong Institute in a series of joint webinars on EU-Korea relations and the Indo-Pacific, with the help of our Korea Associate, Dr Tereza Novotna. With Taiwan of high relevance not just in the Indo-Pacific but also in Europe, the webinar series also brought together experts discussing the Taiwan Strait from European and Korean perspectives. Similarly, in partnership with La Trobe Asia, our Australia Associate, Hunter Marston, helped coordinate the online launch of the Blue Security study focusing on maritime security and hedging in the South China Sea. It is great to see our Associates’ Network grow and participate in ongoing global conversations on what matters in the Indo-Pacific.
DMacS: From my perspective, it was great to finally launch our consultancy service, which has been in the works for several years. The scope and scale of work we are engaged in across an average week means that we are incredibly well-positioned to understand and interpret the trends and forces shaping the Indo-Pacific today. We are constantly scanning the horizon for key developments, which alongside our relationships with key analysts, policymakers, and decision-makers means we are well-positioned to offer a nuanced perspective on the region.
Q. What inspired you to start a consulting service, and what distinguishes it from other service providers in the rather crowded consulting space?
DMacS: Simply put, as individuals and as a group we are passionate about the Indo-Pacific region and so following the success of the platform it was clear from an early stage that there was an opportunity to harness our respective skills, experience, and reach to build a consulting firm. The executive team, with a solid background in consulting, has worked hard to build the team's capabilities over recent years. We have focused on developing a group — mainly staffed by PhD candidates, post-docs and other specialists — which offers the kind of scope and analytical rigour that distinguishes us from the crowd. We have also worked hard to develop a strategy which ensures 9DL stands out as a consultancy that combines in-depth regional knowledge, a network of experts, and a commitment to delivering high-quality results so that our clients benefit from tailored solutions underpinned by a deep understanding of the complex dynamics at play across the Indo-Pacific region.
Q. Can you highlight some key areas of expertise that you expect to bring to the table? How do the services you offer address the unique challenges in the Indo-Pacific?
ZAF: Our key in-house areas of expertise encompass a comprehensive understanding of the geopolitical landscape across the Indo-Pacific including major countries — India, China, Japan, regions of growing significance to the global economy such as Southeast Asia, and important flashpoints in the region — Taiwan and the Korean Peninsula. We specialise in both traditional and non-traditional security issues, ensuring a holistic approach to the multifaceted concerns prevalent in the region. Our competitive advantage extends to a vast network of external experts, many of whom are located in the region with local understanding and insight, whom we can seamlessly integrate into our services as needed. This allows us to provide tailor-made, bespoke solutions that can help zero in on the key opportunities available in the region and directly address the unique challenges faced by our clients in the Indo-Pacific.
Q. How does 9DL contribute to thought leadership in the Indo-Pacific business community?
MK: Our commitment to thought leadership in the Indo-Pacific is manifested through our multifaceted approach to knowledge dissemination. Our blog serves as a platform for original expert commentary and analysis, offering nuanced insights into the ever-evolving dynamics of the region. We delve into geopolitical shifts, technological advancements, economic trends, and social dynamics, providing our audience with a comprehensive understanding of the forces shaping the Indo-Pacific. Our engagement also includes regularly hosted webinars featuring leading experts and policymakers. These discussions, often conducted in collaboration with esteemed institutes and think tanks in the region, serve to bring critical issues to the fore for the general public. By fostering dialogue and sharing diverse perspectives, we contribute to a more informed and connected Indo-Pacific community.
Q. What else can we expect from 9DL in 2024?
ZAF: I am looking forward to expanding our Associates’ Network with local experts who bring first-hand experience and understanding of the Indo-Pacific. I also see immense value in developing local partnerships within the region in addition to the partnerships we have already secured. I believe that it is such people-to-people, or rather expert-to-expert collaboration between Europe and the Indo-Pacific that has thus far ensured that our analysis is thorough and accurate. Our network of experts and partners has seen gradual growth, and the coming year looks equally promising.
MK: I am really excited about launching our newsletter in 2024 - it’s something we’ve wanted to do for a long time. While the articles on our blog offer in-depth analysis of specific issues relevant to the Indo-Pacific, the newsletter is intended to provide an overview of the most important developments in the region to help busy professionals stay informed. As the geopolitical centre of gravity today, the Indo-Pacific is teeming with developments; so we will do the heavy lifting of scanning the news, identifying critical trends, and providing bite-sized thoughtful analysis. Our goal is simple: we make sense of what matters, so you don't have to.
Q. How can we keep up to date with everything 9DL is doing?
DMacS: Well most obviously the easiest thing to do is to follow us on your preferred social media platform! You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Mastodon, Facebook, Post, and most recently — Bluesky.
Finally, on behalf of the entire team, I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to our work or shared our content over the last year. We wish you happy holidays and look forward to bringing you more insightful content in 2024 — it’s going to be an exciting year.