Fault Lines and Flashpoints in 2026: Wars, Markets, and Fragile Supply Chains

Alex Kokcharov

Geoeconomics Analyst for Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Bloomberg Economics

Alex Kokcharov is the Geoeconomics Analyst for Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Previously he has worked at S&P Global and IHS Markit in political and security risk focused on Russia, Ukraine and the surrounding region, and as a business and politics journalist. Alex is based in London, but has previously lived in Russia, Germany, Belarus, Ukraine and Tajikistan. He speaks English, Russian, Belarusian, Ukrainian, and German.

Dina Esfandiary

Middle East Geoeconomics Lead

Bloomberg Economics

Dina Esfandiary is the Middle East Geoeconomics Lead for Bloomberg Economics, based in Geneva. Previously, she worked at the International Crisis Group (ICG), the Harvard Kennedy School, at King’s College London and the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). Dina is the author of “New Order in the Gulf: the Rise of the UAE”, and co-author of “Triple-Axis: Iran’s Relations with Russia and China”. She holds a PhD in the War Studies department at King’s College London.

Adam Farrar

Senior Asia-Pacific Geoeconomics Analyst

Bloomberg Economics

Adam Farrar is the Senior Geoeconomics Analyst for Asia-Pacific at Bloomberg Economics. He previously served as the Senior Advisor to Vice President Harris on the Indo-Pacific, Space, and Intelligence and as the Director for the Korean Peninsula and Mongolia on the U.S. National Security Council under the Biden and Trump Administrations. He is based in Washington, D.C.

Jimena Zuniga

Latin America Geoeconomics Analyst and Argentina Economist

Bloomberg Economics

Jimena Zuniga is Latin America Geoeconomics Analyst and Argentina Economist at Bloomberg Economics. Previously she was a Lead Economist at the IMF’s Strategy Unit (2020-2023) and held various positions at the Argentine Central Bank and Treasury (2016-2019), including Head of G20 Policy. Before that she founded and ran a digital media start-up focused on public affairs (2012-2015) and was a Latin America economist at Barclays Capital (2006-2011). She holds a Master in Public Policy from Harvard University.

Lyndsay Howard

Senior Analyst for Foreign Policy

Bloomberg News

Lyndsay Howard is Senior Analyst for Foreign Policy at Bloomberg News. She was Senior Advisor for Foreign Policy to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg on his personal staff for a decade. She was previously Senior Advisor at Kissinger Associates and a Distinguished Scholar at Johns Hopkins SAIS’ Kissinger Center. She served in the U.S. Intelligence Community in Washington and overseas, the State Department and the White House Legal Advisor for National Security.