Dr. Jens Hillebrand Pohl is the Director of the Helsinki Geoeconomics School and Secretary-General of the Helsinki Geoeconomics Society, which he co-founded in 2023. Through his leadership, Helsinki Geoeconomics has grown into a global consortium dedicated to advancing geoeconomic research, education, and practical solutions. He has been instrumental in shaping the consortium’s vision and establishing it as a trusted platform for collaboration among academics, policymakers, and industry leaders.
Dr. Pohl also serves as the co-founding Editorial Director and Chair of the Law & Geoeconomics Journal, published by De Gruyter Brill, and the Series Editor-in-Chief of Springer Studies in Law & Geoeconomics. In addition, he leads the annual Helsinki Geoeconomics Week, a flagship global forum fostering discourse on the intersection of strategy, economics, and governance.
A leading expert in geolegal studies, Dr. Pohl’s research focuses on economic lawfare—how legal and regulatory frameworks are weaponized as tools of geopolitical, geoeconomic, and geointellectual strategy. His work examines the critical role of legal systems in governing international economic flows and their implications for national security and economic power.
An accomplished scholar, Dr. Pohl has authored over 30 articles and four edited volumes, including Weaponising Investments. His thought leadership has advanced understanding of investment regulation, legal weaponization, and the strategic role of law in economic governance. He has held academic appointments at leading institutions, including Maastricht University, United Nations University, the Max Planck Institute for Procedural Law, and the World Trade Institute.
Before transitioning into academia and thought leadership, Dr. Pohl practiced law in New York, advising on landmark cases such as the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy and the establishment of the European Stability Mechanism. His professional background bridges legal practice, economics, and strategic governance.
Dr. Pohl holds a Ph.D. in law from Maastricht University, an LL.M. from Harvard Law School, and a Master’s in Economics and Business from the Stockholm School of Economics, with further academic credentials from Oxford, Stockholm University, and Uppsala University. He is a member of the New York Bar and an English and Irish-qualified solicitor. He is also an Associate Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
