Deniz Ergin is a PhD researcher in the Department of War Studies at King’s College London. Her work sits at the intersection of foreign policy, statecraft, and Defence-industrial strategy, with a particular focus on how Defence exports function as instruments of statecraft and shape strategic partnerships and external positioning.

Alongside her doctoral research, Deniz brings applied experience from Defence exports consulting, where she worked on cross-border projects in strategic, state-regulated sectors. This work involved navigating complex international stakeholder environments and combining trade and delivery considerations with close attention to regulatory and geopolitical risk. She works across English, French, and Turkish.

Deniz holds an MA in International Conflict Studies from King’s College London (2023) and previously completed an MSc in International Business at IÉSEG School of Management (2021) and a Bachelor in International Business at Grenoble Ecole de Management (2020). She is a member of Chatham House.

Research Interests

• Defence exports and statecraft
• Defence-industrial strategy and external positioning
• Foreign policy leverage and strategic partnerships
• Trade governance, sanctions, and export controls
  
  

Deniz’s research examines how states use Defence-industrial activity, particularly Defence exports, as instruments of statecraft. Focusing on Türkiye, her doctoral work analyses how export relationships generate foreign-policy leverage, shape strategic partnerships, and support longer-term external positioning. Her work bridges security studies and the political economy of strategic sectors, with particular attention to how regulation, sanctions, and geopolitical change condition what states can do in practice.