Virginia Comolli

Virginia Comolli is the Head of the Pacific Programme at the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC), an independent civil society organisation whose activities include policy-oriented analytical work on organized crime, building local civil societies’ resilience to organized crime, and convening stakeholders to encourage policy debate on crime responses.

Prior to joining GI-TOC in 2020, she spent 14 years with The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), most recently as Senior Fellow and head of the Conflict, Security and Development programme. During her time there she worked on organized crime, violent extremism, conflict, insurgency and how these phenomena intersect. Additional experience includes a secondment to the UK Ministry of Justice and working for the intelligence unit of a private security firm and with a strategic intelligence company.

She has extensive field research experience across Africa, parts of Latin America, South and South East Asia and the Pacific Islands. She has briefed senior government officials, the military and law enforcement, and has appeared in print media, TV and radio and has spoken at international conferences.

Virginia is an advisor for a number of NGOs and charities, and is a former special police constable.