The Stimson Center mourns the loss of our President and CEO Brian Finlay, who passed away on June 3 following a fierce fight with gallbladder cancer. Brian was 53 years old.

Brian led the Stimson Center for over a decade as President and Chief Executive Officer, with a total of more than twenty years of service to the nonpartisan foreign policy institution. Under his tenure, the Stimson Center transformed its business model, expanded its global reach through innovative initiatives and partnerships, and developed industry-defining programming on strategic dialogue, global risk, technology, and unparalleled regional engagement.

Through Brian’s leadership and tenacity, the Center quadrupled in size to become one of the most trusted and sought-after think tanks on foreign policy and national security. Brian served in multiple roles at Stimson prior his tenure as President and CEO, holding positions as Vice President, Managing Director, and Senior Fellow.

Sue Chodakewitz, Chair of the Stimson Center Board of Directors, said:

“Brian’s life was one of boundless passion, commitment, and fresh thinking. His energy was magnetic, his presence was larger than life, and yet he exhibited no pretense, ego, or agenda. Brian’s dedication and humility were exceptional. He was incredibly authentic in all he did, and he modeled the way as a true servant leader.”

“Brian led deftly, remarkably – putting Stimson’s growth, well-being, and success ahead of his own recognition, and empowering and inspiring those around him,” said Chodakewitz.

“To know Brian was to respect and admire him. The world is a better place to have had Brian Finlay in it, and his loss will reverberate for a long time. The Stimson Center intends to continue his legacy through what we do and how we do it, and the Center will continue to thrive because of what Brian built, how he led, and who he was and will always remain to us.”

Rachel Stohl, Acting President and CEO of the Stimson Center, said:

“I had the privilege to work alongside Brian for more than 15 years. His extraordinary vision and unwavering tenacity propelled the Stimson Center to new heights of excellence and impact. In this pursuit, Brian was unafraid to take on the overlooked and underrepresented issues that fell beyond the headlines. He understood that transformative work begins where the challenges are greatest, and his ingenuity, determination, and grit were infectious.”

“Brian was a leader in the truest sense of the word. But he was also a beloved father, husband, brother, and son. I was proud to call him my colleague, but even prouder to call him my dear friend.”

Prior to joining the Center, Brian served as executive director of a Washington-based lobbying initiative focused on counterterrorism issues, as a researcher at the Brookings Institution, and as a program officer at the Century Foundation.

Before emigrating to the United States from his native Canada, Brian served with the Public Health Agency and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. He was Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Directors of iMMAP, an information management and data analytics organization focused on improving humanitarian relief and development coordination.

Brian was an adjunct professor at American University in Washington, and sat on the Editorial Board of Global Security, a journal of health, science and policy published by Routledge, Taylor & Francis. With expertise in nonproliferation, transnational crime, counter-trafficking, and supply chain security, Brian held an M.A. from the Norman Patterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University, a graduate diploma from the School of Advanced International Studies, the Johns Hopkins University, and an honors B.A. from Western University in Canada.