Staff

 Ian Bolton is the Founder and CEO of Sanctions SOS. It was his dream to create a sanctions consultancy that brings together sanctions expertise from across governments, industry and academia.

Ian was the Editor of FISC (Financial Institutions Sanctions Compliance) Journal, which was published by WorldECR. FISC provided sanctions knowledge and expertise for the financial sector, customers and advisors. 

Prior to this Ian worked at HSBC-UK as a Sanctions Senior Manager, leading on regulatory reporting and advisory work for the retail bank. Before joining HSBC-UK, Ian was a British Diplomat for 11 years. As well as serving overseas, Ian focussed extensively on Counter-Proliferation policy, including the enforcement of sanctions and interdictions, and helped write the UK’s keynote sanctions legislation, the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act (2018). 

Ian worked for King’s College London on strategic export controls and Counter-Proliferation sanctions, is a Visiting Sanctions Research Fellow at King’s, and a sanctions Panel Member and trainer for the International Compliance Association. 

Lucy Bolton is the Chief Operating Officer of Sanctions SOS. Bringing her keen eye for detail, and extensive programme, gender, and policy experience to the role.

Lucy specialises in expertise around the unintended consequences of sanctions, and the disproportionate impact sanctions can have on women and children. She is a leading expert on gender and women, peace and security (WPS). She has been involved in the review of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, representing the UK Government in this process, she also helped write the current UK National Action Plan on WPS. Additionally, Lucy has extensive experience working on the flow of illegal migration and international policy to support this area, including possible sanctions responses.  Lucy is fluent in three languages and also speaks a further three languages. 

Lucy is a long serving British Diplomat having worked at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for over 14 years.

Currently Lucy's role is limited to the internal operations of Sanctions SOS, where she focuses on editorial control of work, and supporting the day-to-day running of the organisation. She plays no role in policy development of Sanctions SOS, Compliance related work, or training. Nor in any content creation by Sanctions SOS.

 Mathilde Gerritsma is an Associate in Outreach and Policy at Sanctions SOS, combining her strategic business acumen with a passion for international relations to help organisations navigate sanctions risk and drive effective sanctions practices globally. 

Holding a BA in Chinese Studies with a minor in Russian Studies from the University of Manchester, she has cultivated a deep understanding of global policy and geopolitics, with a particular intrigue in China, Russia, and the DPRK. Her expertise is further reinforced by specialised training in sanctions and counter-terrorism, enabling her to contribute to the development of sanctions compliance frameworks, risk analysis, and thought leadership in the field. 

With a professional background in business development and partnerships, she excels at building long-term, trust-based relationships across diverse industries in both the private and public sectors. Mathilde is fluent in English, Mandarin, and Dutch, and proficient in French, German, and Russian, Mathilde leverages her multilingual skills to engage effectively with global stakeholders, fostering cross-cultural understanding and international collaboration.

Mathilde's role focuses combines her strategic business acumen with a passion for international relations. She leads on our business development and compliance work. Mathilde’s work within Sanctions SOS has a heavy focus on CT, CP and the roles of Russia and China. She also jointly leads on our Myanmar work. Her expertise enables her to contribute to the development of sanctions compliance frameworks, risk analysis, and thought leadership in the field. Mathilde is fluent in English, Mandarin, and Dutch, and proficient in French, German, and Russian, Mathilde leverages her multilingual skills to engage effectively with global stakeholders, fostering cross-cultural understanding and international collaboration. 

Chloe Giasemidis is a Junior Associate in Capacity and Policy at Sanctions SOS. Her work features a passion for Gender studies, Feminism and Peace and Conflict in the world of International Relations.

Chloe has an extensive background in International Relations, gaining a Distinction class MA from the University of Manchester in IR. Chloe’s MA dissertation focused on locating where the women are in peacebuilding negotiations in Cyprus and how this has developed over time. Her dissertation won the University’s Social Inclusion Award and is in the process of being published by the Political Perspectives journal. Chloe is fluent in Greek Cypriot. Prior to working with Sanctions SOS Chloe worked as a Recruitment Manger.

 Chloe's role involves working with governments around the world to build sanctions capacity and helping to train those involved with sanctions. Her role also involves research and analysis across a range of sanctions issues. In particular looking at sanctions through a lens of Gender studies, Feminism and Peace and Conflict. Her work focusses on the humanitarian aspect of sanctions and the unintended consequence. She also jointly leads on our Syria work.