Marcus Ashworth spent two decades in the Foreign Office before turning to analysis, serving in postings across Southeast Asia and the Gulf. His last diplomatic role was as Commercial Counsellor in Beijing during the early 2010s—a position that gave him a front-row seat to the supply chain realignments now dominating boardroom conversations.

Since leaving government service, he has advised multinational corporations on cross-border risk, with particular expertise in trade documentation, sanctions compliance, and the operational realities of decoupling. His client list spans shipping conglomerates, semiconductor firms, and sovereign wealth funds seeking to understand what the next tariff round actually means for their logistics.

Ashworth is known for his conditional framing—'If X, then Y becomes cheaper'—and his allergy to prediction. 'The pundit's job is to sound confident,' he has noted. 'Mine is to map the chessboard. The pieces move themselves.'