Matthew Francis is Professor of Security and Resilience, and co-Director of the Protective Security Lab, at the Centre for Peace and Security at Coventry University. Matthew obtained his PhD from the University of Leeds on non-negotiable values in extreme groups. He has since worked on research and policy issues including extreme and minority groups (cults), religious literacy, radicalisation and, most recently, as Executive Director of the UK's Centre for Research and Evidence on Security Threats (CREST).

Matthew's research interests focus on national security challenges, in particular on issues to do with state-led disinformation, insider risk, protecting politicians and non-negotiable (or sacred) values in high-stakes decision-making in defence and security.