Speaker detail

William Leaf

Mr. William R. Leaf took up his duties as Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat on 4 August 2025, succeeding Ambassador John MacGregor. A seasoned American diplomat with over 30 years of experience in international security, he brings extensive regional expertise and a strong commitment to advancing cooperative security and stability in Central Asia. Mr. Leaf’s OSCE career spans over a decade within the Organization, including senior roles in both Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan. Since 2020, he has led the OSCE’s Politico-Military Dimension in the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, serving as a key interlocutor with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defence, and National Security. His portfolio has included confidence- and security-building measures, arms control, and countering transnational threats. He has also served as Acting Head of Mission, supporting high-level diplomatic engagement and policy implementation. From 2013 to 2018, he held several senior leadership positions at the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, including Head of the Politico-Military Dimension and Senior Field Representative for the southern regions of the country. Prior to joining the OSCE, Mr. Leaf served in several positions in the U.S. Government in Turkmenistan, including as Assistant Defence Attaché and as an Export Control and Border Security (EXBS) Advisor. He speaks Russian, Turkmen, Kyrgyz, German, and Italian.