Hugo graduated from the University of Sheffield with a BA in History and Politics. His study of Chinese history as an undergraduate student combined with his experiences as a teacher in Poland informed his interest in geopolitics. He is a MA graduate in International Security from the University of Bath where he specialised in the study of culture and memory. His area of interest is Sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on the impact that cultural memory plays on security issues in the region. He works as an analyst for BISI covering security issues in Africa.