Alexander joined GPlus in January 2010 following a short stint of freelance editing and research work for international organisations in the post-Soviet space. He has lived and worked in the Balkans, the Caucasus and Central Asia. From 2007 to 2008 he worked as a journalist in the Republic of Georgia, gaining a valuable insight into the region. He later studied Russian in Kyrgyzstan while continuing to be involved in journalism.

Alexander graduated from the University of Nottingham in the UK with a first class honours degree in History and Politics. He also holds a Masters degree in International Conflict Studies from King's College, London, where he specialised in the Chechen conflict. Aside from his native English he speaks some Russian.