Global Community

Professor Nayef Al-Rodhan is a Philosopher, Neuroscientist and Geostrategist. He is Head of GCSP's Geopolitics and Global Futures Programme and Honorary Fellow of St. Antony's College at Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom. He was voted as one of the Top 30 most influential Neuroscientists in the world.

He holds an M.D. and a Ph.D. He trained in neurosurgery/neuroscience research at the Mayo Clinic, Yale University and Harvard University.

He founded the neurotechnology programme, headed translational research and founded the laboratory for cellular neurosurgery and neurosurgical technology at MGH, Harvard. He was on the faculty of the Harvard Medical School, has published extensively on neuroscience research and won several research prizes. These prizes include: The Sir James Spence Prize; The Gibb Prize; The Farquhar-Murray Prize; The American Association of Neurological Surgeon Poster Prize (twice); The Meninger Prize; The Annual Resident Prize of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons; The Young Investigator Prize of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons; The Annual Fellowship Prize of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

His interests include: Geostrategy and Sustainable National and Global Security; The Role of Science, Aerospace and Strategic Technologies in Geopolitics and Human Destiny; Global Strategic Cascading Risks; Global Justice, Human Dignity and Transcultural Synergy; Philosophy of Good Governance, Philosophy of Human Nature, Philosophy of History and Collective Civilisational Triumph; the History of Ideas; the Neurochemical and Cellular Foundations and Predilections of Human Nature and Their Implications for Global Discourses and Moral and Political Cooperation.

Anna Brach is Head of Human Security at the GCSP. Her work focuses on issues of the evolution of security concept, environmental and health security with special emphasis on the climate change and security nexus. Her research interests include human security, human rights, environmental security, climate change, global public commons and resource management. She is responsible for developing and running the GCSP activities on the subject of human security, including executive courses, workshops, and high-level conferences in Geneva and internationally. She is also the Director of the GCSP advanced course on New Issues in Security.

Anna holds a Master's degree in Economy from the Warsaw School of Economics, a Master’s degree in Political Science from the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva and a Master’s degree in European Studies from the University of Geneva. 

Prior to joining the GCSP, she worked for the private sector at the PR Department of Nestlé Poland in Warsaw and at Academy&Finance in Geneva. Her native language is Polish and she is fluent in English and French.

Benno Bühlmann serves as the Head of the Integrated Risk Management and Civil Protection at GCSP.

With more than 30 years of experience, he has deep expertise spanning Leadership, Strategy, Change Management, Risk Management, Disaster Risk Reduction, Civil Protection, Critical Infrastructure Protection, Business Continuity Management, Secure Communication Systems, Crisis Management, CBRNe-Protection, Natural Hazards, Environmental Protection, Climate Change, and Sustainability.

Benno holds a Master’s in Chemical Engineering and a Master’s in Natural Science from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETHZ).

From 2014 until 2020, he served as the Director General of the Federal Office for Civil Protection (FOCP) in the Swiss Department of Defense, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS), also as a member of the board. The FOCP includes several branches such as Civil Protection, Spiez Laboratory, National Emergency Operations Centre, Training, and Telematics.

During this time, he served as Chairman of the National Emergency Operations Staff in Civil Protection of Switzerland and Chairman of the Intervention Natural Hazards Staff.

Furthermore, he was President of the Swiss National Commission for NBC-Protection.

In former times, he was CEO and owner of his company Bühlmann Project Management GmbH.

At the beginning of his career, Benno served as the Director of the Environmental Protection Agency of the Canton Uri, and in this function also as the Deputy Chairman of the Cantonal Emergency Operations Staff of the canton. Moreover, he was Chief of the Chemical Emergency Defence Department and Commander of a local fire brigade.

He is married, father of two daughters and grandfather to two grandsons.

Colonel Christian Bühlmann is the Chief of Staff. He is seconded from the Swiss Armed Forces.

Prior to this assignment, he gained extensive experience in the area of defence policy, politics, and military strategy as Senior Advisor to the Chief of Swiss Armed Forces. He has over 25 years of combined civilian and military experience. His previous appointments include : Head of Sales Defense at a major Swiss company (as a civilian) as well as head of doctrine research and development (as a regular officer).

He graduated from the École Polytechnique Fédérale in Lausanne (Master of Science in Computer Sciences), and the Swiss Military Academy. He received a Master of Arts in International Studies (King's College, London) after attending the Royal College of Defence Studies, London. In his spare time, he is working on a PhD thesis in political science assessing the influence of political ideas on the transformation of Swiss defence policy.

Christian Bühlmann co-authored a book on a Colonel Daniel Reichel, a maverick Swiss military thinker, and has published numerous article on doctrine, strategy, defence policy, and history.

He is a Swiss national; his mother tongue is French and he is proficient in German and English

Visit his personal website.

Peter is Head of Leadership at GCSP and Co-Founder of the Geneva Leadership Alliance, a network of associates and partner organisations working together to advance the understanding and practice of leadership for the benefit of peace and security worldwide.

Peter has over 20 years of experience in leadership development, adult education, and executive coaching across private, public, and non-profit sectors. He is constantly seeking new, diverse, and innovative ways to bridge the study of leadership with the practice of leading, especially at international level and across cultural, geo-graphical, political and organisational divides. Leveraging his diverse experience and background, he creates safe spaces for learning and encourages brave spaces for application, enabling people to learn leadership mindsets and practices in transformative ways and adapt them to their own work and life.

Peter was born in England, grew up in The Netherlands, honed his early professional skills in Australia and Asia Pacific, and is currently based in Geneva, Switzerland. He works in English, French and Dutch.

Since 2018, Dr Stephan Davidshofer has been working as Academic Advisor of the Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) in International and European Security jointly run by the GCSP and the Global Studies Institute (GSI) of the University of Geneva. With a PhD from Sciences Po Paris, Stephan has been researching and teaching in the field of Critical Security Studies for the past fifteen years. Interested about the challenges raised by the management of today’s transnational security threats, he has contributed to several research projects investigating the evolving European security landscape from the Peace Research institute in Oslo and the University of Geneva. Stephan is also currently a lecturer at the University of Geneva's Global Studies institute. Dr. Davidshofer speaks French, English and Portuguese.

Paul Dziatkowiec was appointed Head of Diplomatic Dialogue in 2021. Prior to that, for nearly a decade he served as Project Manager in various roles at the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD), an organisation that mediates between protagonists in armed conflicts.

At HD, Paul was involved in mediation efforts in diverse conflict settings including Nigeria, Myanmar, Thailand and most recently Ukraine, where he led HD’s efforts to help find a solution to the conflict in Donbas. He was also engaged in various regional and geopolitical dialogue initiatives.   

Also at HD, for five years Paul managed the Oslo Forum, the leading international mediation event that convenes peacemakers, world leaders (up to head of state level), peace process actors and conflict parties.

Paul had previously served in the Australian diplomatic service for over a decade. He was Australia’s Deputy Ambassador in Nairobi and, as Deputy and Acting Ambassador, covered a range of countries including Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi. Concurrently, he was Australia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Nairobi.

During his diplomatic career, Paul engaged in various multilateral negotiations at the UN, in Geneva, New York, and Nairobi, which included negotiating resolutions and delivering statements on behalf of Australia, on political, security, human rights, and environmental questions.

Previously Paul was posted to the Australian Embassy in Tel Aviv, and acted periodically as Australian’s Representative to the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah, during the second intifada.

Paul has also represented the International Service for Human Rights in Geneva, and worked as a Human Rights Officer in the Australian Foreign Service, both during the formative years of the UN Human Rights Council. Earlier, after the signing of the Bougainville Peace Agreement he deployed as a Peace Monitor to Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, where he was involved in raising public awareness of the agreement, following up ceasefire violations, and arranging weapons disposal and community reconciliation processes.  

Paul has a Bachelor’s degree in International Business from Queensland University, as well as three Master’s degrees in International Law, International Relations, and International Policy Studies from the Australian National University, the University of New South Wales, and the University of Sydney respectively. He has written a number of articles and publications on various aspects of mediation, humanitarian and human rights issues.

Marc Finaud is a former French diplomat who was seconded to the GCSP from 2004 to 2013 and is now a staff member. At the GCSP, Mr Finaud leads activities related to Arms Proliferation.

He finished Secondary School in Marseille in 1970 and in Independence, Iowa (USA) in 1971. He holds the Certificate of Proficiency in English (With Merits) of the University of Cambridge, Great Britain (1974), as well as a Master's Degree in International Law of the University of Aix-en-Provence, France (1975) and he is a Graduate of the Paris Institute of Political Studies (1977).

He joined the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1977, first at the Military Cooperation Division. In 1977-1978, he was Vice-Consul at the French Consulate-General in Leningrad (USSR). Back in Paris, he worked at the Directorate for Europe (Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe -CSCE-) from 1979 to 1982. He was a member of the French Delegation to the CSCE Meeting in Madrid (1980-1982). In 1982-1983 he served as Chief of Staff of the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, before being appointed First Secretary at the French Embassy in Warsaw. In 1987-1988, he was the Secretary-General of the French Delegation to the CSCE Meeting in Vienna.

In 1989-1993 he served as Second Counsellor at the French Delegation to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva and a member of the French Delegation to the First Committee of the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York. From 1993 to 1996 he was the Head of the Information Department (and alternate spokesman) of the Foreign Ministry in Paris. In 1995-1996, he was a lecturer on arms control and disarmament for a post-graduate course at the Marne-la-Vallée University. In 1996 was appointed Deputy Head of Mission at the French Embassy in Tel Aviv (Israel) where he joined the Team of Negotiators of the EU Special Envoy to the Middle East. He was transferred to Sydney as Consul-General for France in January, 2001, with jurisdiction over the whole of Australia.

Apart from French, he speaks English, Russian and Polish. He has published many articles, chapters and books on arms control and disarmament as well as on the Middle East and international humanitarian law.

In addition, from August 2013 to May 2015, Marc Finaud was Senior Resident Fellow at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR).

Ingrid Gázquez González, is the Leadership Portfolio Manager for the Geneva Leadership Alliance, a partnership that combines Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) expertise on peace, security and global governance with the leadership development expertise of the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL).

The mission of this Alliance is to advance the understanding, practice and positive impact of leading in public, private, non-profit organizations and civil society.

A lawyer by trade, Ingrid holds a Master’s Degree in Human Rights and International Adoption from the University of Barcelona and a second Master’s Degree in Communications and Marketing. She is currently pursuing an MBA with #ThePowerMBA.

As a certified Project Manager Professional (PMP), she honed her change management and educational expertise when founding her own NGO: Mundus. In its first 3 years, Mundus supported more than 1000 change makers to access "learning by doing" opportunities funded by the European Commission. Her entrepreneurial spirit has led her to engage with countless social enterprises and NGOs all around Europe confirming for her that community, government engagement and workforce development are essential enablers to make any social investment initiative successful.

Earlier in her carrier, she worked for Mondelez (former Kraft foods) coordinating operations for their third party verified sustainability cocoa initiative, Cocoa Life, a 400M$ holistic program implemented in cocoa farming communities in Africa, Asia and Latin America to boost farmer’s skills and improve their livelihoods, strengthen their communities and inspire the new generation of cocoa farmers to use their land sustainably.

In her previous role as Learning and Development Specialist at The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis, she, together with Ministries of Health, designed and implemented capacity strengthening programs in more than 15 developing countries to improve the availability of medicines in the Global South. She’s passionate about shaping change through engaging with people and building their capabilities. Ingrid is behind the Engage-Design-Implement-Sustain (EDIS) Organizational Development Model, a process-driven approach to optimize workforce performance and improve commodity availability and health outcomes.

Ingrid is a Spanish national and her mother tongue is Spanish. She is fluent in Catalan and has an intermediate level of French and German.

Isabelle Gillet is the Head of Community Engagement and leads, develops, and organizes the Centre’s community programmes in Geneva and abroad, including community-led projects. She aims to facilitate mutually beneficial and sustainable relationships between the GCSP and its alumni community.

Isabelle has joined the GCSP early 2008 and has held different positions throughout this period. She began at the Centre in the Protocol and Events department where she managed expert seminars, diplomatic dialogue, executive training workshops and major international conferences. In December 2013 she began working for the GCSP’s alumni development and introduced a new strategic plan and new technology to most effectively engage alumni in the life of the GCSP.

Prior to joining the GCSP, Isabelle worked for 14 years for Geneva Tourism & Convention Bureau, where she started to work in the Sales and Promotions department. As its Manager in the later years, she was in charge of a cross-cultural team to brand and develop the destination’s leisure tourism sector. Herself responsible for the Asian market, she established Geneva’s partnerships in the Far East and implemented commercial strategies and promotional projects with an active participation at sales meetings, workshops trade shows and other task forces to further drive business.

Isabelle has a large international background and has continually evolved in a multi-cultural environment. Isabelle is Swiss and lived and worked in the US, UK, India, the Middle East, and the Far East.

She is trilingual in English, French and German and holds a degree in international hotel business management.

Ambassador Thomas Greminger served as Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) from July 2017 until July 2020. On May 1, 2021, he took over as Director of the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP).

As Secretary General, he acted as an effective crisis manager supporting successive Chairmanships in an increasingly polarized environment. In the final months of his term, he dealt with the COVID-19 crisis, working to protect the health and safety of staff while ensuring that the OSCE continued to carry out its critical mandates and maintained business continuity.

Despite the highly polarized political climate, Ambassador Greminger promoted dialogue among the 57 OSCE participating States as one of his key priorities. He sparked informal discussions on emerging challenges and opportunities such as the importance of technology to all dimensions of security or the link between climate change and security.

He supported the OSCE in maintaining field presences to support participating States in implementing OSCE commitments, and preventing or managing conflicts – notably the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine. He engaged in diplomatic efforts and supported those of various mediators addressing emerging and protracted conflicts in the OSCE area.

Ambassador Greminger promoted effective multilateralism by strengthening ties with the OSCE’s partners among international and regional organizations. He highlighted the OSCE’s contribution in helping participating States to implement the Sustainable Development Goals.

In his capacity as OSCE Chief Administrative Officer, Ambassador Greminger introduced a “fit for purpose” agenda focused on adapting the OSCE to changing realities and new opportunities against a background of limited and declining resources. This included a management review of the OSCE Secretariat that resulted in procedural and structural improvements, including by making the best use of technology. He also introduced an OSCE gender parity strategy and openly addressed sexual harassment and other challenges to creating a healthy and inclusive professional working environment. In view of his engagement, he was invited to join the International Gender Champions’ network.

Previously, Ambassador Greminger served as Deputy Director General of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. As Head of South Cooperation, he oversaw cooperation with 21 partner countries and regions, entailing an annual budget of USD 730 million and 900 staff in Bern and abroad. In this function, he regularly represented Switzerland at international conferences as State Secretary.

From 2010 to 2015, Ambassador Greminger served as the Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the OSCE, the United Nations and the International Organizations in Vienna. He was instrumental in devising the consecutive chairmanships and joint work plan of Switzerland (2014) and Serbia (2015). During the Swiss Chairmanship, he chaired the OSCE Permanent Council and played an active role in addressing the crisis in and around Ukraine that rapidly unfolded during the course of 2014. For the first time in years, the OSCE managed to achieve consensus on new OSCE operations – the most important being the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine.

Ambassador Greminger was responsible for preparing the successful 2014 OSCE Ministerial Council in Basel, which yielded 21 consensus decisions and declarations. He chaired the OSCE Human Dimension Committee in 2011 and 2012. He introduced the structured agenda, substantive human dimension discussions as well as regular exchanges with OSCE institutions, field missions and UN mandate holders. As a member of the OSCE Troika, he chaired the OSCE Mediterranean Contact Group (2013) and the OSCE Asian Contact Group (2015).

Through his comprehensive expertise in security policy, Ambassador Greminger marked a number of important achievements in the OSCE: he contributed significantly to Ministerial Council Decision 3/11 on the conflict cycle, and the subsequent development of mediation and facilitation capacities in the OSCE Conflict Prevention Center.

During his term as Permanent Representative, Switzerland became the coordinator for the Vienna Document and introduced a number of modernization proposals. By strongly promoting partnership with the Geneva Centre for Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF), he helped the OSCE Secretariat and field missions to build capacities in security sector governance and reform.

From 2004 to 2010, he served as Head of the Human Security Division of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. The Division is the Department’s main competence center for peace, human rights and humanitarian and migration policy, with an annual budget of around USD 70 million and 100 staff in Bern and abroad. During his tenure, the division offered and supported facilitation and mediation services to more than half a dozen peace processes worldwide (including in the Middle East, Colombia, Nepal, Burundi, Uganda and Sudan) and launched a number of important diplomatic initiatives, including those which led to the creation of the UN Human Rights Council, the UN International Tracing Instrument for SALW, and the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development.

Ambassador Greminger also served as Deputy Head of the Human Security Division from 2002 to 2004, and from 1999 to 2001 as Country Director at the Swiss Embassy in Maputo, Mozambique, where he managed Switzerland’s largest development cooperation programme with an annual budget of around USD 30 million and staff.

From 1994 to 1998, he served in different posts in the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, including Head of the Policy and Research Unit.

Ambassador Greminger holds a PhD in history from the University of Zurich. He is Lieutenant Colonel GS (company and battalion commander of infantry unit of the Swiss Armed Forces; G6 and Deputy Chief of Staff of Infantry Brigade). He has authored numerous publications on military history, conflict management, peacekeeping, development and human rights. His mother tongue is German; he is fluent in English and French and has a good working knowledge of Portuguese. Ambassador Greminger was born in 1961 and has four daughters.

Ms Fleur Heyworth leads the GCSP's executive education, dialogue and policy analysis on gender and inclusive security.  Working closely with the GCSP's Leadership Alliance, she designs and facilitates courses on leadership for women, and for male and female leaders to create more inclusive working environments.  She also delivers modules on gender and inclusive security to the multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural participants on GCSP's core courses, incorporating the frameworks of the Women Peace and Security Agenda, and the Sustainable Development Goals to apply a ‘gender lens’ to security policy.  Fleur has published numerous policy analysis on topics ranging from gender, diversity and inclusion to women in mediation and has designed and facilitated customised courses for women mediator networks https://www.gcsp.ch/topics/gender-inclusive-security. 

Fleur also heads the International Gender Champions Secretariat (www.genderchampions.com), a global network of almost 300 leaders advancing gender equality, extending across six multilateral hubs, which is currently being incubated by the GCSP.  In this capacity, Fleur leads governance, partnerships, and the team responsible for programmatic and communications work, including the development of a new network wide pledge to speak up and stand up for zero tolerance of gender based violence, sexist attitudes and behaviour.  Fleur regularly facilitates and moderates in person, virtual and hybrid meetings.

Fleur began her professional career as a Barrister and spent 5 years advocating in court, representing government and private clients in family law proceedings in England and Wales.  In Geneva, she worked at the UK Mission to the UN where she represented the UK government in negotiations in International Humanitarian Law at the Red Cross Conference 2015, and on a range of thematic topics during three Human Rights Council sessions including sexual violence in conflict, disasters and emergencies, and on gender equality.  She also worked with NGOs during UPR sessions and drafted recommendations to CEDAW.  Fleur has a Geography Degree from Cambridge University, and took her post-graduate studies in law at Nottingham Law School.

Ms Annika Hilding Norberg is Head of Peace Operations and Peacebuilding at the GCSP, and leads GCSPs work on peace operations and peacebuilding dialogue and reflections, policy applicable research and development, and executive education and training. Annika’s focus is on strengthening leadership for peace at all levels with an emphasis on UN and EU civilian, military and police missions and operations, but also leadership for peace more broadly and women leadership in particular. She serves as a Member of the Board of Directors of the International Leadership Association and as a Member of the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform Management Committee.

Prior to joining the GCSP, Annika was the Founder and Director of the International Forum for the Challenges of Peace Operations (Challenges Forum), a joint platform of then 22 countries, incl. the five Permanent Members of the UN Security Council, aimed at strengthening UN peace operations. Originating from when she served as President of the London School of Economics (LSE) International Relations Society, the Challenges Forum was founded in 1996 as part of Annika’s research studies at the LSE on comparative approaches to peace operations. Annika coordinated the Challenges Forum based at the LSE (1996-2000), the Swedish National Defence College (1997-2002) and the Folke Bernadotte Academy, an agency of the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2003-2017). She served on the Board of Directors for the Peace Operations Training Institute (2010-2013).

Annika has worked and /or studied in ten countries. She holds a BSc of International Relations from the LSE, an MA in International Politics from the Free University of Brussels and studied languages at the Moscow State University and the Universidad del Pais Vasco. Annika is main editor of some 80 Challenges Forum and other reports and policy briefs. In 2008, she was awarded the Silver Medal of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences for her contributions to strengthening UN peacekeeping.   

COURSES:

• Leadership in International Security Course / Master’s in Advanced Studies in International and European Security – Prevention, Conflict Management and Sustainable Peace Module, 17-28 January, 2022
• Leadership in International Security Course / Master’s in Advanced Studies in International and European Security – Sub Saharan African Security Module, 4-8 April, 2022
• New Issues in International Security - Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution and Sustainable Peace Module, 30 May-3 June, 2022
• Making the Difference in Peacebuilding, Security and Development – Results Based Management and Beyond 2021, co-organised with Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF) and Graduate Institute Small Arms Survey, 27 June-2 July, 2022
• Swiss Peacebuilding Training Course (SPTC) 2021, co-organised with the Swiss Federal Department for Foreign Affairs, Swiss Armed Forces and Swisspeace, 28 August-9 September, 2022
• EU Pre-Deployment Course for Common Security and Defence Policy Missions and Operations, co-organised with the European Security and Defence College, 3-7 October, 2022
• United Nations Mission Advanced Staff Training Course, co-organized with the UN Department for Peace Operations and the Swiss Federal Department for Foreign Affairs, 10-18 October 2022 
• Enhancing Leadership for Peacebuilding - Senior Level Peacebuilding Course, co-organised with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research and the Swiss Federal Department for Foreign Affairs, 7-11 November, 2022
• United Nations Police Commanders Course, co-organized with the United Nations Department for Peace Operations and the Swiss Federal Department for Foreign Affairs, Autumn 2023 
• Starting 2023, the two weeks Swiss Peacebuilding Training Course normally co-organized annually with the Swiss Federal Department for Foreign Affairs, Swiss Armed Forces and Swisspeace, will be held twice per year henceforth in February/March and early September respectively. Exact dates to be confirmed.
• Customised Courses are developed and delivered upon request.

EVENTS / SEMINARS / PROJECTS:

• European Union Civilian Training Group Leadership and Management Training Development Requirement Assessment, 2019-2021.
• European Union Military Training Group Leadership and Management Training Development Requirement Assessment, 2019-2021.
• European Association of Peace Operations Trainings Centers Annual Conference 2021, Panel on What’s New and Next in European Leadership and Management Training for Peace Operations and Missions?, panel co-organized by the GCSP, ZIF and Swedish Defence University, 12 May, 2021
• Global Peace Index 2021 Launch, co-hosted by the GCSP with the Institute of Economics and Peace, 9 June 2021
• African Peace and Security Annual Conference 2021 on Women, Peace and Security in Africa, Panel on Global Peace Index launch, organized by the Policy Center for the New South, Morocco, 21-23 June
• UNSCR 1325 Twenty Years down the Road - A Regional View on Participation, Protection, Prevention, Relief and Recovery, hosted by the Austrian Ministry of Defence and the Kreisky Forum, Vienna. Panel on “The Future of the WPS Agenda: Future Approaches, Thematic Emphasis and the “Added Value” of Women in PSO - Critical Reflections, 27-28 September 2021.
• International Leadership Association Annual Conference 2021: Reimagining Leadership Together (ILA2021), 20-25 October, 2021:
  • International Leadership in Forging a Path to Human Security through Technology, co-organized by the GCSP and Palantir Technologies Australia
  • Leading for Peace - The Emerging Leaderless Leadership Phenomenon, organized by the GCSP
  • International Interventions in the Aftermath of Afghanistan: What Lessons for Leading Peace Operations?, co-organized by the GCSP, the  ILA, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, and Peace Messenger Liberia.
  • Reimagining Leadership for Peacebuilding…Measuring and Quantifying Peacefulness in Positive Change, co-organized by the GCSP and the Institute of Economics and Peace
  • Practices for Training Women Leaders in Peace and Security, co-organized by GCSP, UNITAR and Unconventional International
  • Shared Leadership, Shared Future: Leading Urgency and Resilience in the Climate and Peace Emergency, co-organized by the GCSP and the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform.
  • Watch videos from GCSP participation in ILA 2020: Leading at the Edge: Turning War Grief into Positive Leadership for Peace;  Adaptive Leadership for Sustaining Peace in a Turbulent, Pandemic World
• Geneva Peace Week 2021, 1-5 November:
  • Leadership for Peace - Operationalizing the Findings and Recommendations of GPW 2021 co-organized by the GCSP and the International Leadership Association, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, Peace Messenger Liberia, Palantir Technologies and the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform
  • Watch video from GPW 2020: Adaptive Leadership in Support of Sustaining Peace in a Pandemic Environment
• International Association of Peacekeeping Training Centers Annual Conference 2021, Panel on Preparing Mission Leaders, co-organized by the Ministry of Defence of Peru and the Cairo Center for Conflict Prevention and Peacekeeping in Africa, 9 November, 2021
• Rising Global Peace Forum 2021, Panel on Leadership for Peace, organized by Coventry University, United Kingdom, 10 November, 2021

ARTICLES, VIDEOS AND PODCASTS:

• Blog: GCSP Co-hosts 1st UNPOL Women Police Command Cadre Professional Development Webinar
• Webinar: The New Normal? Imagining UN Peace Operations 2030 (part of the GCSP’s 25th Anniversary Celebrations)
• Video: Leadership for Peace through Conflict Analysis, Resolution and Management
• Report: Leadership for Peace through Conflict Analysis, Resolution and Management – Pilot Virtual Course Launched in Georgia
• Webinar: Leading at the Edge: Turning War Grief into Positive Leadership for Peace
• Webinar: Adaptive Leadership for Sustaining Peace in a Turbulent, Pandemic World
• Webinar: COVID19 and its Impact on UN Peace Operations (part of COVID19 Webinar Series: Global Crisis, Global Risk and Global Consequences)

Mr David Horobin is Head of the Crisis Management at GCSP. He has more than 25 years operational experience in emergency and crisis management in natural and conflict related contexts in both field and HQ functions.  

As Head of Crisis Management his main tasks are designing, researching and delivering contemporary crisis management courses for decision makers, leaders, researchers and specialists in the government, humanitarian and corporate sectors. 

From 2010- 2017, he held the position of Head of Crisis Management and Security at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) providing policy, training and operational support for 18,000 ICRC staff in 80 countries for all emergency and security related incidents.

From 2006- 2010, he was Head of the Rapid Deployment Unit at the ICRC. He designed, staffed and managed ICRC’s emergency response and surge capacity capability incorporating ICRC’s technical and managerial support internally and through Red Cross/Crescent networks consisting of 190 National Societies with 24 hours deployable expertise and ERU teams.

From 2003-2006, Mr Horobin was Director of the Operations Team (CHASE-OT) at the UK’s Governments Department for International Development (DFID). He lead the UK’s emergency response to major international emergencies and managed a team of 45 experts in technical, operational and advisory roles. During this time he chaired the International Humanitarian Partnership (IHP) and was appointed EU High Level coordinator for Hurricane Katrina. 

Throughout his career, he developed first hand operational experience in natural and complex emergencies; Angola, Ethiopia, Rwanda, DRC, Philippines, Timor, Balkans, Iran, Afghanistan, Liberia, Japan, Asian Tsunami  and global emergencies such as Ebola, H1N1 and NRBC events. Additionally, he was responsible for  high level policy and operational coordination with UN, RCRC, governments and commercial operators.

A logistician by profession he is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics (FCILT), and recently appointed Fellow and Advisory Board Member of the Institute of Strategic Risk Management (ISRM); he holds an MSc in Transport Engineering from Imperial College, London and a BSc in Social Science. He has attained accredited Senior People, Leadership and Management (PLM-CS), Ashridge, UK (2007-2010), and certified EU High Level Coordinator (EU DG ENV-2006). Mr Horobin has advanced kidnap and crisis management training. 

Gazmend was previously a doctoral student in Cyberspace Operations at the Swedish Defence University. Additionally, he was Director of Intelligence on Cyber-related issues in the Swedish Armed Forces. Prior to that, he was Head of the United Nation's Intelligence Cell in a mission area for several years. He is a military Veteran, with more than five years of duty in conflict and post-conflict areas including two tours to the Balkans and one in Central Asia. He holds a two-year Master of Science in Security & Risk Management from the University of Leicester, and a two-year Master of Science in Information Security from Stockholm University.

In addition, he is a graduate from the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education program on Cybersecurity: The Intersection of Policy and Technology, and the Geneva Centre for Security Policy European Training Course (ETC). In 2014, he was awarded the best idea answering to EEAS Deputy Secretary General thread on the EU as a security provider. He has also academic training from Cranfield University, University of St. Andrews, the KTH Royal Institute of Technology, and professional training from the UN Department of Safety and Security (DSS). He was Chair of Research & Development at ISACA Swedish Chapter and is a Certified Information Security Manager (CISM).

Jean-Pierre Keller is a Senior Analyst and Deputy at the Terrorism-Joint Analysis Group (T-JAG) at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP). His research focuses on local terrorist networks, terrorist financing and inter-related terrorism threats. In his role Jean-Pierre developed projects, teaches and lectures in intelligence/counter-terrorism analysis and management.

Prior to joining the GCSP, Jean-Pierre gained more than 25 years of experience in the financial sector. He had the opportunity to work as a Foreign Exchange trader, Portfolio Manager and later as an Investment Advisor for individuals and entrepreneurs based in the Sub-Saharan Africa countries, where he traveled on a regular basis.

Jean-Pierre holds a Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) in Global Security and Conflict Resolution from the Global Studies Institute, University of Geneva. As GCSP Executive-in-Residence, he accomplished both GCSP & FOCP crisis management trainings. Retired officer of the Swiss Army, he was a Company Commander, specialized in disaster relief and was trained as a UN military observer. Jean-Pierre is also head of the team leaders and co-responsible for the mountaineering education and training at Club Alpin Suisse – Geneva section.

Today a member of the Institut de France, Jean-David Levitte has had a distinguished and outstanding career in the French Foreign Service, serving on the staff of three French Presidents and holding key senior positions in the French Foreign Service.

From 2007 to 2012, Ambassador Levitte was the Senior Diplomatic Adviser and Sherpa of President Sarkozy.

He served as Ambassador to the United States, from 2003 to 2007 during the difficult period of the war in Iraq.

From 2000 to 2002, he was the French Ambassador to the United Nations. In New York, Ambassador Levitte successfully handled several international negotiations, including resolution 1441 on Iraq.

Ambassador Levitte served as Senior Diplomatic Adviser and Sherpa of President Chirac from 1995 to 2000.
From 1990, he held senior positions in the French Foreign Ministry, first as Assistant Secretary for Asia and then as Undersecretary for Cultural and Scientific Cooperation.

In 1988, he was designated to his first position as Ambassador and served as the French Ambassador to the United Nations Office in Geneva.

Before 1988 Mr. Levitte was assigned as Deputy Chief of Staff to the Foreign Minister ; Deputy Assistant Secretary in the African Bureau ; Second Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of France to the United Nations in New York.

Mr. Levitte joined the Foreign Service in 1970. He was first posted in Hong Kong and Beijing in the early 1970's. A few months after his election in 1974, President Valery Giscard d'Estaing asked him to work on his staff at the Elysee Palace, where he stayed from 1975 to 1981.

Born in 1946 in the south of France, Ambassador Levitte earned a law degree and is a graduate of Sciences-Po (the renowned Institute for Political Science in Paris) and of the National School of Oriental Languages, where he studied Chinese and Indonesian.

Ambassador Levitte is married to Marie-Cécile Jonas and has two daughters and three grandchildren.

Dr Siobhán Martin joined the GCSP in 2006, and her primary focus is on curriculum design, development and delivery, in addition to outreach and research activities. She is currently the Director of the 8-month Leadership in International Security Course (LISC) and Co-Director of the Master of Advanced Studies in International and European Security (MAS), jointly run by the GCSP and the Global Studies Institute of the University of Geneva. She is also responsible for the development of GCSP’s Advanced Course series including the LISC, the European Security Course (ESC) and the New Issues in Security Course (NISC). Siobhán has a PhD in International Relations/Political Science from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva. Her research interests focus on strategic intelligence, international cooperation, ethics, leadership issues, and transnational threats. She also holds a Master's Degree in International Relations as well as a Joint Bachelor's Degree in English and History from the University College Cork (UCC), Ireland. Prior to joining the GCSP, she held a number of positions in the private sector. Her native language is English, and she also speaks French.

Select Publications

“Spying in a Transparent World”, reprinted as Chapter 20 in Cyber Ethics 4.0: Serving Humanity With Values, edited by Christoph Stükelberger/Pavan Duggal, Globethics.net Global Series No. 17, 2018

“Secret Friends: Intelligence Cooperation and Counterterrorism” (with Carl Ungerer), in Intelligence and the Function of Government, edited by D. Baldino & R. Crawley, Melbourne University Publishers, 2018

“Spying in a Transparent World: Ethics and Intelligence in the 21st Century”, GCSP Geneva Paper – Research Series No. 19, November 2016

Ms Matas is the Senior Advisor and the Deputy Head of the Diplomatic Dialogue at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy. 

Aimed at promoting inclusive dialogue on current geopolitical issues, and as a support to peace processes, the activities of the Diplomatic Dialogue bring together non-like-minded participants for discussion by providing a safe platform for discussion.

Ms Matas designs and oversees a number of dialogue processes in Geneva and internationally focused on relations between Russia and the West, European Security, the OSCE conflict prevention mechanisms, post-war reconstruction in Syria, as well as others. She is also the representative for the GCSP at the OSCE Network of Think Tanks and Academic Institutions. 

Her research interests include European Security,the OSCE, and the relationships between Russia and other post-Soviet states. Through her expertise she is a regular contributor to international conferences and workshops, while also teaching various modules at the GCSP in courses such as the European Security Course (ESC), the Leadership in International Security Course (LISC), the Swiss Military Professional Officers Training (SPOT), as well as others.

During her time as head of the Effective Governance  cluster at the GCSP, Ms Matas directed executive education programmes in both English and French for State officials from different countries including Myanmar, Tunisia, Iraq, Cameroon and others.

Ms Matas joined the GCSP in January 2011 and coordinated activities for the Programmes on Security and Law, and WMD & Disarmament, respectively.

Prior to joining the GCSP, Ms Matas worked at the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) on Foreign Direct Investments promotion. She also has experience working in the private sector for Crédit Suisse in their Trade Finance department.

Ms Matas holds a Master in International Affairs from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID), Geneva. She also holds a Public Relations degree from the Russian State University of Physical Education, Sports and Tourism. She speaks Russian, English, French and intermediate German. 

Emily Munro heads the work on Strategic Anticipation and leads projects on dialogue on emerging security issues at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP). In this role Emily leads projects and contributes to courses, in particular in the area of strategic foresight and international security and on initiatives seeking to foster dialogue on cyber security and arms proliferation. She is a term facilitator and module responsible in the eight-month Leadership in International Security Course (LISC) and she directs an annual short courses on strategic foresight. She was the Course Director of the two-month New Issues in Security Course from 2017 to 2019.

Emily has been with the GCSP since 2003, in functions related to partnership development and governance issues, training and academic affairs, and courses and projects on peacebuilding and new issues in security.

She has previous professional experience at the International Organization for Migration (Geneva), the Global Forum for Health Research (Geneva) and the Liu Institute for Global Issues at the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC, Canada).

Emily holds a Master’s Degree in international relations from the Graduate Institute in Geneva and a Bachelor’s Degree in international relations and political science from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. Emily is a Canadian and Swiss citizen and she speaks English (native language) and French.

Publications

• “Strengthening Prevention with Better Anticipation: COVID-19 and Beyond”, Strategic Security Analysis, GCSP, Geneva, March 2020.
• Security in a World without Nuclear Weapons: Visions and Challenges, (co-editor, with David Atwood), GCSP, Geneva, December 2013.
• Multidimensional and Integrated Peace Operations: Trends and Challenges, Geneva Paper 1 (Conference Series), Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and GCSP, Geneva, January 2008.
• “Natural Disasters, Globalization, and the Implications for Global Security”, in Policy Briefs on the Transnational Aspects of Security and Stability, edited by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, pp. 149-162, Zurich, LIT Verlag, 2007.
• Challenges to Neutral and Non-Aligned Countries in Europe and Beyond, (editor), GCSP, Geneva, 2005.

Christina Orisich is the Deputy Director of GCSP and Head of  GCSP’s “Executive Education” activities, developing and expanding the organisation’s comprehensive portfolio internationally.

Ms Orisich brings an extensive international experience in executive education to GCSP, as well as expertise in consulting in organizational and leadership development, change management, strategy and leading a business. She has a very good understanding of challenges leaders face in this complex and ever-changing world both in the private and public sector.

Prior to joining the GCSP, she worked for 12 years for the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) - Europe, where she was Head of the Coaching and Leadership Development Practice, responsible for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Previously as EMEA Design Practice Leader, she led a cross-cultural team of experienced instructional design faculty who delivered highly customized leadership solutions in response to very specific client challenges. In her role as Regional Director, responsible for Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Spain and France at CCL she was responsible for all CCL activities in these countries (multi-million businesses). She built extensive experience in partnering strategically with international global corporations and institutions to support them with their organizational, talent and leadership development challenges. She was Senior Lead Faculty for several client engagements and worked with most of the large international corporations from the Pharma, Health Care, Chemical, Automotive and Financial Services industry. She is also a very experienced Executive coach, and regularly worked with senior leaders from big blue chip corporations as well as international organizations.

Before this, Christina worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC Consulting) in Brussels and London leading EU financed projects in Russia, Ukraine, Estonia, Romania in the public and private sector. Christina also worked at the European Commission in Brussels, Ericsson in Vienna and the Austrian Trade Commission in New York City.

Christina has a broad international background and has always worked in multi-cultural environments across a wide range of industries, leading and working with cross-cultural teams. She is Austrian and has lived and worked in 13 countries (Austria, The Netherlands, Belgium, Romania, Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Ukraine, Estonia, Russia and Poland). She speaks 8 languages.

She holds a degree in International Business Administration from the University of Economics and Business Administration in Vienna, Austria. She earned her postgraduate degree in European political studies, from the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium. She is a certified Leadership Embodiment Coach and is certified by the International Coaching Federation. 

Anne-Caroline is the Head of the GCSP’s Global Fellowship Initiative and Creative Spark. Anne-Caroline joined the GCSP in September 2003 and has held different positions throughout this time. She spent a number of years working with the Director of Special Programmes on diplomatic activities and training courses abroad. She then worked with the External Relations Team and, as its Manager, was in charge of the Centre’s external communications - GCSP website, media relations and publications. She later joined the Emerging Security Challenges Programme as a Senior Programme Officer responsible for the Security and Law activities of the Centre. Since 2015, Anne-Caroline coordinates the GCSP Global Fellowship Initiative and currently also heads the development of the Creative Spark.

She holds a Master’s Degree (LL.M.) in International Humanitarian Law, jointly awarded by the Law Faculty of the University of Geneva and the Graduate Institute of International Studies (HEI). She studied Law at Pierre Mendes France, University of Grenoble (France), and after her Maîtrise with specialisation in European Law, she obtained a Diploma from their European Summer Academy on "Europe in Transition".

Prior to her employment at the GCSP, she worked for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Athens (Greece), and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) in Geneva.

Anne-Caroline speaks English, French, Greek, Spanish, Italian and German.

Dr Jean-Marc Rickli is the Head of Global and Emerging Risks at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) in Geneva, Switzerland. He is the co-chair of the NATO Partnership for Peace Consortium emerging security challenges working group and a senior advisor for the AI (Artificial Intelligence) Initiative at the Future Society. He is also a member of The IEEE Global Initiative on Ethics of Autonomous and Intelligent Systems and represents the GCSP in the United Nations in the framework of the Governmental Group of Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS). He is a member of the advisory board of Tech4Trust, the first Swiss startup acceleration program in the field of digital trust and cybersecurity. In 2020, he was nominated as one of the 100 most influential French-speaking Swiss by the Swiss newspaper Le Temps. Prior to these appointments, Dr Rickli was an assistant professor at the Department of Defence Studies of King’s College London. Dr Rickli received his PhD and MPhil in International Relations from Oxford University, UK, where he was also a Berrow scholar at Lincoln College. His latest book published by Georgetown University Press is entitled Surrogate Warfare: The Transformation of War in the Twenty-first Century. He has lived and worked in Europe, USA, Middle East and China.

Jean-Paul Rouiller was born on April 8, 1967 in Saint Maurice, Switzerland. He worked for the Swiss Federal Office of Police (Fedpol) from December 2003 to January 2010, creating the first Counter-terrorism Unit within the Swiss Federal Criminal Police (SFCP). He then developed the structures and concepts of the first counter-terrorism analysis unit of the SFCP (in charge of intelligence collection and risk analysis in the field of counter-terrorism and terrorism).

In 1994, Mr Rouiller joined the Swiss Intelligence Service as a junior country analyst. By 1996, Rouiller had taken responsibility for all terrorism files; these encompassed, among others, Radical Islamic organizations, the ‘ethno-nationalists’ groups (eg. IRA, PKK, LTTE or ETA) and the remnants of the far-left (eg. 17N phantom group in Greece). On a more technical level, he worked on a project dedicated to the research and treatment methods of both open and classified information (including the technique of cascading), as specifically applied to the field of terrorism. He was also involved in creating the first comprehensive anti-terrorism database used by the Swiss Intelligence Service.

From January to March 2000, he joined the Combined Strategic Intelligence Training Program (CSITP), an intelligence course developed by the US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). In this three month course, within a class composed of students from different countries and services, he expanded his understanding U.S. intelligence machinery, methods and operations.

Mr Rouiller left the Swiss Intelligence Service in October 2000 in order to join the Office of the Coordinator of Intelligence Services of Ambassador Jacques Pitteloud, as Adviser on Homeland Security (in german, Referent Innere Sicherheit).

The events that lead him to join the Swiss Federal Criminal Police unfolded in late 2001, following the 9/11 attacks. From December 2003 to December 2010, Mr Rouiller created, developed and lead no less than four different counter-terrorism units within the Swiss Federal Criminal Police. In 2011, he created the Geneva Centre for Training and Analysis of Terrorism.

In 2017, Mr Rouiller created the Terrorism Joint Analysis Group at the GCSP, to deliver timely analysis to both the public and private sectors on the global manifestations of terror.

Colonel (GS) Markus Schneider has been seconded to the GCSP from the German Armed Forces in June 2020.

Prior to joining the GCSP, Col Schneider supervised the Logistics department (G4) of the Rapid Forces Division in Stadtallendorf, one of the three divisions of the army which is responsible for Special Forces, Airborne operations and Army helicopters. In the field of logistics, he was also company and battalion commander in the Army and in the Joint Support Service.         
Col Schneider held an instructor and lecturer position for logistics at the Joint Operations department of the German Armed Forces Command and Staff College in Hamburg and was department head for logistics at battalion and brigade levels.

Col Schneider spent three years at the Ministry of Defence in Berlin and worked in the department for arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation issues, most importantly in relation with the CFE Treaty, SALW and Iranian nuclear policy. He was later appointed Assistant Section Chief to the Permanent Representation of the German Armed Forces to NATO and the EU Military Committee in Brussels, dealing with EU Plans & Policy and EU Operations.         
From 2016 to 2017 he took part in the 44th course of the Israeli National Defence College in Tel Aviv.           
In addition, he served twice in military operations, 2008 KFOR as battalion commander and 2018/19 as Head of the German Armed Forces in Iraq (OIR, CBI).

Col Schneider started his career in the supply and transport units of the Army and studied Economics and Organisational Sciences at the Bundeswehr University in Munich (Dipl.-Kfm., WOW). He successfully graduated from the German Armed Forces Command and Staff College in Hamburg (Army's 43rd General Staff Course) and earned a M.A. in Political Science from the University of Haifa.            
He received the Bronze and Silver Cross of Honour of the Bundeswehr and was decorated with the Non-Article 5 NATO Medal – KFOR and the German Bronze Medal for Foreign Duty for his services with KFOR and Operation Inherent Resolve -Capacity Building Iraq.

He speaks fluent German and English and has basic knowledge in French and Spanish.

Dr. Christina Schori Liang is Head of Terrorism and Preventing Violent Extremism at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy in Geneva, Switzerland. At the GCSP, she designs and directs courses on Preventing Violent Extremism and on Transnational Organised Crime and Security, and she contributes to dialogue events and offers policy guidance for global security actors.

She is the editor of Europe for the Europeans: The Foreign and Security Policy of the Populist Radical Right and has contributed to the 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2022 Global Terrorism Index. She has recently co-edited a Handbook on Security Science that will be published in July 2022 by Springer Verlag.

Dr. Liang has testified for the US National Intelligence Council, the US State Department, the European Commission, and the European Forum for Urban Security and has given multiple presentations for the Munich Security Conference, the NATO Defense College in Rome and the OSCE Secretariat in Vienna.

She is on the advisory board of the RESOLVE Network Research Advisory Council of the US Institute for Peace, an expert for the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, and she serves on the editorial team of Contemporary Voices, the St. Andrews University Journal of International Relations, and the advisory board of Cyberwatch Finland.

Dr. Liang was an Adjunct Faculty member for Boston University from 2008-2013 and is currently a Visiting Professor at the Paris School of International Affairs, Sciences Po, Paris.

She holds a doctorate in International Relations and an MA in History and International Politics from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva, Switzerland.

Alexandra Thiry is GCSP’s Learning Innovation and Impact Lead. She manages projects that aim at enhancing the learning experience of participants to GCSP’s executive education activities. Specifically, she is responsible for streamlining GCSP’s approach to blended learning and building capacity to design and deliver extended learning journeys for impact. 

Alexandra is a Certified Learning Professional from the “Swiss Competence Centre for Innovations in Learning” at the Institute of Business Education and Educational Management, University of St. Gallen. She possesses a passionate curiosity for learning and a strong commitment to advancing continuous learning and professional development at the international level. Alexandra is particularly interested in formats and methods that help learners apply new knowledge, skills and behaviours to their workplaces, as well as in opportunities arising from digitalisation and the possibilities of social learning.

Alexandra holds a Master’s Degree in “Peace and Conflict Studies and International Relations” from the University of Tuebingen (Germany) and a Bachelor’s Degree in “European Studies”. She has completed project management certificates, including in results based management. A German citizen Alexandra speaks English and French in addition to her native German. She is married and the proud mom of two sons.
 

Tobias Vestner leads GCSP’s Research and Policy Advice Department as well as the Security and Law Programme. He oversees and manages GCSP’s analysis and advice activities as well as researches and teaches on the intersection between security policy and international law. Tobias Vestner regularly advises governments, international organizations, and private firms on global security and legal issues. He has published several books and papers (see below) and provided insights to various media outlets, including the U.S. National Public Radio, NBC News, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, and RTS Geopolitis.

Tobias Vestner has many years of experience in international law, international relations, and policymaking. He is an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at Exeter University, a Fellow at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (NATO), and a Non-Resident Fellow at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR). A former reserve member of the Swiss Special Forces Command, he serves as reserve Legal Advisor at the Swiss Armed Forces Staff. He is member of the Board of Directors of the International Society for Military Law and the Law of War (ISMLLW) and member of the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL).

Before joining the GCSP, Tobias Vestner was Research Affiliate and Global Futures Fellow at Georgetown University. Prior to that, he was Policy Advisor at the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, where he managed political processes with regard to the export of conventional weapons, and participated in the UN negotiations of the Arms Trade Treaty. Previously, while at the Law of Armed Conflict Section at the Swiss Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports, he contributed to bilateral negotiations on military cooperation, and trained military officers in international humanitarian law.

Tobias Vestner holds a Master of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, a Master of Laws in International and European Law from the University of Geneva, and a Bachelor degree in Swiss law from the University of Lausanne. Tobias Vestner has Swiss and German nationality, and is fluent in English, French, and German. 

Books

• 'International Law and Policy on the Protection of Civilians’, Cambridge University Press, forthcoming (co-authored)
• 'Ethical Dilemmas of the Global Defense Industry’, Oxford University Press, forthcoming (co-edited)
• ‘A Guide to International Disarmament Law’, Routledge, June 2019 (co-authored), reviewed here, here, and here.

Select Papers

• ‘Military Operations and Artificial Intelligence’, in Robin Geiß and Henning Lahmann (eds), ‘Research Handbook on Warfare and Artificial Intelligence’, Edward Elgar Publishing, forthcoming
• ‘The Divide between War and Peace’, in Mitt Regan and Aurel Sari (eds), ‘Hybrid Threats and Grey Zone Conflict: The Challenge to Liberal Democracies’, Oxford University Press, forthcoming
• ‘Revisiting the Law on UN Peace Operations Support to Partner Forces’, Journal of Conflict and Security Law, forthcoming (co-authored)
• ‘The Defense Industry’s Contribution to National Security’, in Daniel Schoeni and Tobias Vestner (eds), ‘Ethical Dilemmas of the Global Defense Industry’, Oxford University Press, forthcoming
• ‘Treaty Law to Signal to Outsiders: The Case of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons’, Washington International Law Journal, June 2022
• ‘Legal Reviews of War Algorithms’, International Law Studies, February 2021 (co-authored)
• ‘Trends in Global Disarmament Treaties’, Journal of Conflict and Security Law, December 2020 (co-authored)
• ‘The New Geopolitics of the Arms Trade Treaty’, Arms Control Today, December 2020
• ‘Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space: Multilateral Negotiations’ Effects on International Law’, Moscow Journal of International Law, November 2020
• ‘Targeting Private Military and Security Companies’, Military Law and the Law of War Review, March 2020
• ‘Addressing the Use of Human Shields’, Strategic Security Analysis, Geneva Centre for Security Policy, December 2019
• ‘Book Review of the Leuven Manual on the International Law Applicable to Peace Operations’, International Review of the Red Cross, September 2019 (co-authored)
• ‘Synergies between the Arms Trade Treaty and the Wassenaar Arrangement’, Strategic Security Analysis, Geneva Centre for Security Policy, May 2019
• ’Prohibitions and Export Assessment: Tracking Implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty’, Geneva Paper 19/23, Geneva Centre for Security Policy, March 2019
• ‘Weapons Systems Supply and Operational or Logistical Support under the PSSA’, Geneva Centre for Security Policy, March 2019 (co-authored)

Select Op-eds & Blogs

• ’Can the TPNW Serve Ukraine?’, Opinio Juris, April 2022 (co-authored)
• ‘Die Schweiz hat durchaus das Zeug zur Grossmacht in der Uno’, NZZ am Sonntag, February 2022
• ‘Wenn der Terminator plötzlich zur Realität der modernen Kriegsführung wird’, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, August 2021
• ‘Quo Vadis, Abrüstung?’, Schweizerische Akademie der Geistes- und Sozialwissenschaften, October 2020

Digital Tool

• DisarmApp, ACW - Artifex Creative Webnet, January 2020 (co-created)

Talks at the GCSP

• Human Shields: A History of People in the Line of Fire
• International Disarmament Treaties: Trends and Lessons Learned 
• War Algorithms: Who Will Decide in Future Conflicts?
• Bye-Bye, International Order?
• Do the Geneva Conventions Matter?
• Dear Geneva: Let's Talk Hybrid Warfare
• Responsibility to Protect Revisited
• Arms Transfer to Conflict-prone Regions
• Russia and Europe: International Law as Bone of Contention or Common Denominator?
• Does Law Contribute to Peace Operations' Success?
• The Trump Administration and International Law
• Special Panel on Libya
• Expert Seminar on Enforced Disappearances
• Writing on the Wall: Redefining Security and Law
• The Worth of the Arms Trade Treaty? Let’s debate!