Conference Speakers

Mugur Isărescu is the Governor of the National Bank of Romania since September 1990, with an interruption between December 1999 and November 2000, when he held the position of Prime Minister. Before 1990 Mr. Isărescu held a research position at the Institute of International Economics and took courses in the United States. Since 1990 he started his activity in the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs as economic and monetary affairs secretary at the Romanian Embassy in the United States, and in charge of the relations with the IMF and World Bank. Mr. Isărescu is also member of the Romanian Academy.

Vasile SECĂREŞ is the Founding Rector of National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA) and Professor within the Department of International Relations and European Integration specialized in international relations theory. He chairs the NATO Partnerships Studies Center and is the coordinator of the Bucharest Security Conference. He is also Chairman of the Board of EximBank since 2015 and Chairman of the Board of the Romanian Banking Institute since 2009. He helds a Ph.D. in Philosophy and a bachelor in sociology from The University of Bucharest. He was resident fellow at the Institute for East – West Security Studies in New York, USA and the Peace Research Institute in Oslo, Norway. On July 1, 1990, Vasile Secăreş was appointed presidential adviser, Chief of Staff of the Romanian Presidency, with the rank of minister. He served in this position until 1992. He was founding member of the National Salvation Front, then of the Group “A Future for Romania” (GUVR) and other positions in the high administration. Between 1992- 2001 he was Vice President of EximBank. He is also member of an important number of scientific organizations and was awarded the National Order “For Merit” in 2004.

Anton Bebler studied various subjects in Slovenia, Serbia, Russia, USA, UK, France and earned his Ph.D. in Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA. Since 1972 he has taught at University in Ljubljana, Slovenia and became a full Professor of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. For several years he regularly taught at the Diplomatic Academy in Vienna and occasionally lectured at various universities and institutes in North America, Europe and Asia. He authored, co-authored and edited a dozen books in several languages, wrote chapters in numerous international compendia and several hundred articles in journals published in European, North and South American, Asian and African countries on various topics and organized a number of international conferences on various topics of international relations and security. Anton Bebler has served as member of councils and boards of several international professional associations (ISA, IPSA, IUS et. al.), of several national and international editorial and advisory boards and panels. In 1991 – 1992 he founded and chaired the Slovenian Council of the European Movement, in 1992 – 1997 served as Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Slovenia at the UN Office in Geneva, in 1999 – 2003 as Vice-President of the Atlantic Treaty Association, in 2006 – 2009 as Member, Executive Council, International Political Science Association and since February 1998 he has been President of the Euro-Atlantic Council of Slovenia. His latest co-authored and edited book “Frozen Conflicts” in Europe was published in 2015 in Germany by Barbara Budrich Verlag.

Professor Remus Pricopie, Ph.D., Rector, National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA), Romania. Remus Pricopie graduated at the Chemistry faculty of the University of Bucharest in 1995. He also holds a Ph.D. in Political Science, granted by the University of Bucharest and by the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA). He began teaching at SNSPA in 1998. He was dean of the Faculty of Communication and Public Relations from 2005 to 2007 and from 2008 to March 2012, when he became rector. He had an important number of government positions starting with the Minister of Education and Research of Romania between 2012-2014, State Secretary of Higher Education and Research between 2007-2008, Senior Advisor to the Minister of Education and Research between December 2001 – June 2003 and January – October 2009. He was also Secretary General of the Ministry of Education and Research in 2001 and Spokesperson of the Ministry of Education and Research in 1997 and 2001. He is also involved in professional organisations and management activities in international affairs. He is Vice-President and Treasurer, International Association of Universities (IAU) since April 2017 and Member of the Board since 2012, Member of the International Association of the University Presidents since 2015, Member of Atlantis Group (20 former ministers of education around the world) associated with the Club of Madrid since March 2017, President of the Board of Directors of the Romanian – US Fulbright Commission 2009 – 2012; 2015 – present, Fellow of the World Academy of Art and Science since 2013, Member of the Romanian Chapter of the Club of Rome since 2002.

Professor Iordan Gheorghe Bărbulescu is a Romanian diplomat and expert on International Relations and European Studies. He is the President of the Senate of the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA) and Dean of the Department of International Relations and European Integration of SNSPA. Professor Bărbulescu completed his education by taking courses on European integration in Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Denmark and Spain. He obtained his doctoral degree in Political Science and Sociology at the Universitad Complutense from Madrid. Professor Bărbulescu served as a diplomat within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he held different positions, as Deputy Head of the European Union Department, Head of the Latin America Department, Adviser on European Integration for Embassies and Minister Counsellor. He also activated as a member in the Comission for Preparing the Admission Negotiations of Romania to the EU between 2003 and 2004. He received important distinctions, such as the Order of Faithful Service, in 2002, for his contributions to the Romanian foreign policy promotion. In 2007 was awarded the “Personality of the Year for an European Romania”. In 2016 he was awarded the European Citizen of the Year by the European Parliament. At SNSPA Professor Bărbulescu teaches courses related to diplomacy, European Union and Latin America.

Ioan Mircea Pașcu is Vice President of the European Parliament since 2014 and he is also Vice President of the Commission for Foreign Affairs. He is former Minister of Defense between 2000-2004. He is member of the Social Democratic Party, part of the Party of European Socialists, and became a MEP on 1 January 2007. He had also an important number of political and governmental positions, as Presidential Adviser in 1990-1992, State Secretary of Ministry of Defense in 1993-1996, Vice President of the National Salvation Front, Member of Parliament in 1996-2000, and other positions. He was also the first dean of the Department of International Relations from National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA), where he teaches Foreign Relations of EU, Global politics, etc.

Teodor Viorel Meleşcanu is the current Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania, politician, career diplomat and jurist. Mr. Meleşcanu graduated Law and post graduate studies in International Relations at the University of Bucharest and continued with doctoral studies at the University of Geneva. His diplomatic career started in 1966, when he entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, obtaining the rank of ambassador in 1992. Between 1978 and 1985, Mr. Meleşcanu held the position of Secretary at the Romanian Permanent Mission to the United Nations and in 1990 was appointed the Chief of the Department for Latin America, Asia and America. Afterwards, he held different leading positions, as Minister of Foreign Affairs (1992-1996), Minister of Defence (2007-2008), Minister of Justice ad interim (2008), and Director of the Romanian Foreign Intelligence Service (2012-2014). Regarding his parliamentary activity, Mr. Meleşcanu was elected three times in the Senate. He is a professor and a PhD Coordinator at National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA).

Dr. Jonathan Eyal holds the positions of Associate Director for Strategic Research Partnerships, International Director, at the Royal United Services Institute, and Editor of the RUSI Newsbrief. Dr. Eyal was born in Romania and he spent most of his life in the United Kingdom, being educated at universities from London and Oxford. In 1987 he received his doctorate at the University of Oxford, with a thesis on the relations between ethnic minorities in Eastern Europe since the end of the First World War. Dr. Eyal is the author of a book concerning the military expenditures in the Warsaw Pact and conducted a study on the Balkan military relations during the Communist regime. He is a regular contributor on matters regarding East European Affairs for newspapers such as The Guardian, The Independent, The Times and The Observer. He advised the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee on matters related to the British foreign policy in Eastern Europe, bringing his contribution to the peace plans between the former Yugoslav countries. Dr. Eyal can speak fluently English, French, Romanian, Italian, Hungarian and German.

Christopher Layne is University Distinguished Professor of International Affairs and Robert M. Gates Chair in National Security at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University. The areas of interest of Professor Layne concentrate on great power politics, international relations theory, grand strategy and U.S. foreign policy. He is the author of the books, “The Peace of Illusions: American Grand Strategy from 1940 to the Present” and “American Empire: A Debate” and brought his contributions to debates about international relations and U.S. foreign policy in various  academic and policy journals. Mr. Layne holds a membership position in the Council on Foreign Relations and in the Editorial Board of Security Studies, and between May and June 2014 was a visiting fellow at the Norwegian Nobel Institute from Oslo.

Mr. Coșkun has the grade of Ambassador. He currently holds the position of Director General for International Security Affairs, at the  Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey.

Harlan K. Ullman (born March 15, 1941), is Chairman of the Killowen Group that advises leaders of government and business; He is also Chairman of CNIGuard Ltd and CNIGuard Inc, being engaged in protection of critical infrastructure; Mr Ullman is Senior Advisor of the Atlantic Council in Washington, DC and active member on a number of private boards. A former naval officer, he has commanded destroyers as well as Swift Boats in Vietnam in over 150 combat patrols and actions. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1963. He holds MA, MALD, and Ph.D. from The Fletcher School at Tufts University.

General Mihail Ionescu, was born on 14th January 1948 in Ploiesti, Romania. He is professor within the Department of International Relations, National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA), since 1992. Since 2004, he is major general in reserve. He was Head of The Integration Direction of Integration NATO/UEO of the Ministry of National Defense and since  2000, he is director of the Institute of Political Sciences of Defense and Military History. In 2005 he received the title of co-chair of the Working Group For the Extended Region of the Black Sea of the Partnership Consortium for Peace of Academicians and Institute for Security Studies.

Petar Mihatov holds the position of Defence Policy Director (Assistant Minister), within the Croatian Ministry of Defence. He previously held official positions in the Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and in the Ministry of Defence. He is a graduate of the Zagreb Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Daniel Dăianu is economist, member of the Board of National Bank of Romania and member of the Romanian Academy. He graduated the International Economics Relations of The Bucharest University of Economic Studies. He has a Ph.D. in Economic Sciences from the National Institute for Economic Researches, and post doctoral specialisations at Harvard University. He is also member of HLGOR. He held numerous high level positions between 2013-2014, as first Vice President of the Financial Supervisory Authority, member of the board of ESMA, the board of IOSCO and of the European Systemic Risk Board. He was also member of the board of the CEC Bank between 2012-2013, Minister of Finance between 1997-1998, Deputy Minister of Finance in 1992, Consultant of OECD, etc.

Gen. Nicolae Ionel Ciuca is the Chief of General Staff of Romania since January 15, 2015. His professional experience resides in many important positions abroad, as January, 2004 – July, 2004 – Commander of the ROU Infantry Battalion, Iraq; June, 2002 – January, 2003 – Commander of the ROU Battalion participating in Enduring Freedom Mission, Afghanistan; 2000 – Chief of Staff of 26 Infantry Battalion –SACEUR Strategic Reserve; May, 1996 – May, 1997 – Staff Officer, UNAVEM III Mission, Angola; In Romania he was also Deputy Chief of General Staff between October 15, 2014 – January , 2015, January, 2014 – October, 2014 –Chief of Land Forces Staff; January, 2011 – January, 2014 – Commander of 2 Infantry Division, Buzău; March, 2007 – February, 2009 – Deputy Commander of 282 Mechanized Infantry Brigade, Focșani; and from August 1998 until March, 2007– Staff Commander, 2 Infantry Brigade, and other positions in Craiova; he participated in numerous exercices – 2010 – Brigade Commander of “Eurasian Star“ Exercise (NRDC – Turkey); 2003 – OCE/EXDIR Exercise, as part of ISAF; 2001 – Commander of 26 Infantry Battalion –SACEUR, in “Dynamic Response“ Multinational Exercise, Bosnia and Herzegovina; 2000 – Commander of Ground Component in the “Blue Danube 2000“ Multinational Exercise. He also received an important number of distinctions and awards.

Jan Jireš is Acting Chief of defence councellors at the Czech Republic Permanent Delegation to NATO. Previously he was defence Policy Director in the Ministry of Defence. Jan Jireš is a graduate of  Charles University in Prague, John Hopkins University in Washington, DC and Tampere University in Helsinki. Benefiting from a Fulbright Scholarship, in 2008, he conducted a research study of the influence of Central Europe in the American foreign policy after the Cold War at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University. He hold courses at Charles University Faculty of Arts and CEVRO Institut and held a Director position at Prague Centre for Transatlantic Relations at CEVRO Institute.

Mr. Janusz Kowalski is the founder of the Warsaw Institute. He activated as Vice-President of Polish Oil & Gas Company since 2017. Previously, in 2008, he activated as analyst on energy security at the National Security Office. From 2008 to 2010 Mr. Kowalski activated as a member of the Energy Security Team at the Chancellery of the President of Poland.

Mădălina Teodorescu has over 20 years of experience in the banking industry in Romania. Starting with 2014, she is Deputy CEO of Piraeus Bank Romania, where she leads the retail and SMEs operations, with a key role in the expansion and consolidation of the product portfolio, as well as in coordinating the bank’s marketing, performance management, credit and debit cards, electronic banking departments and its branch network. For over 12 years, Mădălina Teodorescu held various executive positions within Raiffeisen Bank, where she was responsible of retail sales and distribution, loans for private individuals and private banking clients. Among other companies where she previously worked are Citibank and BCR.

Dr. Sorin Ducaru, Assistant Secretary General, NATO. He is a Romanian diplomat who served as Permanent Representative of Romania to the United Nations (UN) – New York (2000-2001), ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the United States of America (2001-2006) and permanent representative of Romania to NATO (2006). In May 2013, he was appointed, through competition, as Assistant to the general secretary of NATO and head of the Division for Emerging Security Risks NATO.

Toma Cîmpeanu holds a PhD and a Master’s degree in the systems of coordination and control, as well as a MBA in administration of companies. In the last fifteen years, he occupied executive positions in several companies (private or State-owned) such as National Company of Radio-Communications, TAROM, National Trains Informatics, or within different groups such as SCOP Computers, eSign Romania and Total soft. He was Secretary of State within the Ministry of Telecommunications, the Romanian representative and member of the council of ENISA, the President of the National Agency of the Services of the Informational society and vice-president of the national Center “Digital Romania”. His name is bound to the e-Romania strategy, to the national system of calls for tenders and to the «Unique State contact point». Toma Cîmpeanu also taught at the University of Craiova and managed the operations of the Institute of management and Sustainable development, the only Romanian NGO which coordinated at the global level a workgroup of the UNO. Since 2015, he is the CEO of the National Association for IT Systems Security.

Călin Rangu is Director of Consumer Protection Directorate at Financial Supervision Authority and Chairman of the Financial Studies Institute, Romania. Starting from 2011, Mr. Rangu has been holding the following leading positions as European Funds Manager at the Romanian Banking Institute, Executive Director at CIO Council Romania (IT and Communications Directors Association) and President of the Management for the Intellectual Capital Institute (IMCIS).

Dan Sultănescu is Executive Director of the Center For Civic Participation and Democracy. He is also Mobilization Expert at the Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding – UEFISCDI. Since 2005 he is Owner of Creative Blueprint and since 2011 he is General manager of Infopolitic Center for Studies and Research. Since 2011 he associated lecturer at National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA) and he is presently a Ph.D. Candidate. He has a Bachelor in Political Science at SNSPA and an MA in Electoral Marketing and Political Communication also at SNSPA. He is specialized in Social Sciences, Political Consulting, Political Communication, Media Relations, Public Relations, Project Management, Crisis Communications, Strategic Communications, Corporate Communications, Message Development, Political Science, Research, Public Policy, Political Campaigns, Public Affairs, Press Releases, Corporate Social Responsibility.

Kalev Stoicescu is a researcher at the International Centre for Defense and Security, a position he took on August 11, 2014. His fields of specialization include the issues related to Russian foreign and domestic policy, as well as developments in the fields of the military, the economy, media and minorities affairs. Previously, he was an official for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1991-2000 and for the Ministry of Defence from 2002-2014. His positions during these periods include that of ambassador to the OSCE and ambassador to US and Canada. Also, he was a member of the Estonian delegation in border negotiations with Russia and Latvia. Within the Ministry of Defence he first started as civilian-military cooperation department head and starting with 2007 a counselor on defence policy for the Estonian Embassy in Paris.

Ionel Niţu, Chairman, New Strategy Center, Romania. Ionel Niţu graduated the National Intelligence Academy “Mihai Viteazul” Bucharest and holds a BA in Psycho-Sociology.  He holds a MA from National School of Political Studies and Public Administration, Bucharest and another one from the Faculty of Sociology and Social Work, University of Bucharest. He graduated a high level course at the Romanian National Defense College and he holds a PhD in Military Sciences. For over 16 years, he worked at the Romanian Intelligence Service – SRI, where he was for many years, the Head of the SRI Analysis Division. He is a university lecturer at the National Intelligence Academy and he is also guest lecturer at some other universities. He is the author of various articles, books, and scientific publications on geopolitics, management of military organizations, relationships between intelligence and policy-making, intelligence analysis and intelligence forecast.

Viorel Ardeleanu is Director General for strategic affairs within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ardeleanu is a career diplomat with the rank of Minister Plenipotentiary. During 2012-1016, he was the Ambassador of Romania to Denmark and Iceland and held, in the past, the position of Special envoy/Director general for EU Strategy for Danube region and National Coordinator for the EU Danube Strategy and permanent representative to Political and Security Committee in Brussels.

Mr. Boyko Noev was member and deputy-head of the Bulgarian delegations to the CSCE and CFE Vienna negotiations and head of the European Organizations Department, during his diplomatic career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1981 – 1993).  In 1993 Mr. Noev was appointed Director of the Center for National Security Studies at the Ministry of Defense. He was Deputy Minister of Defense (1994) and Minister of Defense in the Interim Government (1994-1995). Mr. Noev has been Ambassador to NATO, Belgium and Luxembourg for three years (1996-1999) and was appointed Minister of Defense for a second time in 1999-2001.

Péter Balázs is a former Minister of Foreign Affairs. He is Director of the Center for European Neighborhood Studies at the Central European University, Hungary. After 1990 Prof. Balázs joined the Government and the diplomatic service of Hungary several times. He was State Secretary for Industry and Trade (1992-1993) and State Secretary for European Integration (2002-2003). He was nominated Ambassador of Hungary to Denmark (1994-1996), to Germany (1997-2000) and to the EU in Brussels (2003-2004). In 2009-2010 he was Foreign Minister of Hungary. In parallel with his government and diplomatic career he has been teaching and doing research. He was nominated Professor of the Corvinus University in 2000 and joined the Central European University as a full time Professor in 2005. In 2005 he established and directs the CEU Center for EU Enlargement Studies (CENS).

Laurynas Kasčiūnas  is a political scientist and lecturer at the Institute of International Relations and Political Science, Vilnius University. From 2012 to 2016 he was the Director of the Eastern Europe Studies Centre. Between 2009-2012 he was Foreign Policy Advisor to the Speaker of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania.  In 2016 he was elected in the parliament of Lithuania as representative of the Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats.

Andreas Umland is a German political scientist and historian, specialized in contemporary Russian and Ukrainian history. He currently lives in Kyiv, where he holds a teaching position at the National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy” and is a member of the Institute for Central and East European Studies (ZIMOS) at the Catholic University of Eichstaett-Ingolstadt, in Bavaria, where he also served as academic  adviser between 2008 and 2010. In 1997-1999 he was visiting fellow at Stanford’s Hoover Institution and Harvard’s Weatherhead Center for International Affairs and, since 2004, has been the general editor of “Soviet and Post-Soviet Politics and Society” in Ibidem Edition.

Prof. Assoc. Dr. Enri Hide is a Lecturer of International Security and Geopolitics at the European University of Tirana in Albania. His academic interests are focused mainly in the field of foreign policy, security, terrorism and geopolitics in Albania and the wider region. He is engaged on extensive research on violent extremism and religious radicalism in Albania. He has also participated in a series of research projects on security, extremist violence and foreign policy. He has published numerous papers and articles on regional and domestic security issues in national and international journals.

Dr. Gabriela Marin Thornton is an instructional associate professor of international affairs at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University. She received both her MA (international studies, 2002) and PhD (international studies, 2006) from the University of Miami. She teaches courses on international politics in theory and practice, the European Union, and NATO.

Maia Sandu is a Moldovan economist, politician and the initiator and the President of Action and Solidarity Party (PAS). Maia Sandu started her professional career at the Ministry of Economy, and then she activated as adviser for the Executive Director of the World Bank and as economist at the office from Moldova of the same institution. Between 2012 and 2015 she held the office of Minister of Education and in 2016 was designated by PAS as its presidential candidate, reaching the run-off of the elections. Maia Sandu holds a B.A. in management at the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova and a M.A. in International Relations at the Academy of Public Administration in Chișinău. In 2010, she graduated from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Mr Gheorghe M Cristescu, Pole of Romanian origin, is the President of the Polish-Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the leading  institution of international Polish-Romanian co-operation in business, culture and education.

He is also Chairman of the Board and The President of Social Tourism Council of the Ministry of Sport and Tourism in Poland appointed to the board as a strategist and expert in economic development in crucial areas of Polish economy.

As Chairman of the Board and The President of Chopin Airport Development, the company which is an investor, operator, and franchisee working with the largest global hotel chains in Poland, Mr Cristescu is responsible for making the company one of the fastest growing companies in Central and Eastern Europe in the industry.

Mr Cristescu is an expert of economy with deep background in political science, strongly associated with Polish reality and politics for many decades.

Being an expert in public safety and political sciences Mr Cristescu has been shortlisted as economy, political and foreign affairs experts of public authorities in Poland.

Gheorghe Cristescu is the winner of the “Personality of the Year 2012” award from the “Hotelier” magazine, winner of the “Person of the Year” Prime Property Prize 2012, was also named “Hotel of the Year 2013” by the HRS portal. As an unquestioned leader and highly noticed specialist, he regularly serves as a panellist and speaker at major economy and industry events.

In addition to his professional work, he is interested in sport, history and geography.

Multilingual – fluently speaks Romanian, Polish, English and Spanish.

Vladislav Kulminski was most recently the Political Adviser to the Prime Minister of Moldova, on domestic politics and reforms. He was heavily involved in efforts to push reform in a number of areas, including public administration. He was also appointed as Programs Director at the Institute for European Studies and Reforms, and is running conflict resolution programs in Ukraine for Marti Ahtisaari’s center, the Crisis Management Initiative.  Prior to this, he led a Confidence Building Measure program for Moldova and its Transnistrian region, and worked as a Political Advisor to the UK Embassy. He has an M.A. in International Relations and EU studies from Central European University.

Bogdan Ștefanachi is professor of International Relations and European Studies at Alexandru Ioan Cuza University from Iași. He holds a B.A. in Philosophy and one in Political Science, and a M.A. in European Studies from the same university, where he also obtained his PhD in Philosophy. He is also a graduate of L’Universitéd’Été de la Nouvelle Économie (France), of the Institute for Economic Studies Europe and Friedrich NaumanStiftung, Theodor HeussAkademie, Cologne (Gummersbach) in Germany, and a beneficiary of the DAAD scholarships at the universities from Konstanz, Bielefeld, Bonn, Berlin.

Mr. Kevin J. Scheid of the United States has served the Federal Government for over 30 years in a number of progressively senior positions at the White House, Intelligence Community, and the Department of Defense. In November, 2016, Mr Scheid was selected by the 28 Nations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to serve as General Manager, NATO Communications and Information Agency, effective 1 July 2017.

For the past two years, Scheid was on assignment from DOD to the MITRE Corporation as the special advisor to the CEO and President. He led a corporate-wide project to expand MITRE’s international engagements with US allies and partner nations. MITRE is a not-for-profit corporation that provides strategic and technical support to the US Department of Defense and other agencies throughout the Federal government.

From 2009 to 2013, Scheid was seconded to NATO as the Deputy General Manager (DGM) of the NATO Consultation, Command and Control Agency. He simultaneously held the positions of DGM, Chief Operating Officer and Director of Acquisitions. Based in The Hague, Mr. Scheid oversaw C4ISR capabil- ity development programs and major acquisitions for NATO Commands, Headquarters, Agencies and its 28 member nations.

Prior to NATO, Scheid served as the Deputy Comptroller for the Department of Defense (2006 to 2009). He supported the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) and the Deputy Secretary with advice and analysis on funding for defense activities including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, major defense acquisitions, intelligence programs, and effectiveness of the budget processes.

Prior to joining the Department of Defense (1996 to 2006), Mr Scheid served in the Office of the Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. He performed oversight and made recommendations to the DCI on a variety of intelligence agencies including the National Reconnaissance Office and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. During this period (2003-2005), Scheid was the senior advisor to the independent US “9-11 Commission,” leading a team of investigators in a review of the performance of United States Intelligence in the years prior to the terrorist attacks, and worked with the Commission on reforms of United States Intelligence.

Scheid began his career at the White House Office of Management and Budget as a budget examiner overseeing the programs of the Department of Commerce (1985 to 1988) and the Central Intelligence Agency (1988 to 1996).

Scheid earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and European Studies (1982); and a Master’s Degree in Public Affairs (1985); both from the University of Texas at Austin. He is a mountaineering enthusiast having climbed Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Mt. Elbrus in Russia and made a first attempt to summit Denali in Alaska, USA (May 2016). He was born in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania and currently resides in Alexandria, Virginia.

Gen. Constantin Croitoru is the General Director ROMARM. He is a career military who started his service in 1974 as lieutenant in the General Staff of the Aviation and Aerial Defence, until 1994, when he became chief of the General Staff of the Air Division. Afterwards, he became commander of the 90^th air transport base (2001-2002), Air Division commander (2002-2003), commander of the Main Air Operational Center (2003-2005), deputy director of the General Staff (2005-2006), Director General of DGIA (2006-2007) and Chief of Staff of the Romanian Air Forces (2007-2009). Since 2009 Gen. Croitoru is a reserve officer. In 2016 he became deputy General Director of ROMARM and then General Director of the same institution. Since 1974 he was promoted successively from lieutenant to colonel (1994), one star general (2001) and three stars general (2006). Gen. Croitoru graduated the Military School of the Air Forces (1974), the Military Academy (1983), the Academy of High Military Studies (1993) and the National Defence College (2001). He also followed a course in “Security and National Defence – Security and Good Governance” from the National Defence College (2006) and earned an M.A. in public administration at SNSPA (2007).

Liviu MUREȘAN is the Founder and Chairman of EURISC Romania. Mr. Mureşan was the first civil director of the National Defence College, and the director of the project regarding the crossborder criminality SECI (1999-2001). His security oriented experience includes graduated courses from the NATO Defence College in Rome, Defence Studies Institute IHEDN Paris, Civil Military Relations Center Monterey Budapest. He was also advisor for the Prime Minister and has national and international experience in research projects on security, critical infrastructure projects, countering organized crime, corruption etc.

Radu Ungureanu is associate professor of International Relations and Security Studies at SNSPA, within the Department of International Relations and European Integration. Mr. Ungureanu has a BA from Al. I. Cuza University from Iaşi in Sociology and Political Science (1997), a MA in International Relations and European Integration from SNSPA (1999) and a PhD in Political Science from the same university (2008). At SNSPA, Mr. Ungureanu teaches courses regarding International Relations Theory, Security Studies, methods in social science and Asian Studies. He also teaches at the Faculty of Political Science from the University of Bucharest. At SNSPA, he coordinates a research project regarding violence and morality in defining the political communities. He is the author of several books, among which Security, Sovereignty, and International Institutions: The South-East European Crisis of the ‘90s, and of many other volume chapters and research papers.

Dr. hab. Przemysław Żurawskivel Grajewski is a Polish political scientist, professor and Adviser of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland. He has graduated the Faculty of Philosophy-History from the University of Łódz and obtained his habilitation in political science in 2014, at the Institute of Political Studies from the Polish Academy of Sciences. He held different positions for the Polish Government, at the Office of Defense Policy Planning, from the Ministry of National Defence (1992) and at the Plenipotentiary Office of the Government for European Integration and Foreign Aid (1995-1995). In 2005 he began to work as an expert on the EPP-ED faction in the European Parliament in Brussels and was monitoring the Eastern European Union policy until 2006, when he became professor at the Belarusian European Humanities University in Vilnius. Between 2007 and 2008 he was commentator for TVP Info on international issues. He is collaborator at the Center of Political Thought from the European Institute in Łódź, researcher at the European Center Foundation Natolin, as well as lecturer at the National School of Public Administration.

Vasile Rotaru is a researcher at the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (Bucharest). He holds a Ph.D. in International Relations, with a thesis on the Eastern Partnership and its impact on EU-Russia relations.

He has conducted academic research at the National
University of Political Studies and Public Administration (Bucharest, Romania), Georgetown University (Washington D.C., U.S.A.), University of Tartu (Estonia) and University of Leuven (Belgium).

His research interests are Russian foreign policy, the former Soviet space, the Eastern Partnership. His most recent book is Between Integration and Intervention. Russia and the European ‘near abroad’ after 2009 (Military Publishing House, Bucharest, 2016)

George Ciamba is a career diplomat and in present holds the position of Secretary of State for Bilateral and Strategic Affairs within the Euro-Atlantic Area, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Prior to that, George Ciamba was Ambassador of Romania in Greece and between 2003 and 2005 worked as Secretary of State for Multilateral Affairs, afterwards Global, within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Between 1999 and 2003, George Ciamba worked as Ambassador of Romania in Turkey, as well as Permanent Representative of Romania to the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation between 2001 and 2003. Between 1996 and 1997 he held the position of deputy director of the North America Direction, subsequently becoming director of the same direction between 1997 and 1999. In 1999 he was awarded as the “Ambassador of the Year” by the ordinary “Nine O’clock”, then in 2000 was decorated with the “Order of National Merit in Grade of Commander”. He has graduated the Faculty of Electronic Engineering and holds a diploma in International Relations advanced studies, from the University of Bucharest and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He took the courses on Economics and International Relations at Hoover Institution from Stanford University and took part in the “International Visitor” Program of the Intelligence Agency of the USA.

Marcel Ciolacu is deputy prime minister of Romania. As a member of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) he was elected in 2016 in the Romanian Parliament and is the leader of the social democrats’ group in the Deputies Chamber. Ciolacu is a member in the Commission for European Affairs (Deputies Chamber), member in the Validation Commission (Deputies Chamber), member in the Romanian Parliament’s Delegation of the Council of Europe and member in the parliamentary groups for friendship with Germany, Zambia, United Kingdom, and Israel. Between 2012 and 2016 Ciolacu was MP, secretary of the Deputies Chamber, member in the Permanent Office (2015-2016) and member in the Commission for Public Administration and Improvement of the Territory from the Deputies Chamber (2014-2016). In 2014 he was also a member in the Commission for Information Technology and Communication from the Deputies Chamber, substitute in the delegation of the Romanian Parliament to OSCE and member in the friendship groups with Israel and Belgium. He was also vice-mayor of Buzau, executive director of Urbis Serv S.R.L., judicial adviser at S.C. Alcom S.R.L. and ad interim prefect of Buzau.

Brigadier General (ret.) Mircea Mîndrescu PhD is the Chair of the Executive Academic Board (EAB) of the European Security and Defense College (ESDC).  He is an experienced military officer whose professional expertise spans many of the most important activities in the field of defence, including operational units and formations, military educational institutions, the main bodies of the Ministry of Defence, defence planning, and politico-military diplomacy. From 2013 to 2016, he was commander of NATO’s Joint Analysis and Lessons Leaned Centre in Lisbon, Portugal. In his new post at EAB, he will be in charge with leading the ESDC, as the body responsible with the qualitz and coherence of the college’s training and education activities. Prior to taking the office at ESDC, Gen. Mîndrescu worked as director at the Strategic Planning Directorate within the Romanian Armed Forces General Staff (April 2017-August 2017), commander at NATO’s Joint Analysis and Lessons Learned Centre (JALLC), Land Forces Command (2013-2016), Chief of Staff of the Land Forces Operational Command (2010-2013), Senior National Military Representative to Afganistan from Romania (2009-2010), Director of the National Defence College of Bucharest (2009-2010) and Defence Adviser to the Permanent Delegation of Romania to NATO (2003-2007). Gen. Mîndrescuearned his PhD from the National Defence University of Romania, Carol I. He also holds a master degree from the Joint Services Command and Staff College, Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, one from King’s College London and another one Advanced Military Studies Academy. He earned two bachelor degrees, the first from the Land Force Academy and the second from the National Academy of Physical Education and Sport.

Sebastian Huluban is State Adviser at the Department of National Security within the Romanian Presidential Administration. He is a a graduate of Political Science and Public Administration from Babeş-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca and holds a doctorate in History from the University oc Bucharest. He also earned two MAs in Political Science from the Central European University from Budapest and Eastern Illinois University. Between 2012 and 2014 he worked as a Secretary of State for Defence and Planification Policy within the Ministry of National Defence. Prior to that, between 2002 and 2009 he worked as an expert, adviser for the secretary of state, and chief of section, within the Ministry of National Defence. He started his professional career in the Senate of Romania (1997-1998) and then he worked as university preparatory at the University of Oradea (1998-2002) and assistant at the University of Eastern Illinois (2001-2002). He published a volume about the reform of the security sector in a comparative perspective (Saarbrucken, 2009) and many studies and articles in national and international publications on subjects related to security, defence and intelligence. He was decorated with Order of Faithful Service in Rank of Knight for Civilians and with other distinctions from the Birmingham University (Distinction Graduate, 2004) and from the Eastern Illinois University (Outstanding International Student Award, 2002).

Gen. (rtr.) Ion Magdalena is the Chairman of the Romanian Business Association of the Military Technique Manufacturers(PATROMIL). The Association that he leads aims to become the main technical consultant for national and international decision makers for the Romanian Industry of Defense and represents the interests of over 200 Romanian producers, specialized in military technique production of goods, parts and technologies.

Cătălin Nae is the President and General Director of the National Institute for Aerospace Research (INCAS) “Elie Carafoli” from Romania. He started his career in 1988, as research scientist in the field of aerospace engineering. Between 1990 and 1997 he was a lecturer in mechanics and aircraft design at the Polytechnic University of Bucharest. Between 1990 and 2000 he worked as Senior research scientist, head of CFD Department, at INCAS. Then, between 2000 and 2001 he was senior adviser within the CFD Department at FZJ-Forschungszentrum Juelich, Germany, and between 2000 and 2007 was senior research scientist, head of Subsonic Wind Tunnel Department at INCAS. Since 2007 is the INCAS General Manager & President of the Board of INCAS. He holds a MA in Aerospace Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Bucharest and another in Mathematics from the University of Bucharest. He earned his PhD in aerospace engineering from the Polytechnic University of Bucharest  and a post doc in the same field from the University of Glasgow.

Marius Opran is a Romanian member of the board of directors, official representative accredited to the EU institutions and director of the Brussels branch. He is also associate professor at The National Defence College Of Romania. He started his professional career in 1968 as a senior scientist, leading the international scientific cooperation programme between the Romanian Institute of Atomic Physics – lasers application laboratory and the us national science foundation – University of Texas at Dallas in the field of quantum electronics. Between 1983 and 1985 he worked as chief of systems at the engineering department within the Romanian National Center for Aircraft Industry. Between 1985 and 1990 he worked as state chief inspector for the technical progress and international cooperation of the food stuff industry and state chief inspector of the oceanic fishing fleet of Romania, and between 1990 and 2000 was president and CEO of the Romanian Trade Promotion SA. Then, between 2001-2003 Opran was Minister-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Public Administration and Internal Affairs and between 2003 and 2004 adviser of the Romanian president for technology, research and development and international cooperation.

Róbert Vass is the president and founder of GLOBSEC, Slovakia. He started his professional career as President of non-governmental organisation Euro-Atlantic Center in 2002. He had remained in this position for the next four years. In 2006, he was elected Chairman of the Slovak Atlantic Commission (SAC) and in 2008 its Secretary General. Under his leadership, SAC has achieved substantial development, opened two new offices in Banská Bystrica and Bratislava, extended its programme and activities and became the exclusive member of Atlantic Treaty Association for Slovakia. In 2005, he founded the tradition of Bratislava Global Security Forum and since then he has been the patron of this initiative. He also organised the accompanying conference of NATO Defence Ministers Meeting and established the successful magazine on foreign policy and international security Euro-Atlantic Quarterly. In connection with the sixtieth anniversary of the United Nations, the UN Information Service in Vienna chose him as its temporary representative for Slovakia. Robert has a Master’s degree in International Relations and Diplomacy from the Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica.

Iulian CHIFU is the President of the Center for Conflict Prevention and Early Warning, Romania. Also, Iulian Chifu is a foreign policy analyst, former presidential adviser and professor at SNSPA. He is the author of the books “Reconstrucție postconflict” (Post-conflict Reconstruction) and “Gândire Strategică” (Strategic Thinking). IulianChifu is a regular analyst on the Adevărul online platform, on issues related to politics and foreign affairs.

Radu-Alexandru Cucută (PhD NUPSPA) is Lecturer in Strategic Studies and in African Studies with the Department of International Relations and European Integration within the National School for Political and Administrative Studies. His research interests include theories of international relations and theories of revolution. His most recent research, ”Leading the World: Hegemonic Models in Contemporary Global Politics”, SGEM Conference on Political Sciences, Law, Finance, Economics and Tourism (conference proceedings), Albena, Bulgaria, 2014 (co-author, Radu-Sebastian Ungureanu) focuses on the meanings and the interplay among four different contemporary hegemonic models.

Silviu Eugen Rogobete returned to the position of Professor of Moral Philosophy at the Department of Political Studies, West University of Timisoara (2013), following a full-term serving as Consul General of Romania in South Africa. Professor Rogobete joined the Diplomatic Corps of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in October 2006. During this time he completed a course on Contemporary Approaches to Global Security. Prior to that, he was the Head of the Department of Politics and Chancellor of the Faculty of Political Science, Philosophy and Communication at the West University of Timisoara. Currently, Professor Rogobete is the Director of the Doctoral School of Philosophy, Sociology and Political Science, as well as heading the Department of Strategic Partnerships and Diaspora at the West University of Timisoara. In October 2016 he was appointed as an Associate Professor Extraordinary of Stellenbosch University (School of Public Leadership), South Africa. He teaches courses on Human Rights, Philosophical and Political Anthropology, Religion and Politics, Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs.

In 1987 Professor Rogobete received his first degree in science at “Traian Vuia” Polytechnic University of Timisoara. Following the fall of the communist regime in 1989, he moved to study in Great Britain, obtaining a second degree in theology (BA, Brunel University, 1994) and a PhD with a thesis in theological and philosophical anthropology (PhD, Brunel University, 1998). In the summers of 2001 and 2002, as a Visiting Fellow, he benefited of postdoctoral instruction in the area of Human Rights under Professor David Robertson at St Hugh’s College, Oxford University, where he was also admitted as an Associate Member of the Senior Common Room. His list of publications includes: Human Rights: Origins and Practices, Timisoara: Ed. de Vest, 2015); An Ontology of Love (Iasi: Polirom, 2005); coeditor of Ethnic and Religious Diversity in Europe (Amsterdam: ECPM, 2006). He published in academic journals including the Oxford based Religion, State and Society. In 1998 he founded the Areopagus Center for Christian Studies and Contemporary Culture, and in 2001 the Regional Centre for Social Integration and Human Development, both in Timișoara, Romania.