Confirmed speakers and panelists for the 2nd Zagreb Security Forum, scheduled on March 6-7, 2017.

We are pleased to announce that our list of speakers and panelists is full!

At the 2^nd Zagreb Security Forum you will be able to listen, see and meet following experts that will offer their knowledge from the domains of various critical infrastructure protections (energy, water, and cyber).

Anna Abelmann, IIHA, Germany

Research associate and PhD candidate of the Ruhr University of Bochum, Germany, Executive Director of the “International Intelligence History Association” and member of the Editorial Board „Journal of Mediterranean and Balkan Intelligence“.
Her doctoral thesis deals with the work of German political foundations in Israel.
She specializes in German relations in Israel and the Middle East since 1945, Intelligence and Security Studies and transatlantic security cooperation after World War Two.

Dr. Gordan Akrap, St. George Association, Croatia

Born 1966, graduated at Zagreb Faculty of electronics and computing in 1994. In 2011 he received a PhD at the University of Zagreb, in the field of Information and Communication sciences. The title of his PhD was “Informational strategies and operations in public knowledge shaping”. He had an active role in Homeland war. During his career in diplomatic and security structures of Croatia he completed a number of professional courses, including Diplomatic Academy. He is active in research of national and regional security, intelligence and history of Homeland War. He published a number of books, and papers in journals and proceedings.

Dr. Hakam M. Al Alami, Advisor to HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal on Water and Sanitation; Majlis El Hassan

Advisor to HRH Prince El-Hassan bin Talal on Water and Sanitation. He is a consultant in water and sanitation with an extensive experience in water resources management and environmental impact assessment of developing or development projects. He holds a PhD in Philosophy Natural Sciences, Geology and Environment /Water Management and Environmental Engineering from the University of Bayerische Julius-Maximilians University, Wuerzburg, Germany and worked at Al al-Bayt University as an associate professor..

Lieutenant General (Ret.) Ioannis Anastasakis, ROSED, Greece 

Air Force Academy (Greece) graduate who retired as Lieutenant General-Air Force pilot. He is RIEAS International Advisor and Founder of the Regional Observatory for Security and Economic Development (ROSED).
He was designated “Expert Group” chairman to the multinational Wassenaar Arrangement, which deals with export controls of military and advanced technology goods and technologies. He was also member of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ International Sanctions Monitoring Working Group. 
Lt General (ret) Anastasakis is experienced in MoD international and bilateral relations, with specialty on security, cooperation, procurement, defense investment and armaments. He was previously posted to NATO/SHAPE staff in Belgium as “Reaction Forces exercise planner”. Periodically he performs as Guest speaker in Institutions, Military and Diplomatic Academies, Staff Colleges, C-5 and RIEAS courses. He is author of two books titled: “Asymmetric Threats and Controlled Items” and “Controlled Items of Military Significance: Case Studies".

Dr. Damir Bekić, Water Research Department, Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Zagreb

Born in Zagreb in 1975. He graduated from the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Civil Engineering, where he also acquired Master and PhD degree and where he works as Assistant Professor. His research and professional career is in the area of river hydraulics and morphology, hydrology and coastal engineering. He was involved in several research project as co-principal investigator and associate as well in the organization of international conferences and symposia. As a key-expert he is involved in many European infrastructural projects and feasibility studies. 

Brigadier General (Ret.) Yair Cohen, TSG IT, Israel

 Mr. Cohen had 32 years of Military Service in the IDF, at his last position he served as the Head of the Cyber & Intelligence Unit. 

In addition he was active Chairman of ECtel (Nasdaq: ECTX) that also was sold in Exit. In the years 2009-2015 Mr. Cohen established the Cyber Division in Elbit Systems Ltd, (Nasdaq: ESLT), The largest private defense company in Israel.He was the first CEO of the Cyber Company in Elbit Systems.
Mr. Cohen holds a BA degree (Summa cum laude) from Bar Ilan University in Jewish History and Arabic Language and Literature and MA (Magna cum laude) degree from ICAF, National Defense University (NDU), Washington DC, in Management of National Resources. 
He is currently teaching Cyber for MA in Tel Aviv University and Bar Ilan University.

Prof. Dr. Marc Cools, University of Gent

Cools Marc (b. 1962) holds a PhD in Criminology (Free University of Brussels) and certificates in Business Economics (IPO Management School- Antwerp University) and International Management in the Telecommunications Industry (London Business School). He had different higher-management and board positions in the private security services industry:  Bell Telephone ITT nv, Alcatel Bell nv, Shield nv and Faceo Security & Prevention nv. Currently, he is a member of the board at Securitas Training nv and member of the Mont Pèlerin Society.

He lectured at the Antwerp Police Academy and at the School for Criminology of the Justice Department. He was advisor for the former Belgian Justice Minister, Mr. Marc Verwilghen. Today he is Professor of Criminology at the Free University of Brussels and at Ghent University, he is also Visiting Professor at the Nyenrode University and Paris X University. He also lectures at Antwerp Management School and at the Intelligence & Security School of the Ministry of Defence.

Maja Čavlović, office of the President of the Republic of Croatia, adviser for national security and defence

She began her career in 2000 when, as a cadet of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Croatia, she was sent to Virginia Military Institute (VMI) to study International Relations, Spanish and History. Having graduated from VMI, she was assigned to the Military Police, where she remained until 2013 and advanced to the rank of Captain. During her military career, she was Platoon Commander, Training Officer and Operations Officer. From 2007 to 2012, she was dispatched to the ISAF mission in Afghanistan three times.
In June 2008, she obtained her master's degree in European Studies at the Faculty of Political Science in Zagreb with a thesis on Common European Defense System. Following her last mission in Afghanistan, she enrolled in a master's study in Security Policy at Elliott School of International Affairs of the George Washington University. During her master’s study, she specialized in Transnational Security Issues and Security and Development, with a special emphasis on measures of combating violent extremism. In 2014, she consensually terminated her employment with the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Croatia. Having obtained her master’s degree, she interned at the Center for Political-Military Analysis at Hudson Institute in Washington, where she analyzed United States foreign policy and the security situation in Europe and Asia.
She speaks English and Spanish. She was awarded a medal for her participation in the ISAF mission in Afghanistan and the Order of the Croatian Interlace. She completed many civilian and military courses in the country and abroad.

Prof. PhD., Nenad Debrecin, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, University of Zagreb

Born: 1953; Department of Power Systems, Member of the Croatian Academy of Engineering, (admitted 1999), B.Sc. Electrical Engineering (1975), M.Sc. Electrical Engineering (1984), Ph.D. Electrical Engineering (1997), all from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, University of Zagreb, email: nenad.debrecin@fer.hr Heat Transfer, Nuclear Power Plants, Accident Analysis, Nuclear Power Plant Simulation, System Thermal-hydraulic Codes, Uncertainty Analysis

Dr. Antonia Dimou, diplomatic advisor at the Hellenic Parliament, Greece

Senior RIEAS advisor and serves as diplomatic advisor at the Hellenic Parliament. She is associate at the Center for Strategic Studies, University of Jordan, and senior fellow at the Center for Middle East Development University of California, Los Angeles, Unites States, since 2006. She is also head of the Middle East Unit at the Institute for Security and Defense Analyses based in Athens, and Advisory Board member of the European Rim Policy and Investment Council based in Cyprus. 
Ms. Dimou served as Advisor to the Foreign and Defense Relations Committee, Greek Parliament; Advisor to the Greek Ministers of National Defense; Expert at the General Directorate of Industrial Development, Ministry of Defense; and expert at the Center for Analysis and Planning, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She received an IVLP fellowship by the US State Department, a scholarship by the Greek and Jordanian governments, and a Project Inter-change fellowship of the AJC. 
She holds a certificate on American National Security from Harvard University and on Terrorism and Counter-terrorism from Georgetown university.

Elad Gadot, CORPOSEC, Austria

 Dr. Pavle Kalinić, Zagreb City Office of Emergency Management, Croatia

Graduated at the Faculty of Political Science of the University of Zagreb in 1982. In the same year, he received his master's degree in International Relations. He worked as an Assistant Professor at the University of Political Science from 1986 to 1987, and at the College of Technical Science from 1987 to 1991. In 1989-1990, as an assistant at the Faculty of Political Science, he participated in the scientific project "Characteristics of Political Behavior in the Region". In 1989 he founded Fokus, the first independent magazine in Croatia, which was published until the end of 1990. During 1991, he participated in the Homeland War as an army officer. He underwent medical treatment in the US after being wounded on the battlefield. He resided in the United States the following two years, returning to Croatia in 1994.
He worked for the Croatian Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in 1994 and 1995. In 1997, he became a member of the Zagreb City Assembly, as well as a member of the Croatian Parliament in 2000. In 2006, he became head of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports in Zagreb; as of 2008, he is the head of the Zagreb Office of Emergency Management. In July 2012, he obtained his PhD with the thesis The politics of G.W. Bush administration and Islamic terrorism.

Brigadier General (Res.) Dr. Ephraim Lapid, Bar Ilan University, Israel

Extensive and diverse experience in the military and public affairs arenas. He holds a BA in Middle East Studies and Arabic from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, a teacher's degree, an M.A. and a Ph.D. in political science. His research examines the development of the Israeli intelligence community during the years 1964 to 1979. 
During his long military career, Lapid was a senior officer in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Intelligence Corps, served as an IDF Spokesperson, and was a senior instructor at the National Defense College. He was also the head of Israel Army Radio, Galei Zahal. 
Following his retirement from the army, Lapid has served in both the public and private sectors.  A prolific author, Lapid has written numerous articles on Israeli intelligence, media and security. He edited a book in English on Israeli intelligence (Israel's Silent Defender). Active in public life, Lapid serves on the board of several public education and non-profit organizations. 

 

Senior Representative of National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism in Netherlands (NCTV)

Protects the Netherlands from threats that could disrupt Dutch society. Together with the partners within the government, the research community and the private sector, the NCTV ensures that the Netherlands’ critical infrastructure is safe and remains that way.
Since the establishment of the NCTV, central government has had a single organization that deals with counterterrorism, cyber security, national security and crisis management. Together with our partners in the security sector, the NCTV is committed to making the Netherlands a safe and stable place. The focus is on preventing and minimizing social disruption.
“The senior representative”: a senior expert with over 10 years of experience in the analysis domain of Dutch Counterterrorism at the NCTV and its predecessor NCTb, who has worked on almost all major security issues in the Netherlands in the past 10 years serving other (sub-)departments, senior policy makers and Ministers.

 

Prof.dr. John M. Nomikos, RIEAS, Greece

Director at the Research Institute for European and American Studies, Chairman of the Mediterranean Council for Intelligence Studies (MCIS), Chairman of the Greek Intelligence Studies Association (GISA), Chairman of the European Intelligence Academy (EIA) and Founding Editor, Journal of Mediterranean and Balkan Intelligence (JMBI). 
He is Assistant Professor in the Webster University (Athens Campus) and Head, Department of International Relations, History and Politics. He is also Visiting Professor at the Peace Keeping Security Studies (postgraduate program) in the University of Rome (Tre) in Italy. He was Adjunct Professor (2005-2007) at the Department of International Relations in the University of Indianapolis (Athens Camus).
He earned his Bachelor Degree in Sociology at the Northeast Louisiana University in 1987, his Masters Degree in European Integration and Cooperation at the University of Hull, 1991, and his Doctorate Diploma in International Relations and Diplomacy at the Washington International University in 2001. He specializes on transatlantic intelligence studies, intelligence reform, and national security architecture. He has done research and studied in various research institutions in USA, UK, Norway, Finland, Germany and Israel.

 

Velimir Ostoić, Adriatic Security Solutions d.o.o., Croatia

CEO of Adriatic Security Solutions d.o.o., born 1950. in Varaždin, Croatia, graduated from the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Traffic and Transportation Sciences. He is an entrepreneur mainly involved in project management, consulting, development of threat assessments and risk analysis,  security systems design, project revision and facility security plan development. 
Involved in the area of intelligent transportation systems applications in which he published several papers.

 

Gen (ret.) Andre Ranson, IIHA, France

Commissioned in 1968 from Saint-Cyr Military Academy, Lieutenant-General André RANSON (France) graduated from Ecole Supérieure de Guerre in Paris, and the US Army War College (class of 91). He held various positions in airborne operational units, the Army-staff and the Joint Defense Staff and served as Liaison officer to US Training and Doctrine Command, deputy-commander French 11^th airborne division, ACOS/OPS Multi National division South-East in Bosnia-Herzegovina. He was Commander Joint Special Operations Command (2000-2001) and Director Military Intelligence (2001-2005). Lt-General RANSON is Chairman of HESTIA Intelligence Studies Group and in charge of Intelligence studies for the Joint Defense College in Paris.

 

Prof.dr. Shlomo Shpiro, president of International Intelligence History association, Israel

Head of the Political Studies Department at bar Ilan University and Senior Research Fellow at the BESA Center for Strategic Studies. Since 2008 he is also Chairman of the International Intelligence History Association (IIHA). 
He specializes in intelligence, terrorism and security studies. His research activities concentrate on the role of intelligence services as political mediators in the international arena, the intelligence activities of terror organisations, intelligence ethics and political influence, and on security crisis management and crisis communication.

 

Aušra Semaškiene, Ambassador-at-Large for economic security policy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania, Co-chair of NATO Industrial Resources and Communication Services (IRCS) planning group

Career diplomat, in Lithuanian diplomatic service since 1994. Was engaged in the activities of bilateral political (USA/Canada), Policy planning, NATO integration departments. Headed Information and Public relations department, acted as a spokesperson for the Ministry.Recently (2012-2014)- Consul General of Lithuania in St. Petersburg (Russian Federation). Work experience also includes postings in Lithuanian Embassies in Washington, DC (USA), Vienna (Austria), Ljubljana (Slovenia). Background: MA in foreign languages (English/German) and literature, Vilnius University. MA in international relations and political science, Vilnius University and Aarhus University (Denmark). Specialized courses in Ankara (regional politics), Vienna, Geneva, Brussels, Paris, The Hague(multilateral diplomacy/Europe).

 

Dr. Darko Trifunović, Fakultet bezbednosti, Srbija

MSL, PhD  Senior Research Fellow and representative for Serbia and Montenegro of the International Strategic Studies Association (ISSA), Defense & Foreign Affairs publications, and the the Global Information System (GIS). 

Dr Darko Trifunovic is a Research Fellow and lecturer at the Faculty of Security Studies-University of Belgrade, a specialist in Counter-Terrorism, National and International Security Studies. He has been elected to the position of the visiting professor at the Fudan University in China, Center for American Studies as well as Research Fellow of the Shanghai Institute of European Studies. 
Dr Darko Trifunovic is Senior Advisor at the RIEAS- Research Institute for European and American Studies as well as member of Advisory Board of the Institute of Transnational Studies. 
He is former First Secretary of the Foreign Service of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the UN, Adviser to the State Secretary for War Crimes of Republic of Srpska for Terrorism and Violence and he was (in 2005) Adviser to the Minister of Police of the Republic of Srpska, BIH. 
The Shanghai Center for International Studies appointed Dr. Darko Trifunovic  as the first foreign expert for the Olympic Games (2008) security preparation in China. 
He was engaged in World Expo Security preparation 2010, Shanghai, Chaina. 
Dr Darko Trifunovic is one of the founding members of  ICTAC – International Counter Terrorism Academic Community.

 

Prof.dr. Miroslav Tuđman, president of St. George Association, Croatia

(b. 1946, Belgrade) Professor of information theory at the Philosophical Faculty of the University of Zagreb. Deputy Director of the Office for National Security (UNS) and the Director of the Croatian Intelligence Service (HIS) from 1993 to 1998, and from 1999 to 2000. Contributed to various scientific projects, published four books and over a hundred articles in scientific journals; editor of a dozen miscellaneous works. Active in research, both in the field of information theory and national security and intelligence.

 

Prof.dr. Slavko Vidović, Infodom d.o.o. Croatia

Throughout his career he has been active in leading large-scale projects in the area of state authority, public companies and organisations. In addition to that, through his scientific-educational efforts he has contributed to a number of scientific and research projects, such as artificial intelligence-specific area, supporting systems in decision-making and application development. He lectures at the Faculty of Organisation and Informatics of the University in Zagreb and holds membership at the National Competitiveness Council, PMI and Tele Management Forum.

Dr. Thomas Wegener Friis, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark

Associate Professor at Department of History, Syddansk Universitet, Odense. Author of "East German Foreign Intelligence - Myth, Reality and Controversy", broaden the conventional view of East German foreign intelligence as driven by the inter-German conflict to include its targeting of the United States, northern European and Scandinavian countries, highlighting areas that have previously received scant. Reasearch areas: Denmark during the Cold War, Eastern Europe during Communism, GDR, Military history, Intelligence history

 

 

Dr. Cees Wiebes, NISA, Netherland

Studied political science/ international relations at the Department of Political Science at the University of Amsterdam. From 2005 he was working as a senior analyst at the Expertise and Analysis Department of the Dutch National Coordinator for Counterterrorism, the Hague, the Netherlands. He retired on November 1, 2013. His previous appointments were:Senior Lecturer at the Department of International Relations and International Public Law, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of Amsterdam (1981-2005); Visiting professor at the Historical Institute of the University of Aarhus, Denmark; Senior researcher at the Netherlands Institute of War Documentation (NIOD) in Amsterdam from 1989 - 2002 as a member of the Srebrenica team researching circumstances preceding, during and after the fall of the enclave Srebrenica in Bosnia. 

His areas of expertise are the undertakings (past & present) of the Netherlands and major Western intelligence and security services, intelligence alliances; the problems regarding intelligence liaison and parliamentary oversight; the relationship between intelligence and foreign policy making & execution and (inter)national terrorism. He is an author of 25 books and monographs; 20 contributions to books, more than 20 academic articles in journals like International Affairs, Review of International Studies, The Scandinavian Economic History Review1999  Zeitschrift für Sozialgeschichte des 20. und 21. Jahrhunderts,The International History Review,Vierteljahrshefte für Zeitgeschichte, Intelligence and National Security,Internationale Spectator,Tijdschrift voor Skandinavistiek, Bijdragen en Mededelingen betreffende de Geschiedenis der Nederlanden, Transaktie, Nederlands Archievenblad and roughly 60 academic papers to conferences. Recent books and publications: Secrets of Signals Intelligence (Cass, London, 2001);Intelligence and the war in Bosnia 1992 - 1995 (Berlin/London, 2003/2004),(with Bob de Graaf), ‘Fallen off the Priority List: Was Srebrenica an Intelligence Failure?’, in: T. R. Walton (ed.), The Role of Intelligence in Ending the War in Bosnia in 1995, New York, 2014, pp. 149-166 and Together with the CIA (‘Samen met de CIA’), (Amsterdam, Boom, 2016). 

He is one of the founders of the Netherlands Intelligence Studies Association (NISA); honorary secretary of the NISA from 1991 – 2001, former member of the academic board supervising the writing of the official history of the Netherlands Security Service. 
Present positions: Senior Research Fellow at the Ad de Jonge Center for Intelligence and Security Studies Institute, University of Amsterdam; international secretary of NISA; member of the Editorial Board of Intelligence and National Security of the Journal of Intelligence History.

 

Dr. Laris Gaiser, ITSTIME

Graduated in Law at the University of Verona in 2002 with a final dissertation on “The consequences of the devolution of power in United Kingdom and the new role of the State in public economy”, earned his Master’s degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy from the Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI) of Milano and, after a specialization in crisis management and humanitarian action at UN Staff College, obtained a Ph.D. in Geopolitical Economy at University Guglielmo Marconi of Rome.

From 2012 to 2014 he was Vice President, acting President, of Euro Mediterranean University – EMUNI and member Slovenian Minister of Foreign Affairs’ Strategic Council. Laris Gaiser is president of Slovenian Paneuropean Movement and Presidency member of International Paneuropean Union (Strasbourg). Involved in strategic consultancy, he also served as general manager in several international companies.

As a member of ITSTIME – Italian Team for Security, Terroristic Issues and Managing Emergencies - at Catholic University of Milan (Italy), Senior Scholar at Center for the Study of Global Issues at University of Georgia (USA) and Visiting Lecturer at Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, he regularly teaches geopolicy, geoeconomy and intelligence issues.

 

Commander Michael Widmann, NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (NATO CCD COE)

Educated at the United States Naval Academy, and the Naval Postgraduate School, Michael Widmann was commissioned in the United States Navy in 2000 and has been working in the field of Communications since 2005. He served as Main Propulsion Division Officer aboard USS JUNEAU (LPD 10) in Sasebo, Japan; Auxiliaries Division Officer aboard USS KITTY HAWK (CV 64) in Yokosuka, Japan; Administrative Officer at the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Newport, Rhode Island; Information Assurance Officer and Knowledge Manager for Strike Force Training Atlantic in Norfolk, Virginia; Officer in Charge of Afghan National Security Forces Networks and Radios as well as a mentor for the Afghan National Police in Kabul, Afghanistan; Operations Officer at the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Atlantic (NCTAMS LANT) in Norfolk, Virginia; an intern at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in Arlington, Virginia; and a Staff Officer in the Analysis and Concepts Branch at the NATO Command and Control Center of Excellence in Utrecht, Netherlands.

Commander Michael Widmann reported to the Tallinn-based NATO CCD COE as Staff Officer in the Strategy Branch, in August 2016.

 

Dr. Tonći Prodan, Portus et Navem Ltd., Croatia

Born 1965, graduated from the Split Faculty of Maritime Studies. He worked for a number of years in the field of maritime affairs, first as a merchant naval officer in international traffic, then as crew member on oil platforms, and later as employee and manager in the area of maritime economy. He resumed his studies by enrolling at the Faculty of Criminology from which he graduated and earning a bachelor’s degree in criminology. Furthermore, he obtained a master’s degree at the Faculty of Political Science with thesis titled Common Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union and Combat against Terrorism and later  received PhD in Comparative Politics with a doctoral thesis titled The USA and the EU in the Combat against Terrorism – Strategies, Models and Results.

After his maritime service, he had been professionally involved in issues related to national and international security for a number of years as member of the Croatian security system. He published a several scientific articles in the fields of terrorism and counterterrorism in journals and proceedings.

 

 

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