François Heisbourg

Chairman of the IISS and of the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (Special Advisor, Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique, Paris).

• 1978-79 Member of the French Foreign Ministry's Policy Planning Staff (Centre d'analyse et de Prévision), in charge of nuclear non-proliferation issues
• 1979-81 First Secretary at the French Permanent Mission to the U.N. (New-York), dealing with international security and disarmament issues
• 1981-84 International security adviser to the French Minister of Defence. Founding-member of the French-German Commission on Security and Defence

81984-87 Vice-President at Thomson-CSF, in charge of European and Euro-American cooperation 81987-92 Director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), London

• 1992-98 Senior Vice-President (Strategic development), MATRA-Défense-Espace

Subsequently:

• Special Advisor, Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique, Paris (since May 2005)
• Member of the French Government’s Steering Committee for the White Paper on Terrorism (2005-2006)
• Member of the French "Defence White Paper" Presidential Commission (2007-2008)
• Member of the International Commission on the Balkans (2004-2006)
• Member of the European Commission’s Group of Personalities on Security R & D (2003-2004)
• Director, Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique, Paris (May 2001-2005)
• Chairman of the IISS Council (since September 2001)
• Professor at Sciences-Po Paris (1999-2001)
• Head of interagency working group (groupe de travail interministériel) on the study of international relations, strategic affairs and defence issues in France (1999-2000)
• Chairman, Foundation Council of the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (since December 1998)

Other Affiliations

• Director, Centre for European Reform
• International advisory council, Lowy Institute
• Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces: International Advisory Board