Speakers

GORDON CORERA

Security Correspondent for BBC News

Gordon Corera is a Security Correspondent for BBC News. In that role he covers counter-terrorism, counter-proliferation and international security issues for BBC TV, Radio and Online. He was appointed Security Correspondent in June 2004.

He joined the BBC in 1997 and has worked as the US affairs analyst, the head of world affairs research and as a foreign affairs reporter for the Today programme. He has reported from across the United States, Asia, Africa and the Middle East for the BBC, including covering Iraq before and after the 2003 war, Guantanamo Bay, the September 11th attacks and the Madrid and London bombings. He is the author of Shopping for Bombs: Nuclear Proliferation, Global Insecurity and the Rise and Fall of the AQ Khan Network.

Gordon Corera was educated at Oxford University where he studied Modern History, and Harvard Graduate School where he was a Frank Knox Fellow.

PHILIPPE COQ

Vice-President, EADS

Depuis Janvier 2008, Philippe Coq est Adjoint au Directeur délégué aux Affaires Publiques France du Groupe EADS.

Philippe Coq a rejoint EADS en septembre 2003. Il a été, jusqu'en décembre 2005, Directeur des programmes MALE de la Division Intelligence, Reconnaissance et Surveillance d'EADS - Systems & Defence Electronics puis, de 2006 à début 2008, directeur de Military Air Systems France (activités de drones françaises de l'entité MAS, principalement en charge des avions de combat et des drones) ; il occupait précédemment le poste de Directeur au sein d'ARJIL & Associés Banque.

49 ans, X, ENSAE, Ingénieur en Chef de l'Armement, Philippe Coq a intégré la Délégation Générale pour l'Armement en 1983. Il a successivement exercé les fonctions d'ingénieur d'essais, puis de chef du département " Essais " au sein du Centre d'Essais des Propulseurs de Saclay (1983-1990), puis celles de chef de groupe au sein du Service Technique des Programmes Aéronautiques (1990-1994). Il a ensuite occupé les fonctions d'Attaché d'Armement auprés de l'Ambassade de France en Espagne (1994-1997), avant de rejoindre la direction de la coopération et des affaires industrielles en 1997 en tant que sous-directeur " Aéronautique-Missile-Espace ". A ce dernier titre, il a été au cœur des opérations de restructuration de l'industrie aérospatiale et de défense européenne, menées ces derniéres années.

Il a exercé les fonctions de membre de Conseil de Surveillance d'Aérospatiale Matra et membre des Conseils d'Administrations des holding SOGEPA et SOGEADE Gérance ainsi que des Conseils d'Administrations de SNECMA et SNPE. Philippe COQ est Chevalier de la Légion ''honneur et de l'Ordre National du Mérite.

FRANCIS DELON

Secretary General of National Defence Ministry

Member of the Council of State
Date of birth: 6 October 1950
in Objat (Corrèze), France.

Graduate of ENA, the Grande École of Public Management (class of 1979, Michel de l'Hospital).

Secretary General of national defence (since July 2004).

CAREER:
May 1997 to July 2004 : Advisor, then President, of subsection five of the litigation division of the Council of State.
At the same time : President of the committee for the categorisation of cinematographic works (July 1998 to March 2004); President of the resources committee of the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR); Member of the Board of Directors of the French National Library.
May 1995 to April 1997 : Director of the cabinet of the Minister of national education, higher education and research.
May 1994 to May 1995 : Director of general and international affairs and cooperation at the Ministry of national education and senior defence officer.
November 1993 to April 1994 : Worked for the Council of State.
May 1988 to October 1994 : First counsellor and legal advisor to France's standing delegation to the United Nations (New York).
April 1986 to April 1988 : Representative of the minister of foreign affairs
June 1979 to March 1986 : Appointed Member of the Council of State in the litigation division (reporter, then government commissioner) and in administrative divisions (home office and finance divisions).
At the same time : Representative of the director of legal affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
January 1977 to May 1979 : Studied at ENA, the Grande École of Public Management (majored in general administration).

DECORATIONS:
Knight of the national order of the Legion of Honour.
Commandeur des palmes académiques (Academic decoration for services to education).

DR. RICHARD A FALKENRATH

Designated Deputy Commissioner, Counterterrorism NYPD, USA

DR. Falkenrath is a graduate of Occidental College, with degrees in economics and international relations. He holds a Ph.D. from the Department of War Studies at King's College London, where he was a British Marshall Scholar.

From September 1993 until December 2000, Dr. Falkenrath worked at the Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, first as a postdoctoral research fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs; then as Executive Director of the Center; and finally as Assistant Professor of Public Policy. In addition, during this time he was founder and co-Principal Investigator of the Executive Session on Domestic Preparedness; a member of the Advisory Panel to Assess Domestic Response Capabilities for Terrorism Involving Weapons of Mass Destruction (the "Gilmore Commission"); a member of the Board of Visitors of the National Emergency Management Institute; a member of the Director of Central Intelligence's Nonproliferation Advisory Panel; a Visiting Research Fellow at the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Auswärtige Politik; and a consultant to the Defense Science Board and the RAND Corporation.

In December 2000, Dr. Falkenrath joined the Bush-Cheney Transition Team, where he was involved in preparing for the presidential transition within the National Security Council. Immediately after the Presidential Inauguration in January 2001, Dr. Falkenrath joined the White House staff, where he served continuously until May 2004. His initial position was Director for Proliferation Strategy on the National Security Council staff, where he was responsibility for biological weapons proliferation and preparedness, missile defense, and Asian proliferation issues.

After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Dr. Falkenrath was named Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Policy and Plans within the Office of Homeland Security. In January 2003, he was promoted to Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Homeland Security Advisor. In these capacities, Dr. Falkenrath was responsible for developing and coordinating all aspects of U.S. homeland security policy and law, as well as counterterrorism threat assessment and response at all levels. He was the principal author of the National Strategy for Homeland Security and was centrally involved in the stand-up of the Department of Homeland Security, the Terrorist Threat Integration Center (the predecessor to today's National Counterterrorism Center), and the FBI's Terrorist Screening Center.

After leaving the White House, Dr. Falkenrath became the Stephen and Barbara Friedman Senior Fellow at The Brookings Institution, a private nonprofit organization devoted to independent research and innovative policy solutions in Washington, D.C. He was also an advisor and spokesman for Bush-Cheney 2004 reelection campaign; a security analyst at the Cable News Network (CNN); and a Managing Director at the Civitas Group LLC, a strategic advisory and investment firm.

Dr. Falkenrath is the author or coauthor of Shaping Europe's Military Order (1995), Avoiding Nuclear Anarchy (1996), America's Achilles ' Heel: Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Terrorism and Covert Attack (1998), as well as numerous journal articles, chapters of edited volumes, prepared statements for congressional testimony, and op-ed articles. He is a member of the Aspen Strategy Group.

BRIGADIER-GENERAL DAVID A. FRASER, OMM, MSC, MSM, CD

Former Regional Commander South in Afghanistan, Canada

Brigadier-General Fraser is a native of Ottawa, Ontario. He was commissioned as an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Carleton University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1980. Brigadier-General Fraser has served in various command and staff positions in the PPCLI from platoon to battalion commander in both the Second and Third Battalions.

In 1990 he attended the Canadian Forces Command and Staff College in Toronto. Following Toronto, he attended French Language training in Ottawa. In 1992 he was posted to Wainwright Alberta as the Second-in-Command and Chief Instructor of the Western Area Battle School. After two years with the School, he was assigned to work with the French Army as the Military Assistant to the French Major-General Commanding in Sarajevo in 1994/95. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for his actions during the Bosnian Civil War. Upon promotion to Lieutenant-Colonel, he was stationed in Calgary as Chief of Staff for Alberta District and in 1996 he assumed command of 2PPCLI. He took the Battalion to Bosnia as the first Canadian Battle Group with SFOR. His tour with the Battalion included support to Quebec Ice Storm in 1998.

After command he moved to Ottawa and worked as Director Land Force Readiness 3, responsible for all Army planning and tasks. He played a major role in planning Canada's participation in Kosovo and Honduras. Brigadier-General Fraser was then assigned as the Project Director for Land Force Reserve Restructure, responsible for developing new Army Capabilities and tasks for the Army Reserve.

Brigadier-General Fraser completed his Master's in Defence Management and Policy from RMC and Queen's and was promoted to his current rank in 2001. In 2003 Brigadier-General Fraser was posted to the Bi-National Planning Group in Colorado Springs, Colorado where he served as the Co-Director until 2005. He was awarded the United States Legion of Merit for his work.

On 29 June 2005, Brigadier-General Fraser assumed command of 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group and was promoted to Brigadier-General shortly thereafter. Brigadier-General Fraser officially assumed command of the Multi National Brigade (Regional Command South) in Afghanistan on 28 February 2006 until November 2006. For his leadership he was awarded the United States Bronze Star, the Netherlands Medal of Merit in gold, the NATO Meritorious Service Medal and the Canadian Meritorious Service Cross. He was the Vimy Award recipient in 2006 for "significant and outstanding contribution to defence and security for Canada" awarded by the Conference of Defence Associations Institute. In 2007 he received the Atlantic Council of Canada award for his 'exceptional contribution to furthering international peace and security for his leadership' as Commander of the Multi National Brigade (Regional Command South) in Afghanistan in 2006.

He assumed the role of Commandant of the Canadian Forces College in July 2007. Brigadier-General Fraser is married to Poppie Veenstra, a gifted artist, and they have two boys Andrew and Daniel.

TARIQUE GHAFFUR

Assistant Commissioner Metropolitan Police

Tarique Ghaffur joined Greater Manchester Police in 1974 and worked in CID and uniform roles up to the rank of Chief Inspector. In 1989 he transferred to Leicestershire Constabulary, where as a Superintendent and then Chief Superintendent, Tarique Ghaffur gained experience in both operational commands in Loughborough and Leicester City, as well as a variety of strategic roles, including heading a major force review.

In 1996, Tarique transferred to Lancashire Constabulary as Assistant Chief Constable where he was appointed head of operational policing for the force and for a short period was also responsible for Human Resources. Whilst in Lancashire, Tarique Ghaffur headed a major anti-terrorist operation in relation to the Blackpool Labour Party Conference. He also led a major corruption enquiry into a public organisation.

In 1999, Tarique Ghaffur was selected to be a Deputy Assistant Commissioner and transferred to the Metropolitan Police Service. He initially assumed command of territorial policing in South London and in 2000 was appointed as the Commander of Westminster Borough, the biggest Basic Command Unit in the United Kingdom and 11th biggest 'police force' in terms of workload and establishment.

Tarique Ghaffur was promoted to Assistant Commissioner in 2001 and took command of the Policy, Review and Standards Directorate. Amongst a broad portfolio, Tarique Ghaffur worked closely with senior criminal justice partner Heads in London and nationally to formulate an effective and collaborative partnership.

In November 2002, Tarique Ghaffur set up the Specialist Crime Directorate, to provide a distinct response to tackling all aspects of serious and organised crime in London, including homicide and gun crime. He was responsible for the institution of a number successful innovative programmes to tackle organised crime around such issues as human trafficking, Heathrow Airport and serious fraud. He also developed Operational Quadrant to build confidence in South Asian communities in London through effective law enforcement and community engagement. Tarique Ghaffur has overseen a number of high profile investigations, including the Damilola Taylor and Victoria Climbié cases. In 2004, Tarique Ghaffur carried out a comprehensive crosscutting review of race and diversity within the MPS and played a major part in building community relations after 7 July bombings in London.

Since June 2006, Tarique Ghaffur has been responsible for delivering 'Capital City Policing' around policing of Airports, Diplomatic missions, security of State buildings. He is also responsible for firearms, public order, traffic, communications and contingency planning. Also, he is the Operational Co-ordinator Lead for the 2012 Olympics.

Through over 30 years of policing allied to his personal life, Tarique Ghaffur has created a real sense of proportion around vulnerable communities and diversity. He has become recognised as a 'champion' of equality and diversity and a positive role model, resulting in his receipt of a number of community awards, including the House of Lords High Achievement Award 2003.

Tarique Ghaffur has a BA (Hons) in Public Administration, an MA in Criminology and three honorary doctorates from Universities of Leicester, Manchester Metropolitan and East London. He has attended the International FBI course in the USA and been awarded a Certificate in Criminal Justice Education (University of Virginia). In 2001 Tarique Ghaffur received the Queen's Police Medal and in June 2004 was awarded the CBE.

Tarique Ghaffur has written a number of influential articles on policing and communities, as well as delivering a considerable number of international, national and local presentations on a range of policing issues.

Tarique Ghaffur is married with two children and has a strong interest in Asian music and sports - particularly squash - where he has won numerous awards and represented the police service at the national level.

Mr ULYSSE GOSSET

Senior Anchor, France 24

Ulysse Gosset is currently anchor and executive producer of the show "The Talk of Paris", on France 24, the first French International News Channel. Every Friday, "The Talk of Paris" invites world leaders and opinion makers. The last guests were amongst others: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon; Quartet Representative and Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair; Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf; Brazilian President Lula da Silva; former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright; Israeli President Shimon Peres; Ukrainian President Viktor Youshchenko; former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan; President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mahmud Ahmadinejad; President of Gabon Omar Bongo Ondimba; former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev; IOC Chairman Jacques Rogge; CEO of Renault-Nissan Carlos Ghosn. Ulysse Gosset is a former COO and member of the board of France 24, in charge of News and Programming and former Director of the channel project for France Télévisions (2005/2006). Prior to working with the International News Channel, Gosset was Director in charge of national news at France 3 Television in Paris.

Ulysse Gosset began his career in public broadcasting where he covered international news, politics and culture at Radios France Inter, France Info and France Culture between 1977 and 1993. In 1986 Gosset was named permanent envoy to Moscow for private network TF1 French Television and spent the next seven years covering the reforms of Mikael Gorbachev, the fall of the Soviet Union and the rise of Boris Yeltsin: In 1993 Gosset was named head correspondent and bureau chief of TF1 in the United States where he covered the Clinton years and the arrival of George Bush to power. He also reported for French cable network LCI (La Chaine Info), in partnership with TF1.

Arriving back in France in 2002, Gosset worked on the development of a privately financed, French-European television network for international consumption. In 2003 he was named National Editor of France 3 Television.

Ulysse Gosset is a graduate of the Journalism School of Lille and is author of several books : "The Hillary Clinton Complex," 1996, Editions Lattes, Paris; "The Secret Story of a Coup d'Etat," 1991, Editions Lattes, Paris; "The Radio and Television Monopoly in France)", 1976, ESJ Press, Lille, France.

Gosset's television documentaries include : "In the Words of the Executioners," 2000 (nominated for a Grand Reporting prize) "Drug and Immigration wars on the Rio Grande," 1998 "Crime and Punishment in America," 1995 "The Soviet Nomenklatura," 1992

SIR DAVID OMAND GCB

Visiting Professor at the War Studies Department, King's College London

Sir David Omand is a Visiting Professor at the War Studies Department, King's College London. He was first UK Security and Intelligence Coordinator as Permanent Secretary in the Cabinet Office, responsible for the professional health of the intelligence community, national counter-terrorism strategy and "homeland security". He was the Government's chief crisis manager for civil contingencies. He served in total for seven years on the UK's Joint Intelligence Committee.

He was previously Permanent Secretary of the Home Office, Director of GCHQ (the UK SIGINT Agency), and the Deputy Under Secretary of State for Policy in the Ministry of Defence. He has dealt with long-term defence strategy, British nuclear deterrence policy at the end of the Cold War and was particularly concerned with the British military contribution in restoring peace in the former Yugoslavia. Earlier in his career he was Principal Private Secretary to the Defence Secretary during the Falklands conflict and has also served as UK Defence Counsellor to NATO. His most recent publications are on national security strategy, the uses of strategy in counter-terrorism and national resilience. He has proposed a code of ethics for intelligence and security work.

PETER F. VERGA

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas' Security Affairs

The Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas' Security Affairs is the principal assistant and advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Defense on matters related to the overall supervision of the homeland defense activities of the Department of Defense and regional security matters for the countries of the Western Hemisphere. In addition he is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Department of Defense participation in interagency activities concerning homeland security and Department of Defense relations with the Department of Homeland Security. He is a member of the Federal Emergency Management Agency National Advisory Council. Prior to his current assignment Mr. Verga served as the Special Assistant for Homeland Security and Director of the Department of Defense Homeland Security Task Force. Born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 1947, Mr. Verga holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration from the University of La Verne, La Verne California, and a Master, of Science degree in Public Administration from Troy State University, Troy, Alabama. A graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff College, he is a visiting professor at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. He is a career member of the Senior Executive Service, appointed to this position in March, 2003.

Mr. Verga is a retired U. S. Army officer with over twenty-six years of service in a variety of operations and management positions, including combat service in Vietnam from September, 1969 to November, 1971. He has served as the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Integration, and negotiated the return of a U.S. EP-3 Aircraft which made a forced landing in China following a collision with a Chinese Aircraft, as Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Support and as the Deputy Director for Emergency Planning in the Office of the Secretary of Defense where he was responsible for a variety of special and sensitive activities and interagency matters regarding emergency preparedness and wartime continuity of government policy. Prior to that Mr. Verga served on the White House staff as Special Assistant to the Assistant to the President for Management and Administration, advising on a variety of matters including issues associated with continuity of the office of the Presidency, continuity of government and classified, sensitive emergency plans and programs in direct support of the President. This followed duty as Deputy Director of the Office of Emergency Operations of the White House Military Office and in the Operations Directorate of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Mr. Verga has been awarded the Presidential Rank of Meritorious Executive and has been awarded two Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Awards and the Defense Meritorious Civilian Service Award. During his military service his awards included, among others; the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, four Bronze Star medals, the Purple Heart, three Defense Meritorious Service Medals, twenty-one Air Medals, and the Presidential Service Badge.

Mr. Verga is married to the former Elizabeth Anne McAneny, they currently reside in Alexandria, Virginia.

CHRISTINE WORMUTH

Senior Fellow

Christine E. Wormuth is a Senior Fellow in the International Security Program, where she works on defense and homeland security issues, including emergency response and preparedness challenges, homeland security policy development, defense strategy and resources and the capabilities and readiness of the U.S. military. In 2007 she served as the staff director for the Independent Commission on the Security Forces of Iraq, also known as "The Jones Commission." As staff director, she traveled with the Commission to Iraq and focused in particular on the readiness of Iraqi police forces. Christine is currently leading a project to develop recommendations for how the nation can better manage responding to future catastrophes in the United States, and plans to release a final study report in June 2008. Ms. Wormuth has written and has been quoted extensively on National Guard and Reserve issues, to include authoring a major study on the future of the National Guard and Reserves in 2006. The study made more than forty recommendations on a wide range of issues, and included an in-depth discussion of the role of the Reserve Component in homeland security, with an emphasis on organizing the Guard and Reserves to respond more effectively to catastrophic events. In 2005 Ms. Wormuth was a contributing author for the Center's Beyond Goldwater-Nichols Phase II study, writing the chapter on elevating and strengthening homeland security policy.

Prior to joining CSIS, Christine was a Principal at DFI Government Services, a defense consulting firm, where she developed and managed a wide range of projects for government clients within the Department of Defense and the Department for Homeland Security. At DFI she developed a methodology to assess homeland security risks, including an analytical tool that comprehensively evaluates homeland security risks in terms of their potential to occur and possible consequences. She worked closely with elements of DHS and the Homeland Security Council on a wide range of HSPD-8 implementation issues aimed at increasing the preparedness level of the United States.

Complementing her experience in the private sector, Ms. Wormuth was a career civil servant in the Policy Office of the Office of the Secretary of Defense from 1996 through 2002. She served as the French desk officer during and after the September 11 attacks and from 2000-2001 was the Special Assistant to the Under Secretary for Policy, focusing on defense program and legislative issues. Ms. Wormuth spent more than two years in the OSD Strategy office, where she focused on defense strategy, the 1997 QDR process and a range of European issues. She entered government as a Presidential Management Intern and received a Masters of Public Policy from the University of Maryland. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science and fine art from Williams College and is a member of Women in International Security.