NATO Edge 24, NATO’s biggest technology and business conference is rapidly approaching. The conference, organized by NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA), will take place in Tampa, Florida, United States, from 3 to 5 December 2024.
The event will bring together decision-makers, industry leaders, academics, governments and militaries to discuss hot topics in security and defence, in the form of high-level plenary sessions, breakout sessions, innovative pitches, and a large exhibition area comprising over 150 companies.
Registrations are still open – secure your place now.
Here are ten confirmed speakers at NATO Edge 24 that you don’t want to miss.
1. Leslie Beavers, Chief Information Officer, U.S. Department of Defense
Leslie Beavers is a career member of the Senior Executive Service and serving as the Acting Department of Defense Chief Information Officer. In this capacity, Beavers serves as the primary advisor to the Secretary of Defense for Information Management, Information Technology and Information Assurance, as well as non-intelligence space systems; critical satellite communications, navigation, and timing programmes; spectrum; and telecommunications.
2. General Bryan P. Fenton, Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command
General Bryan P. Fenton is a career Special Forces (Green Beret) Officer. He currently serves as the 13th Commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), located at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. He oversees all Special Operations for the U.S. Department of Defense with 70,000 Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Special Operations personnel and an annual budget of $14 billion.
3. Ludwig Decamps, General Manager, NCIA
Ludwig Decamps, is directly responsible for the efficient and effective operation and administration of NCIA which includes delivering key capabilities and services to NATO and leading a workforce of 3,000 military and civilian personnel.
Previous to his appointment as General Manager, Decamps held several roles across NATO, including Chief Operating Officer and Director Demand Management at NCIA, Director for Armaments and Aerospace Capabilities, and Director for Strategy in the Defence Investment Division at NATO. With a long career at NATO, Decamps brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise related to capability development, strategic planning and digital transformation.
4. Dr Manfred Boudreaux-Dehmer, Chief Information Officer, NATO
Dr Manfred Boudreaux-Dehmer is the inaugural Chief Information Officer (CIO) of NATO. His principal responsibility is to realize the Allies’ vision for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in support of NATO’s purpose to guarantee freedom and security for its 32 Members. He is tasked with facilitating ICT coherence across NATO’s 50+ civil and military bodies with 25,000 users. He also performs the Chief Information Security Officer function as the Single Point of Authority for cybersecurity.
5. Vice Admiral Simon Asquith, Chief of Staff, Allied Command Transformation
Simon Asquith joined the Royal Navy as a Warfare Officer in 1990 spending most of his early career at sea. Qualifying as a submariner in 1995, he served in diesel electric, nuclear attack and strategic deterrent submarines, including a fascinating two-year exchange with the Netherlands’ Submarine Service.
Having successfully completed the Submarine Command Course or “Perisher” in 2003 he went on to Command both the nuclear attack submarine HMS TALENT and, on promotion to Captain, the Frigate HMS PORTLAND, as Captain of Anti-Submarine Warfare for the Fleet. These periods in Command included a range of operations, exercises and deployments.
6. Kateryna Chernohorenko, Deputy Minister of Defence for Digital Transformations, Digital Development, and Digitalization, Ministry of Defence of Ukraine
Kateryna Chernohorenko has practised law for over 15 years. Since the inception of the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, she has been an integral part of the reform team, spearheading the launch of next-generation electronic services.
She also initiated and led the “Army of Drones” project, which has played a crucial role in advancing the UAV field in Ukraine. In autumn 2023, she assumed the position of Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine for Digital Transformations, Digital Development, and Digitalization. Chernohorenko’s key directions at the Ministry include services for military personnel and conscripts, combat and non-combat digital systems, and innovations.
7. Jennifer Upton, Chief of Acquisition, NCIA
With over two decades of experience in United States Department of Defense acquisition, Jennifer Upton joined NCIA in 2020 as the Chief of Acquisition. In this position, Upton serves as the key executive for all activities related to acquisition, including developing, implementing, interpreting and monitoring NCIA policy and procedures supporting NCIA’s growing portfolio of outsourced capabilities.
In addition to procurement and industry relations, Upton oversees NCIA’s cost estimating and analysis, logistics, and life cycle engineering functions. Her mission in this role is to enable NATO’s transformation into a fully digital enterprise through cost-effective, innovative and timely acquisition of tools and solutions that connect the Alliance and allow our Allied leaders and service members to keep citizens across the member nations safe.
8. Stacy Cummings, General Manager, NATO Support and Procurement Agency
Stacy Cummings was appointed General Manager NSPA in September 2021. Since joining, she has led the development of a new Strategic Framework, introducing innovative policies to enhance NSPA’s operational efficiency and responsiveness in a shifting geopolitical environment. This has ensured NSPA’s efficient, effective and responsive adaptation to the new geopolitical environment, while transforming the Agency into NATO’s lead organisation for multinational acquisition, support and sustainment.
Before NSPA, Cummings held senior roles in the U.S. federal government, including Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, and Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, overseeing acquisition, logistics, and readiness.
9. Jeroen van der Vlugt, Chief Information Officer, Netherlands Ministry of Defence
Jeroen van der Vlugt was appointed as Chief Information Officer of the Netherlands Ministry of Defence (MoD) in March 2020. He also performs the Chief Information Security and Chief Data Officer roles in the Dutch MoD.
Van der Vlugt serves as the primary advisor to the Secretary of Defence (Minister of Defence) on information technology, information management, data science, artificial intelligence, cyber security, autonomous systems and electromagnetic warfare. He is also responsible for the Digital Transformation programme of the Dutch MoD and focusses on bringing digital innovations to the warfighter.
10. Dr Mart Noorma, Director, NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence
Dr Mart Noorma has been the Director of NATO CCDCOE since August 2022. Prior to joining CCDCOE, Dr Noorma led innovation and digital transformation at several organizations. He has served as the Science and Development Director of Milrem Robotics and the Vice Rector of Academic Affairs, the Head of Space Technology Department, and the Professor of Space and Defence Technology at the University of Tartu. Dr Noorma has also worked at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Helsinki University of Technology, where he obtained the degree of the Doctor of Science in Technology in 2005.
Dr Noorma has been actively engaged in NATO, EU, and international cooperation on innovation and novel technology development. He has been a member of the NATO Advisory Group on Emerging and Disruptive Technologies, the NATO STO Applied Vehicle Technology Panel, the EEAS Space Advisory Board, and the IEEE Autonomous Weapon Systems Expert Advisory Committee.
In addition to these powerful voices across the United States and NATO, our agenda is packed with inspiring industry speakers who will delve into the latest innovations, sharing their expertise and best practices. Check out the full agenda and speaker line-up and register today.