Speakers

Patrick Auroy became NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment on 4 October 2010. The NATO International Staff Defence Investment Division monitors and facilitates the delivery of military capabilities and prepares to that effect the relevant North Atlantic Council and subordinated bodies decisions or directives. He previously held the post of Deputy Director General of the DGA (Direction Générale de l’Armement), the armaments branch of the French MoD. Patrick Auroy studied at the Centre for Higher Armament Studies (CHEAr, 32nd session, 1995/1996), the Centre for Higher Military Studies (CHEM, 38th session, 1998/1999) and the Institute of Higher Studies for National Defence (IHEDN, 51st session, Paris, 1998/1999). He is Commander of the National Order of Merit, Officer of the Legion of Honour and holder of the Aeronautical Medal.

Christina Balis serves as Principal at The Avascent Group. Ms. Balis has years of experience in management consulting, corporate management and public policy. She served as a Consultant for four years through successful buyout of DFI Corporate Services. She worked as Vice President of Strategy & Corporate Development at Serco Inc., until late 2011 when she rejoined Avascent. Prior to her consulting career, she was a Fellow in the Europe Program of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington, DC-based think tank. Ms. Balis holds a B.A. degree in European Business Administration from German and British Universities and holds both M.A. degree and Ph.D. degree in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Italy and Washington, DC.

Jeffrey P. Bialos is Partner, Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP. Jeff works extensively on international strategy and collaborative arrangements, including joint ventures, teaming arrangements and organizational structure. Jeff’s career includes work with the U.S. government in several capacities. From 1999 to 2000, he served as the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Industrial Affairs and was awarded the Department of Defense Distinguished Public Service Medal for his service. From 1997 to 1999, Jeff was special advisor to Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business and Agricultural affairs.Mr. Bialos received his J.D. degree from the University of Chicago Law School, a Master’s degree in Public Policy from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and an A.B. in history, magna cum laude, from Cornell University’s College of Arts and Sciences.

Ann Cataldo currently serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Defense Exports and Cooperation. In this capacity, she is the U.S. Army principal responsible for the Army’s Security Cooperation programs. These programs directly involve over 2000 Army civilian and military personnel and exceed $20B annually in sales and cooperative efforts with over 100 foreign countries. Ms. Cataldo also serves as the designated U.S. Army Senior National Representative on all bi- and multi-lateral armaments cooperation fora with the Army’s international partners. Ms. Cataldo holds a Juris Doctorate and Master of Arts, Modern European History, Catholic University of America, Washington DC, and Bachelor of Arts, English (Cum Laude), Honors in History and English, Siena College, Loundonville, NY.

Laurent Collet-Billon is head of the Directorate General for Armament (“DGA”) French Ministry of Defense. Minister Collet-Billon reports directly to the Minister of Defense, the Chief of Staff (ECS) and the Secretary General for Administration (SGA). National Superior School of Aeronautics and Space. He was Director of the DGA overall program Horus (airborne component of deterrence, nuclear missile equipped with air-ground ASMP ) from 1988 to 1991,and from 1997 to 2001 Head of Compliance Programs, telecommunications and informations (SPOTI). In May 2001, he was appointed Deputy Delegate General for Armaments, and number two in the DGA. He was educated at the National Superior School of Aeronautics and Space. He has the rank of general engineer of exceptional class weapons (IGACE), and is a Commander of the Legion of Honor & Officer of the National Order of Merit.

Lena Erixon is Director General, FMV, Swedish Defense Materiel Administration. Ms. Erixon was Deputy Director General from 2003. From 2000-2007 Ms. Erixon was Director of Accounting and Finance at the Swedish Road Administration. She was President of SweRoad AB from 2006-2009, and member of the Board of Directors/Advisory Council of the County Administrative Board in Dalarna from 2007-2011. Ms. Erixon is a member of the Board of Directors of SIQ – Swedish Institute of Quality. Ms. Erixon holds a degree in Public Administration with economic focus from Stockholm University 1982.

Joshua Fitzhugh is the Head of Trade Controls for BAE Systems plc , based at the company’s Head Office in Farnborough, Hampshire, UK. He is responsible for managing global export control, government contracting, trade and antitrust compliance for all BAE Systems divisions not subject to special US security arrangements. Since joining the company in March 2011, he has focused on Overseeing group export control compliance and licensing, enhancing group export control compliance procedures and processes, and managing group relationships with government regulators and industry on export control matters. Mr. Fitzhugh earned his undergraduate degree at Colby College in Waterville, Maine, and his Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, DC.

Wendy Gilmour is Director General International and Industry Programs. Ms. Gilmour is responsible for the development and execution of international and industry programs and activities in support of the materiel, acquisition and support mandate of the Department of National Defence and Canadian Forces. Prior to this, Ms. Gilmour was Senior Departmental Assistant to the Minister, Department of Public Safety. Earlier, Ms. Gilmour was the Canadian Political Advisor to the Commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command (NORAD-US NORTHCOM). Following 9/11, Ms. Gilmour served as Canadian Political Advisor for Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Apollo at U.S. Central Command Headquarters, McDill Air Force Base, Fl.

Rini Goos is Deputy Chief Executive, European Defence Agency. In his last appointment Mr Goos headed the Commissariat for Military Production in the Netherlands Ministry of Economic Affairs. From 1997 until 2001 the Mr Goos was assigned to the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Washington D.C. as Counsellor for Defence Procurement and subsequently as Defence Cooperation Attaché. Mr Goos was born in Breda, the Netherlands, on December 21, 1958. He holds a Candidatum Litterarum Anglicarum (undergraduate) from Nijmegen University in the Netherlands (1982), and graduated Doctorandus (Drs.) in 1985.

Dale A. Ormond became the Director, U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., in a Feb. 10, 2012 ceremony. He is the first civilian executive to lead the organization. Before assuming the role as director, Ormond served as the first Deputy to the Commanding General, U.S. Army Combined Arms Center (CAC) and Fort Leavenworth. Ormond was selected for the Senior Executive Service in July 2004. He served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Elimination of Chemical Weapons) from July 2004 to July 2008. A former Navy submarine officer, Ormond is a 1985 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and holds a Master of Science degree in Environmental Systems Engineering from Clemson University.

Ed Peartree is Director, Defense Trade Controls Policy, U.S. Department of State. Mr. Peartree oversees the development and implementation of foreign policy guidelines for licensing of U.S. defense exports under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the Arms Export Control Act (AECA). Mr. Peartree was previously Chief, Research and Analysis, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls.

The Hon. Heidi Shyu, a political appointee, was confirmed as the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology (ASA(ALT)) on 21 September, 2012. Prior to this she was asked to serve as the Principal Deputy , appointed November 8, 2010 and later as the Acting ASA(ALT), starting 4 June, 2011. As the ASA (ALT), Ms.Shyu serves as the Army Acquisition Executive, the Senior Procurement Executive, the Science Advisor to the Secretary of the Army, and the Army’s Senior Research and Development official. She also has principal responsibility for all Department of the Army matters related to logistics. Prior to this position Ms. Shyu was the Vice President of Technology Strategy for Raytheon Company’s Space and Airborne Systems.

Gary Stanley is the President of Global Legal Services, PC, a Washington, DC-based law firm focusing on trade compliance and other international business issues. Mr. Stanley represents, among others, numerous U.S., Canadian, and European companies on defense export control issues. He has provided training on U.S. export and re-export controls to Russian Government export control officials and various agencies of the Government of Canada. Besides representing private companies, Mr. Stanley has also served as a consultant to the U.S. Government and industry groups. He received his undergraduate degree from Emory University in 1975 and his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1978.

Morten Tiller holds a dual position in the Norwegian Ministry of Defence. He has served as Deputy Secretary General in the Ministry since 2000, and in 2008 he also assumed the role of National Armaments Director. As Deputy Secretary General, he supports the Secretary General in the overall running and coordination of the Ministry as well as providing advice to the Minister of Defence. In his capacity as National Armaments Director, he coordinates the Ministry’s materiel procurement activities and represents Norway in relevant national and international fora, such as Conference of National Armaments Directors (CNAD) in Nato, the European Defence Agency (EDA) under the auspices of the European Union and represents Norway at the annual F35 Joint Strike Fighter CEO conferences.

David M. Van Buren was appointed L-3 Corporate Senior Vice President for Business Strategy in April 2012. Prior to joining L-3 Communications Corporation, Mr. Van Buren was the Air Force Service Acquisition Executive (SAE) from April 2009 to March 2012. Mr. Van Buren directed approximately $70 billion of annual investments that included major programs like the KC-46A Tanker, F-35 JSF, Advanced Extremely High Frequency Satellite, Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle, Global Positioning System Satellite and weapons, as well as capability areas such as information technology, cyber, command and control and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems. In 2012, Mr. Van Buren was presented the highest civilian honors in both the Department of Defense (Medal for Distinguished Public Service) and Air Force (Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service).

Quentin Whiteree has been President and Chief Operating Officer of IDEEA, Inc. since 1 January, 1999. Prior to this, he was Vice President of the company, responsible for business focus, with an emphasis on emerging information and computer technologies. He joined IDEEA, Inc. in 1987 and has held a series of appointments within the company. Mr. Whiteree is Managing Editor of Common Defense Quarterly, an international defense cooperation publication. He holds a joint BA honors degree in marketing from Strathclyde University, Scotland and is a past President of its Wine Appreciation Society. Mr. Whiteree is a member of the National Press Club; Secretary of the Royal Aeronautical Society, Washington, DC Branch and a Director of the British American Business Association.

Steve Williams is the Regional Vice President for Europe, Americas, and Israel for Lockheed Martin Global, Inc. He is responsible for supporting international business development in over 75 countries. He served as a Policy Advisor and Operational Planner in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, where he negotiated basing agreements with Portugal, Spain, and Greece and led policy planning for Operation Northern Watch (Northern Iraq). A graduate of West Point, Mr. Williams has a Masters degree in International Economics from Johns Hopkins University, and attended the US Army and USMC Staff Colleges, and Greek War College.

Martin Zablocki was appointed the new president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) by The Hon. Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade on 22 April, 2014. The appointment is for five years. Mr. Zablocki, of Ottawa, Ontario, joined CCC in November 2007 as vice-president of strategy and organizational development, and was appointed executive vice-president and chief operating officer in April 2012. Prior to joining CCC, he was director general of Industry Canada’s Sector Strategies and Infrastructure Programs Branch. Mr. Zablocki has also worked for Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Canada Revenue Agency.