Florence Gaub Keynote Speaker

Director of the Research Division at the NATO Defense College
Leading expert in strategic foresight, geopolitics and global security
Bestselling author of The Future: A User's Guide and Szenario

Florence Gaub's Biography

Florence Gaub is one of Europe’s leading strategic thinkers, specialising in futures studies, geopolitical analysis, and security policy. Franco-German by background and quadrilingual, she brings a rare combination of analytical rigour and cross-cultural fluency to some of the most pressing questions facing the international community today.

She serves as Director of the Research Division at the NATO Defense College in Rome, where she leads cutting-edge work on strategic foresight, conflict analysis, and the long-term trajectories of global security. Her research spans the future of warfare, the geopolitics of Europe and the Middle East, and the relationship between culture, cognition, and strategic decision-making.

A prolific author and public intellectual, Florence has published widely in German, French, English, and Italian. Her 2023 bestseller The Future: a User’s guide has been translated into 4 languages has established her as a leading voice on how societies think about, and plan for, the future. She is a sought-after speaker and commentator across Europe and beyond, bringing intellectual depth and accessibility to audiences ranging from government and defence communities to business leaders and the general public. Her second book Szenario: the future is at stake (2025) was shortlisted for the German Non-Fiction Prize.

Florence has taught at the Universität Potsdam, Sciences Po Paris, and the College of Europe in Bruges. She is the recipient of the 2024 Bavarian Constitutional Order Medal and the 2026 Helmut Schmidt Future Prize, awarded in recognition of her outstanding contribution to futures thinking and European strategic debate.

Her work is defined by a conviction that the future is not something that happens to us — it is something we can, and must, actively shape.

Strategic foresight and preparing for the future

Geopolitics and the changing global order

The future of warfare and international security

Europe, the Middle East and emerging geopolitical trends

Leadership and decision-making in an age of uncertainty

She is one of Europe’s leading experts on strategic foresight and geopolitics, helping governments, institutions and organisations understand the forces that will shape the future security and political landscape.
She translates complex geopolitical, technological and societal trends into clear, actionable insights that enable leaders to make better decisions in an increasingly uncertain world.
She leads research at the NATO Defense College on the future of warfare, strategic competition and global security, bringing audiences a front-line perspective on the challenges facing Europe and the international order.
She combines deep expertise in futures studies with a nuanced understanding of culture, cognition and decision-making, helping organisations anticipate change rather than simply react to it.
Her briefings help leaders challenge assumptions, identify emerging risks and opportunities, and develop the strategic mindset needed to navigate an era of profound global transformation.