Jiří Šedivý

EDA Chief Executive

Mr Šedivý has been Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency since May 2020 bringing with him an extensive experience in the defence domain:

  • Defence Minister of the Czech Republic (2006-2007);
  • Deputy Defence Minister (2010-2012);
  • NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Policy and Planning (2007-2010);
  • Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to NATO (2012-2019);
  • Deputy Minister for European Affairs of the Czech Republic (2007);
  • Special representative for resilience and new threats, Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2019- 2020);
  • 2004 - 2006, Professor of Security Studies at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies;
  • 1999 – 2004: During this period Mr Šedivý was Director of the Institute of International Relations (Prague); Assistant Professor of International Relations at Charles University (Prague); and Professor of European Security at New York University (Prague). As an expert, he played an important role in the Czech Republic’s accession to NATO. It was during this period that he also served as external adviser to President Václav Havel.

EDUCATION

  • 1995 - 1999: Ph.D., Political Science, Charles University Prague
  • 1993 - 1994: M.A., War Studies, King’s College London
  • 1990 - 1993: Public Exam (B.A. level), Political Science, Charles University Prague