Colonel (ret.) Thiele (*1953 in Treuenbrietzen, Germany) has been since 1997 Chairman of the Berlin based “Politisch-Militärische Gesellschaft” (Political-Military Society) and since 2013 CEO of StratByrd Consulting. In several decades of politico-military service he has gained an extensive broad political, technological, academic and military background. Ralph Thiele has studied business administration (MBA) and political science in Munich. In several commanding officer assignments he has developed valuable operational expertise.

As Commander of the Bundeswehr Transformation Centre he has introduced Network Enabling Capabilities into the German Armed Forces and driven respective multinational, global developments. While serving in the personal staffs of the German Armed Forces Vice Chief of Defense Staff and the NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, and in the Planning and Policy Staff of the German Minister of Defense, Ralph Thiele has been directly involved in numerous national, European and NATO strategic, technological and political issues.

In his academic assignments he has been Chef de Cabinet and Chief of Staff at the NATO Defense College in Rome and Director of Faculty at the German General Staff and Command College in Hamburg. He has also been involved in numerous national and European Security Research Programs. Ralph Thiele has published numerous books and articles and is lecturing widely in Europe, Middle East, Asia, North and South America on current comprehensive security and military affairs, network enabling and cyber technologies.

Expertise

Comprehensive Security including Situational Awareness, Critical Infrastructure, Maritime Domain Security, Event Protection, Energy Security, Disaster Response, Cyber Security

C4ISTAR including Collaboration Environments, Space Awareness, Airborne Capabilities, UAS

Security Research, Security Policy

Post Academic Education

Business Development

Lead System Integration

Memberships

• Political-Military Society, Berlin
• Defense Science Board to the Austrian Minister of Defense, Vienna, Austria
• Advisory Board Journal for Foreign and Security Policy, Cologne, Germany
• Advisory Board German Employer Association, Wiesbaden, Germany

References

• Speaking engagements in Abu Dhabi, Beijing, Berlin, Brussels, Cologne, Kuala Lumpur, London, Naples, Paris, Rome, Sao Paolo, Seoul, Ulaanbaatar, Tokyo, Vienna, Washington
• Conference Chairs on C4ISR, Cyber, Space, Transformation etc. in Abu Dhabi, Berlin, Brussels, Dubai, London, Paris, Riyadh, Washington, Vienna
• Cooperation Ventures with CSIS, Washington, and Center for Transatlantic Relations, Washington, RAND, Washington
• Government Consultancy in Austria, Germany, Mongolia, Peru and Switzerland
• Industry Consultancy for global market leaders
• Film Consultancy, Interviews and Commentaries in TV, Radio and Print Media

Languages

German, English

Publications (selection)

Europe’s Security Policy – A long-term, comprehensive Perspective” in: Hari Singh and Colin Dürkop, Comprehensive Security in the Asia-Pacific Region, Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Seoul 2010.

Drones for German Foreign and Security Policy?” in: International Relations and Security Network (ISN), Center for Security Studies (CSS) 23 February 2011, ETH Zurich.

Maritime Domain Security. A Key Issue of Network Enabled Capabilities: Principles – Ways – Means” in: International Relations and Security Network (ISN), Center for Security Studies (CSS) 23 February 2011, ETH Zurich.

An Eye on the Future – Future Development of the Luftwaffe“ in: Luftwaffe 2011, CPM Forum, Sankt Augustin 2011.

Making Security Smart“ in: International Relations and Security Network (ISN), Center for Security Studies (CSS) February 2012, ETH Zurich.

On the Reorientation of the Bundeswehr – Meeting the Challenges Ahead“ in: International Relations and Security Network (ISN), Center for Security Studies (CSS) April 2012, ETH Zurich.

Building Maritime Security Situational Awareness“ in: International Relations and Security Network (ISN), Center for Security Studies (CSS) April 2012, ETH Zürich.

Smart Defense in the 21st Century “ in: The Korean Journal of Security Affairs, 17 – 1 June 2012.

EU-NATO-China: Perspectives of a Developing Partnership”, in: New Strategic Challenges for Europe and China, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, Shanghai 2012, pp 6 -20.

Enabling Cooperation via Common Situational Awareness- Pragmatic Considerations on NATO-China Cooperation“, in: International Relations and Security Network (ISN), Center for Security Studies (CSS), March 2013, ETH Zurich.

Operational Cyber: A Global View“, in: The Korean Journal of Security Affairs, Vol 18, No. 2, December 2013, KNDU Seoul und in: International Relations and Security Network (ISN), Center for Security Studies (CSS) April 2013, ETH Zurich.

Strategic Shift towards Asia: A European Perspective“, in: International Relations and Security Network (ISN), Center for Security Studies (CSS), April 2013, ETH Zürich

Building C4ISR capabilities in and for the Gulf“ in: International Relations and Security Network (ISN), Center for Security Studies (CSS), May 2013, ETH Zürich.

Building an Actionable Knowledge Base for Dealing with the Sahel Region and its Particular Challenges“ in: International Relations and Security Network (ISN), Center for Security Studies (CSS), August 2013, ETH Zürich.

A Premium on Organizational and Technological Efficiency: Making the Comprehensive Approach Work“ (Link) in: Kümmel/Giegerich: „The Armed Forces Towards a Post-Interventionist Era?“ Springer VS. July 2013. 203 – 220.

ISR Platforms and the Future of C4ISR Systems Integration in the Gulf” in: International Relations and Security Network (ISN), Center for Security Studies (CSS), May 2014, ETH Zurich.

Partner Desejado – Reflections on Brazilian multilateral Choices in Global Security” in ” International Security: A European-South American Dialogue”, Rio de Janeiro, October 2014.

Challenges and Opportunities in Search-and-Rescue Operations, post-MH370/MH17″ in: International Relations and Security Network (ISN), Center for Security Studies (CSS). October 2014, ETH Zurich.