Prof. Dr. Anita Abbott
Prof. Dr. Anita Abbott is the Patron and Chair of the Asia-Pacific Security Innovation (APSI) Forum, a New Zealand–based organization dedicated to strengthening strategic partnerships, alliances, and international relations across the Asia-Pacific region.
As the patron of APSI Forum, she brings together diplomats, military and security leaders, academics, and private-sector innovators to examine emerging threats and develop forward-looking security frameworks.
Beyond her leadership at the APSI Forum, she lectures at Charisma University.
Her earlier academic and professional engagements include a research fellowship at the NATO Defence College, underscoring her deep familiarity with defence and security policy environments.
She has published over 40 articles, several books, and numerous book chapters, as well as strategic briefs for partners, sponsors, and clients. Her work focuses on strategic foresight in geopolitics, military alliances, and early-warning analysis, bridging research, strategy, and actionable insight for decision-makers and institutions.
Her first book introduced a model of educational sovereignty in international negotiation. Her second book, published by Palgrave Macmillan, explores how countries such as Indonesia negotiate to maintain sovereignty in education. Her later works focus on the application of strategic foresight to global security and policy development.
MGen Gert-Johannes Hagemann (Ret)
Major General Gert-Johannes Hagemann retired as active military September 2020, after having served almost 43 years as a Paratrooper and Infantryman in the German Army. He joined APSI Forum in 2020.
Between 2016 and 2020 he was the Deputy Commander of Headquarters Rapid Reaction Corps in Lille, France. This NATO certified headquarters is a purpose-built organization, designed to handle the complexity of military operations of the early twenty-first century. The HQ is able to command a national or multinational force of between 15,000 and 60,000 personnel.
Prior to this appointment Major General (Ret) Hagemann was Commander of the Infantry School and the Infantry Training Center in Hammelburg, Germany and the General and Director of the German Infantry, Paratrooper and Mountain Infantry. From 2011 to 2013 he was the twelfth Commander of the German-French Brigade in Müllheim, Germany, after having served as the German Regional Commander of NATO’s Training Mission Afghanistan 2010 to 2011.
His operational experience and theatre expertise cover additionally the Balkans, Iraq, Somalia, Lebanon, Djibouti, Chad, Central African Republic and Mali. Major General (Ret) Hagemann is decorated with various German, Belgian, U.S., French and NATO medals and was made a member of the French Légion d’Honneur. His fellowships include associations in Norway and Switzerland.
His academic expertise stretches from University studies (graduation in macroeconomics and business management, summa cum laude) to post- graduate studies and courses in Germany and Belgium, covering a wide array of topics in Military Affairs, Defence and Security, Politics, History and Social Science.
Lt Gen Francesco Diella (Ret)
Francesco Diella is an Army Corps General (in auxiliary) of the Italian Army. During the 44 years of his military career, he has carried out all the command positions as a Counter-aircraft Artillery Officer, as well as important assignments at the Army General Staff and the Defense General Staff, where he dealt with the reorganization of the Army and the rationalization of the Defense. Among the other prestigious positions he held, he was Commander of the Italian Contingent in Operation "ALTHEA" of the European Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Deputy Chief of Staff/Head of the Military Civil Advisory Division and Senior National Representative in Kosovo as part of the NATO KFOR mission, and Director of the Cooperative Security Division of the International Military Staff at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, where he dealt with the development and implementation of the Atlantic Alliance's military cooperation policy for security, cooperating with Alliance Partner Nations, International Organizations (OUN, EU and AU) and Non-Governmental Organizations.
Lt. Gen. Leonard (Leo) Kosinski (Ret)
Lt. Gen. (ret) Leonard (Leo) Kosinski served for 31 years as a commissioned officer after graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy and completed his pinnacle assignment as Director for Logistics, Joint Staff, where he was responsible for integrating logistics planning and execution in support of global operations for the U.S. Department of Defense. Leo is the Chief Strategy Officer at Air Space Intelligence (ASI), an American software-first aerospace and defense company whose solutions power critical decision-support in the most demanding, fast-paced domains -- from air traffic management, to energy distribution, to military logistics. He was an Olmsted Scholar in Japan and holds multiple advanced degrees, including a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering from Texas A&M University, a Master of Business Administration focusing on International Corporate Strategy from Hitotsubashi University, and a Master of Arts in International Relations from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. He is also Senior Fellow at National Defense University where he mentors senior military and civilian leaders on contested logistics, supply chains, Defense Industrial Base, and international/multinational operations.
MGen Constantin-Adrian CIOLPONEA
Major General Constantin-Adrian Ciolponea currently serves as the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT) Representative in Europe and a permanent member of the NATO Military Committee, a position he has held since 2023. In this capacity, he ensures a continuous conceptual, doctrinal, and operational bridge between Allied Command Transformation (ACT) and NATO Headquarters, covering a wide spectrum of domains including defense planning, policy, integration, strategies, doctrine, and innovation projects.
A distinguished officer commissioned in 1988 after graduating from the Military School for Officers in Sibiu, Major General Ciolponea has served in numerous command and staff positions in Romania and abroad. His career includes leadership of elite special operations units such as the 1st Special Operations Battalion, 1st Special Operations Regiment, and the 6th Special Operations Brigade, where he planned, participated in, or commanded more than 40 NATO and joint international exercises. He has also held key leadership roles such as Deputy Commander of the Multinational Corps South-East (DCOM MNC-SE), Deputy Land Forces Commander for Training and Operations, and Special Advisor to the Minister of Defense.
His international experience spans several missions, including serving as a UN Military Observer in the Democratic Republic of Congo (2000–2001) and as a staff officer in Afghanistan and Kosovo. Between 2017 and 2021, he represented Romania as the National Military Representative to Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium, where he worked closely with multiple NATO leaders and was later recognized with the Serge Lazzareff Prize for his exceptional contributions as Dean of the National Military Representatives.
Major General Ciolponea holds advanced degrees from the National Defense University (Romania), the Naval Postgraduate School (Monterey, USA), and the U.S. National War College, and has completed numerous international programs including the Army Rangers Course (USA), Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict Program, and Advanced Security Studies at the George C. Marshall European Center. He is currently pursuing a PhD at the National Defense University Bucharest with a dissertation on Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) integration in future military operations.
An accomplished researcher and lecturer, he has authored multiple academic articles and studies on special operations, hybrid warfare, cyber situational awareness, and emerging defense technologies, published in the Land Forces Academy Review and the Review of the Air Force Academy Henri Coandă. He has also been a keynote speaker and panelist at major international conferences, including the Counter-UAS Technology Europe Conference, Future Soldier Technology Conference, European Parliament C-UAS Working Group, and the European Defense Agency Drone Development Conference.
Throughout his distinguished service, Major General Ciolponea has received numerous decorations and honors, including the United Nations Medal, The Army Achievement Medal, The Army Commendation Medal, Romanian Army Honor Emblem, Land Forces Emblem of Honor, Aerial and Naval Forces Emblems of Honor, and the National Order “Military Virtue” in the rank of Knight. His lifelong dedication to defense transformation, innovation, and NATO interoperability reflects a career marked by professionalism, leadership, and a deep commitment to international security and cooperation.
Colonel Arnel P. David
Colonel Arnel P. David is a Distinguished Military Graduate of Valley Forge Military College’s ROTC Early Commissioning Program. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the Florida Army National Guard in 1998 and joined active duty in 2000.
After company command in the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) he transitioned to Civil Affairs after completing the US Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School Civil Affairs Qualification and Regional Analysis Course. In 2017, COL David completed a final transition to become a Functional Area 59 – Army Strategist.
He is currently the Director of Task Force Maven, focused on implementing Palantir’s Maven Smart System across NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) and Allied Command Operations. He was formerly the Strategic Initiatives Group (SIG) Director in the NATO SHAPE. He previously served as the DACOS G5 for the NATO Allied Rapid Reaction Corps and just prior he was the US Special Advisor to the Chief of General Staff of the British Army (UK 4-Star General). He served as the Chief of Staff for the Army Future Studies Group in Washington D.C. under General Mark A. Milley where he led the group to build Army Futures Command. COL David redeployed in 2017 from Afghanistan where he served as the Commander’s Initiatives Group Chief for the Special Operations Joint Task Force – Afghanistan (SOJTF-A). Prior to this deployment he served as a fellow in the Chief of Staff of the Army’s Strategic Studies Group.
COL David deployed routinely on overseas contingency operations to the Middle East, Southwest Asia, Central Asia, and Pacific. He was awarded a legion of merit medal, two bronze star medals, four meritorious service medals, the defense meritorious service medal, and the combat action badge, amongst other commendations.
In 2016 he was awarded the State of Florida Citizen Life Saving Award by the Governor of Florida. In 2022, he was recognized by the Queen of England in her majesty’s Platinum Jubilee Birthday Honours for his innovative efforts in the British Army.
COL David is a Distinguished Graduate of the Joint Advanced Warfighting School (JAWS) and other military education includes the Infantry Captain’s Career Course, Combined Arms Services and Staff School, Special Warfare Center & School, Resident Intermediate Level Education, Defense Strategy Course, Airborne School, Air Assault School, SERE-C High Risk, and Pathfinder School. His civilian education consists of a Master of Science in Joint Campaign Planning and Strategy from the National Defense University (awarded NDU Scholar designation with honors), Master of Arts & Science from the Command and General Staff College’s Local Dynamics of War Scholar Program, Master’s Degree in International Relations from the University of Oklahoma, and a Bachelor Degree in International Relations from the University of North Florida. He recently completed an Artificial Intelligence Programme at the Saïd Business School in the University of Oxford and is a PhD candidate at King’s College London.
He frequently writes and publishes pieces featured in Foreign Policy, Real Clear Defense, Military Strategy Magazine, and War on the Rocks. His books include Military Strategy in the 21st Century: People, Connectivity, and Competition and Warrior Diplomats: Civil Affairs Forces on the Front Lines.
Colonel Grant Newsham, USMCR (Ret)
EDUCATION: University of California, Los Angeles – School of Law (Juris Doctorate); Principia College, IL (B.A.)
CAREER: Col. Newsham is a retired US Marine Colonel and was the first US Marine Liaison Officer to the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. In that role he was instrumental in developing Japan’s amphibious capability. Col. Newsham previously served as the reserve G2 (intelligence) and G5 (plans and policy) at Marine Forces Pacific Headquarters in Honolulu covering the entire Asia-Pacific region, and also served on two occasions as the US Marine Attaché, US Embassy Tokyo. He has testified before Congress.
Col. Newsham has nearly 40 years involvement with the Indo-Pacific. He lived in Tokyo for more than twenty years and worked for over a decade as an executive director at Morgan Stanley Japan and also spent several years with Motorola Japan/Korea. He is also a former US Foreign Service Officer – with work covering a number of regions – including East and South Asia, and specializing in insurgency, counter-insurgency, and commercial matters.
Col. Newsham is an attorney with experience in international trade and public international law. He is often interviewed and published by a variety of media outlets, and he speaks regularly at a variety of forums on Asian defense, economic, and political matters.
He spent 2019 in Taiwan as a MOFA-sponsored Taiwan Fellow researching options for improving Taiwan’s defense. He is a Senior Research Fellow for the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies in Tokyo and the Center for Security Policy in Washington, D.C.
His book When China Attacks: A Warning to America (Regnery, 2023) was an Amazon bestseller.
OTHER: Formerly Member, World Economic Forum, Transnational Crime Sub-Committee; Co-chair, DC Bar International Trade Committee.
Gabriel Joel P. Honrada, PhD.
Education: PhD in International Relations, Master's in International Relations, People's Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, De La Salle University – Dasmariñas.
Career Summary: Gabriel has been a Distinguished Research Fellow for Asia Pacific Security Initiatives (APSI) since December 2024, and since January 2022, he has been working as a Senior Security Correspondent covering defense and military developments in the Indo-Pacific Region for Asia Times (AT), a Hong Kong-based online newspaper.
Prior to holding those positions, he was an Assistant Lecturer at RUDN University from February 2022 to August 2024, handling courses for international students such as Security Developments in the Asia Pacific Region, Global Governance, and South-South Cooperation.
Before studying in Russia, Gabriel worked as a Defense Analyst for the Philippine Navy (PN) from April 2013 to November 2018, being instrumental in providing information support to higher organizational decision-making in terms of policy and strategy.
He also worked as a Junior Researcher for Rappler, a Philippine online news website, from November 2012 to March 2013.
Brett Murphy
Brett Murphy has worked with the Asia Pacific Security Innovation Forum as Media and Communications Specialist since 2019.
He worked for 15 years in broadcast journalism for both NewsHub (Radio Live) and the Australian Press Association as an employee and freelancer working on both radio stories and online articles.
Brett completed a Bachelor of the Arts degree with a double major in History and Media Studies obtained at Massey University. He also holds a diploma in Broadcasting and Communication in journalism from the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology.
Professor Stephen Nagy
Professor of politics and international studies at the International Christian University in Tokyo and concurrently a visiting fellow for the Hungarian Institute for International Affairs (HIIA) and a Distinguished Fellow at the Corvinus Institute for Advanced Studies (CIAS). He holds strategic appointments as Senior Fellow at the MacDonald Laurier Institute, Research Fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, and Visiting Fellow at the Japan Institute for International Affairs. His expertise is further recognized through affiliations with the Institute for Security and Development Policy, the East Asia Security Centre, and the Research Institute for Peace and Security. From 2017-2020, he served as Distinguished Fellow at the Asia Pacific Foundation. His forthcoming monograph is entitled: “Navigating U.S. China Strategic Competition: Japan as an International Adaptor Middle Power.” (Link to Dr. Stephen R. Nagy website: https://nagystephen.com/).
Professor of Politics and International Studies, International Christian University (ICU)
Senior Fellow, MacDonald Laurier Institute Senior Fellow, Asia Pacific Foundation Fellow, Canadian Global Affairs Institute
Visiting Fellow, Japan Institute for International Affairs (JIIA)
Director of Policy Studies, Yokosuka Council of Asia Pacific Studies (YCAPS)
Associated Research Fellow, Institute for Security & Development Policy(ISDP)
2018 AIF Fellow, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
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Simon O’Connor
Simon O’Connor is a former Member of Parliament (2011-2023), and was Chair of the Foreign Affairs, Defence, and Trade Committee. Prior to that he chaired the Health Committee.
He keeps a particular interest in foreign affairs and defence matters. Recently, it was made public that he was the target of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) hacking attempts and also named in a Hong Kong court case for supporting human rights and democracy activists. He was the inaugural New Zealand co-chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) and now is a Director of it's global alumni network.
He currently runs a small consultancy providing strategic, media, and political advice to a range of clients. He also hosts a weekly online show with Reality Check Radio, writes a regular column on Substack called On Point, and provides commentary on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Simon has a number of degrees from the University of Auckland, including a Masters in Political Philosophy and a Bachelors Degree in Theology.
When not with clients, on radio or providing commentary, he can be found in the garden or renovating his family’s home.
Rodger Baker
Rodger Baker is Senior Vice President for Strategic Analysis for Stratfor, a RANE company. He has spent more than two decades with Stratfor focused on the Indo-Pacific region, with special attention to China and the Korean Peninsula. He addresses the strategic dynamics of an evolving world system, looking at great power competition, the role of middle powers, and the impacts of technological, environmental, and demographic changes on geopolitical relationships. His core emphasis is the multidisciplinary approach to geopolitics and the evolution of international relations to develop mid-and long-term forecasts to assist companies, governments, and other globally engaged organizations make informed decisions. Mr. Baker is a Senior Fellow at the George H. W. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations, a Steering Fellow for the Mackinder Forum, and teaches a certificate program in Geopolitical Analysis at Florida Atlantic University.
TENZIN PHUNTSOK DORING
MR TENZIN PHUNTSOK DORING was born on 26th July 1985. He completed his Master of Philosophy in political science from Madras Christian College. He was a member of the organizing committee of the all-India Tibetan student uprising and was the chief coordinator of the 3rd Tibetan College Students Conference in 2009. He has also worked as the General-Secretary & executive committee member of the National Democratic Party of Tibet.
He has also worked as an assistant researcher at the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy and as an English researcher at the Tibet Watch. In 2019, he was elected President and executive committee member of the Queensland Tibetan Community. Mr. Phuntsok is currently a member of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile from Australasia and Asia (excluding India, Nepal, and Bhutan).
Chase Blazek
Chase Blazek is an Asia-Pacific Analyst at RANE, where he focuses on Chinese policy and the geopolitical impacts of China's rise, as well as the shifting business and security landscapes in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Prior to joining RANE, he served with the Foreign Commercial Service at the U.S. Consulate in Chengdu, China, and worked as a Southeast Asia market analyst for the US-ASEAN Business Council. Chase holds a bachelor's degree in Computer Science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a master's degree in International Affairs from the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University.
Captain Yuki Bito, PhD
Captain Yuki Bito is a Japan Maritime Self-Defense (JMSDF) officer. She joined the JMSDF in 1996. She was commissioned and served on JS Kashima (TV 3508) during a training cruise in 1997. As a JMSDF officer, her duty assignments as an air traffic controller include Air Station Atsugi and Air Traffic Control Service Group in Atsugi Air Base. She also served as an aide to Administrative Vice-Minister of Ministry of Defense (MOD), a foreign liaison officer at Maritime Staff Office (MSO), a staff member of Defense Intelligence Headquarters (DIH), a faculty member of the Maritime Command and Staff College in Tokyo, and Director of 2 nd Department of the 2 nd Maritime Service School.. In the US, she served as a liaison officer/military professor at the U.S. Naval War College for four years. She attended Sophia University, earning a Bachelor of Engineering in Chemistry (1996). She also attended the National Defense Academy of Japan, in Yokosuka, Japan, and holds a Masters of Security Studies in International Security (2009), and holds PhD in International Security Studies, Takushoku University (2022).
Andy Foster
Andy is a New Zealand First List MP based in Wellington. He is currently the Chairperson of the Transport & Infrastructure Select Committee and a member of the Governance & Administration Select Committee.
As one of New Zealand’s most experienced local government politicians, Andy brings an exceptional level of professional and governance experience to parliament. A former Wellington Mayor, Andy has also served on various boards, and prior to this had a background in investment finance, taught economics and was a Parliamentary researcher.
Andy is recognised for his leadership in transport, urban planning, and finance. He spearheaded the world leading restoration of Wellington’s natural environment and is well known for his long-term involvement in Zealandia eco-sanctuary.
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