Dr. Florence Gaub is Director of the Research Division at the NATO Defense College in Rome and an expert in geopolitics, international security policy and strategic foresight.
The German-French political scientist focuses on global power shifts, military conflicts and how governments, businesses and societies can prepare for an uncertain future. As former Deputy Director of the European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS), she has extensive experience in analysing international crises and geopolitical developments.
Florence Gaub combines expertise in security policy with futures research, psychology and strategic foresight. In her keynote speeches, she explains how people envision the future, analyse possible developments and influence outcomes through their decisions.
Dr. Florence Gaub – Keynote Topics
- 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
Florence Gaub has spent many years working at the intersection of politics, military affairs and international security. Since May 2023, she has served as Director of the Research Division at the NATO Defense College in Rome. In this role, she oversees strategic research and focuses on international security issues, conflict analysis and long-term geopolitical developments.
From 2018 to 2022, she was Deputy Director of the European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS) in Paris. Previously, she worked there as a senior analyst, focusing on the Middle East, North Africa and European security policy. During her time at EUISS, she developed strategic foresight analyses and expanded the institute’s strategic foresight capabilities. She also served as an adviser on strategic foresight at the European level.
Florence Gaub studied political science and modern history in Munich and Paris. In 2011, she earned her PhD from Humboldt University of Berlin with a dissertation on the Lebanese Armed Forces. She taught at the University of Potsdam and Sciences Po Paris and served as a visiting professor at the College of Europe. From 2012 to 2015, she was a reserve officer in the French Army, holding the rank of Major.
Her academic work covers the geopolitical significance of the Middle East, international conflicts, military strategies and the impact of social and technological developments on the global security order. She has served on various foresight councils of the World Economic Forum and founded the Futurate Institute in 2022.
Alongside her work in security policy, Florence Gaub is particularly interested in the human ability to imagine and shape the future. In her SPIEGEL bestseller “Zukunft. Eine Bedienungsanleitung“ (2023), also published in English as “Future: A User’s Guide“, she combines insights from neuroscience, psychology, philosophy and history. She examines how people develop visions of the future and the role these visions play in personal and societal decision-making.
In “Szenario. Die Zukunft steht auf dem Spiel” (2025), she published another book exploring geopolitical developments and strategic decisions. Through different scenarios, she examines the potential consequences of political decisions for international security and Europe’s future. The book was nominated for the German Non-Fiction Prize 2026 (Deutscher Sachbuchpreis).
In recognition of her contributions to strategic foresight, European security and futures research, Florence Gaub received the Helmut Schmidt Future Prize (Helmut-Schmidt-Zukunftspreis) in 2026.
As an author, academic and speaker, she regularly appears in international media and at conferences. Her keynote speeches address executives, businesses, political institutions and organisations seeking to better understand geopolitical risks and incorporate long-term developments into their strategic decision-making.