I am Daniel Fiott, an Assistant Professor at the Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy (CSDS) at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), where I head the Defence and Statecraft Programme. I am also a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Real Instituto Elcano in Madrid. My work focuses on European security and defence, with particular expertise in defence-industrial policy, military-technology strategy and EU security and defence cooperation.
I previously served as a Senior Analyst at the EU Institute for Security Studies (2016–2022), where I played a central role in shaping policy debates on European defence, including through contributions to the EU Global Strategy and assisting in the drafting of the EU’s Strategic Compass. I have also held positions at the University of Kent (2018-2022) and the College of Europe (2009-2012). Across my career, I have advised EU institutions, NATO bodies, national governments and international organisations and have led or contributed to numerous commissioned studies for the European Parliament, the European Commission, NATO and defence ministries.
I am the author of the monograph Defence Industrial Cooperation in the EU (Routledge) and have published extensively in leading peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of Common Market Studies, Journal of European Integration, European Security and The Journal of Strategic Studies. I have also edited major collective volumes and Chaillot Papers on European security and sovereignty. I have published over 250 papers and serve on various scientific and selection committees for European institutions and national research councils, and I have reviewed widely for top international journals.
I received my PhD in political science from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel with the support of a scholarship from the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO). I also earned an MPhil in International Relations from the University of Cambridge.
Consultancy and Advice
Drawing on a distinguished professional record in European security and defence policy, I offer high-level consultancy and advisory services to governments, EU institutions, defence ministries, industry leaders and research organisations navigating an increasingly complex strategic environment. My expertise spans European defence integration, capability development, defence industrial strategy, innovation governance and emerging technologies. I provide strategic assessments of defence industrial ecosystems, analysis of EU and NATO frameworks, guidance on collaborative capability programmes and tailored advice on aligning national or corporate priorities with European funding instruments and regulatory structures. Combining analytical rigour with policy relevance, I translate policy and institutional complexity into clear, actionable strategy.
Clients benefit from my ability to bridge policy, industry and research communities, delivering concise strategic guidance grounded in real political dynamics. My services include executive briefings, confidential advisory sessions, speech drafting, scenario-based exercises, market entry strategies, consortium-building support for EU-funded projects and defence innovation road mapping. In a security landscape shaped by heightened geopolitical competition, war on the European continent and accelerating technological change, I can provide the strategic foresight and institutional fluency necessary to anticipate risk, seize opportunity and position organisations effectively within Europe’s evolving defence architecture.
Contact me: fiottadvisory [at] gmail.com
Daniel Fiott 