Associate Research Group Director, Defence, Security, and Infrastructure, RAND Europe

Head of the Centre for Futures and Foresight Studies

Giacomo Persi Paoli is a research leader at RAND Europe, in the Defence, Security and Infrastructure Group where he leads the National Security and Resilience research portfolio. Since joining RAND Europe, Giacomo contributed to several research projects for high profile clients such as the United Nations, NATO, the European Commission, the European Defence Agency, the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders, the UK Army, the UK MOD and the Australian Navy. His areas of expertise span the defence and security domain, with recent work covering counter-terrorism, maritime security, border security, risk analysis, arms control and defence market analysis. Prior to joining RAND Europe, Giacomo served 14 years as warfare officer of the Italian Navy with operational experience in maritime interdiction operations, including counter-piracy in the Horn of Africa and immigration surveillance and rescue in the South Mediterranean. Finally, He also conducted research and analysis work on illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons and related counter-measures for the United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs (New York, USA), the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (Geneva, Switzerland), and Small Arms Survey (Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva, Switzerland). Giacomo received his Ph.D. in economic theory and institutions from the University of Roma Tor Vergata (Italy).