Defence & Intelligence

Theme: The Future of Defence: Intelligence-Driven, Tech-Powered, and Geopolitically Aware

Summit

30 April - 1 May 2026

 
 

Agenda

30 April 2026

0930 - 0940
Welcome Address
Lt Gen AKS Chandele, PVSM, AVSM, PhD (Retd)
Lt Gen AKS Chandele, PVSM, AVSM, PhD (Retd)

President - Defence
Internal Security & Public Safety
India

0940 - 1030
Panel Discussion 1: The Evolving Global Geopolitical Security Paradigm
Ian Spencer

Session Chair

Ian Spencer

Director, Defence Geographic Centre, Cyber & Specialist Operations Command
UK MOD
England

Emlyn Hagen
Emlyn Hagen

Director Defense & Intelligence - Europe
NV5 Geospatial
Germany

Michael Zinkanell-Suss, M.A.
Michael Zinkanell-Suss, M.A.

Director
Austrian Institute For European and Security Policy
Austria

Juraj Majcin
Juraj Majcin

Policy Analyst
European Policy Centre
Brussels

1030 - 1140
Panel Discussion 2: Navigating the Battlefield: The Power of Geospatial Technologies

Session Highlight

  • Accelerates the development of command-and-control systems, UAVs, sensors, also satellites..
  • Drives innovation and domestic manufacturing
  • It supports those mission-critical applications because it precisely targets and maps threats.
Gunter Schreier

Session Chair

Gunter Schreier

EO Consultant & Former Deputy Director
German Remote Sensing Centre, German Aerospace Centre (DLR)
Germany

Joshua Campbell
Joshua Campbell

Senior Engineer (IMINT/GeoINT)
NATO NCIA
The Netherlands

Colin Wellborn
Colin Wellborn

Senior Director of Business Development, Geospatial Services and Solutions (GSS)
General Dynamics Information Technology, Inc
Washington, D.C.

Jara Villanueva
Jara Villanueva

Lead of the Centre of Sustainability and Resilience
European Space Policy Institute (ESPI)
Austria

Aurelien Debievre
Aurelien Debievre

Head of Defence Product Marketing
TomTom
France

Michal Bylicki
Michal Bylicki

Tender Sales & Account Management Director
CloudFerro
Poland

Michal Bylicki is Sales Director at CloudFerro, Europe's leading provider of sovereign, secure cloud computing and digital data services for Space and Defence, where he leads sales activities related to complex, institutional tenders and strategic customer relationships. He works with technology partners and public-sector stakeholders, involved in the large-scale, data-driven projects, geospatial and Earth-observation ecosystems based on secure cloud platforms.

1140 - 1330
Networking Coffee Break Followed by Lunch
1330 - 1445
Panel Discussion 3: Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT): The Backbone of Multi-Domain Operations

Session Highlight

  • It can deliver real-time battlefield awareness. It does so over land, air, sea, cyber, and space.
  • Supports coordination of joint operations in contested and complex environments.
  • Enhances command decisions through layered, location-based intelligence.
Mihaela Sorostinean

Session Chair

Mihaela Sorostinean

Deputy Head, GEOINT & Space Services Section
NATO Headquarters
Belgium

Lt Gen Cornelis Johannes (Kees) Matthijssen (Retd)
Lt Gen Cornelis Johannes (Kees) Matthijssen (Retd)

Former UN Commander
MINUSMA, Mali
The Netherlands

Lt Col Amandeep Singh
Lt Col Amandeep Singh

Indian Army

Dimitri Sarafinof
Dimitri Sarafinof

Defense Policy Officer
Institut national de l'information geéographique et forestieére (IGN)
France

Robert Kerby
Robert Kerby

Director, Business Development - Defence & Intelligence
Planet
England

Martin Pentier
Martin Pentier

Geospatial Sales Manager, Defence and Space - Intelligence
Airbus
France

1445 - 1550
Panel Discussion 4: Sovereign Space & Geospatial Assets

Session Highlight

  • Sovereign GNSS and EO systems are essential for national security.
  • Reduced reliance on foreign data infrastructure.
  • Enables real-time surveillance, secure PNT and strategic autonomy.
Angela Baker

Session Chair

Angela Baker

Head of Operations & Data
Eurogeographics
England

Crista Huisman
Crista Huisman

Deputy Head, Space Division
European External Action Service
Brussels

Gopika Suresh
Gopika Suresh

CSO & Head of Products
Marble Imaging
Germany

Andre Parris
Andre Parris

Chief Commercial Officer
Aistech Space
Spain

Narayan Prasad
Narayan Prasad

Chief Operating Officer
Sat Search
The Netherlands

1550 - 1615
Networking Coffee Break
1615 - 1655
Panel Discussion 5: Network-Centric Warfare and Data Centricity

Session Highlight

  • Links sensors, platforms, and decision-makers in a unified digital ecosystem.
  • Enables rapid data sharing for coordinated and adaptive combat responses.
  • Increases situational awareness, force agility, and mission effectiveness.
V. S. Subrahmanian
V. S. Subrahmanian

Walter P. Murphy Professor of Computer Science; Buffet Faculty Fellow
Northwestern University
USA

Col (Dr) Anupam Tiwari
Col (Dr) Anupam Tiwari

Indian Army

Pieter Decker
Pieter Decker

Director, GEOINT Requirements and Capabilities
Raytheon Air & Space Defense Systems
USA

1700 - 1715
Closing Remarks

1 May 2026

0930 - 0940
Welcome
0940 - 1040
Opening Session
0940 - 1000
Keynote Address - Future of Warfare
Col Patrick Bolder
Col Patrick Bolder

Strategic Advisor, Defence and Security
The Hague Centre of Strategic Studies
The Netherlands

1000 - 1040
Special Address - GeoIntelligence Enabling Maritime Security
Vice Admiral Ben Bekkering (Retd)
Vice Admiral Ben Bekkering (Retd)

Former Deputy Head
Royal Netherlands Navy
The Netherlands

Martin Cauchi Inglott
Martin Cauchi Inglott

Project Director
EU Crimario
Belgium

1040 - 1130
Panel Discussion 1: Rise of UAS & C-UAS Systems

Session Highlight

  • Supports sovereign design, production, and control of unmanned platforms.
  • Swarm drones for adaptability, redundancy and versatility.
  • Expands surveillance, strike and logistics capabilities in high-risk zones.
Lt Gen AKS Chandele, PVSM, AVSM, PhD (Retd)

Session Chair

Lt Gen AKS Chandele, PVSM, AVSM, PhD (Retd)

President - Defence
Internal Security & Public Safety
India

Col Harinderjit Singh
Col Harinderjit Singh

Indian Army

Lt Col Amandeep Singh
Lt Col Amandeep Singh

Indian Army

1130 - 1215
Panel Discussion 2: Cyber-Geospatial Convergence: Shielding Digital Borders

Session Highlight

  • Protects geospatial systems and satellite infrastructure from cyberattacks.
  • Enables location-based cybersecurity for critical defence networks.
  • Integrates cyber and GEOINT to counter hybrid and asymmetric threats.
V. S. Subrahmanian

Session Chair

V. S. Subrahmanian

Walter P. Murphy Professor of Computer Science; Buffet Faculty Fellow
Northwestern University
USA

Col Mikko Punnala (Retd)
Col Mikko Punnala (Retd)

CEO
SharpNav
Finland

Col (Dr) Anupam Tiwari
Col (Dr) Anupam Tiwari

Indian Army

1215 - 1230
Valedictory Session
1230 - 1330
Networking Coffee Break Followed by Lunch

Overview

Geospatial technologies are transforming defence capabilities by enabling real-time situational awareness, strategic autonomy, and secure operations across land, air, sea, space and cyber domains. Sovereign GNSS and EO systems reduce reliance on foreign infrastructure. GEOINT supports multi-domain operations with precision intelligence. Network-centric warfare links sensors, platforms, and decision-makers for agile, coordinated responses. The rise of UAS and C-UAS enhances surveillance, strike, and logistics in high-risk zones. Meanwhile, cyber-geospatial convergence protects critical infrastructure. The summit will explore these evolving defence applications, fostering dialogue on innovation, sovereignty, and strategic resilience.

Target Segments

Armed Forces Officers Defence Industry CEOs Start-up/ innovators Ministry of Economic Affairs National Space Agencies Cyber Command Officers AI Defence Researchers Legal/Ethics Experts Cross-border Alliance Representatives (e.g., NATO, EU Defence Agency) Intelligence Coordinator