About us
We are a team of seasoned experts with extensive experience spanning government, international organizations, and the private sector. Through our collaborative relationships with governments, international organizations, research institutions, and technology providers worldwide, we deliver high-level strategic advice and tailored training programs on international cybersecurity policy and regulation.
Our mission is to help governments, international organizations, and businesses successfully navigate the rapidly evolving cybersecurity and technology landscape by providing the knowledge and capacity needed to design and implement effective policies.
Our founding team — Heli Tiirmaa-Klaar, Christopher Painter, and James A. Lewis — brings unparalleled expertise forged through decades of leadership in government and international institutions. We offer unique insights into the geopolitical dimensions of cybersecurity and cybercrime, as well as the transformative impact of AI and emerging technologies on modern conflict. Our work is grounded in real-world experience, delivering actionable intelligence, strategic guidance, and practical solutions to today’s most complex challenges.
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Heli Tiirmaa-Klaar is a leading voice in international cyber policy and diplomacy, with deep expertise in cybersecurity, cyber defense, and international security policy. Her career spans government and academic leadership roles that have helped shape cyber strategies across international organizations, government agencies, academic institutions, as well as non-profit and private sector organizations. She is an architect of NATO and EU Cyber Strategies, led cyber initiatives at the United Nations Security Council, and established the Estonian national cyber system. Since 2023, she has been chairing the Steering Group of the IT Coalition within the Ukrainian Defence Contact Group. She is also a Visiting Distinguished Fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States and serves on the Board of Directors of the Global Cyber Alliance.
In 2022-2024, she was Director of the Digital Society Institute at the European School of Management and Technology in Berlin. As Ambassador at Large for Cyber Diplomacy at the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2018-21, she led efforts to introduce cyber security on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council, co-chaired the Trust and Security Working Group of the UN Secretary General High-Level Panel on Digital Cooperation, and was a member of 2018-21 UN Group of Governmental Experts on Advancing Responsible State Behaviour in Cyberspace. From 2010-2018, she developed and implemented the European Union’s Cyber Strategies and established EU Cyber Dialogues with the US, China, India, Brazil, Japan, and other international organizations including NATO, OSCE, CoE, OAS, and ASEAN. In 2010-2011, she led NATO Cyber Policy development and negotiations.
Christopher Painter is a pioneering figure in international cybersecurity, widely recognized for his leadership in cyber policy, diplomacy, and the fight against cybercrime over more than three decades. He has been on the vanguard of U.S. and international cyber issues for over thirty years—first as a prosecutor of some of the most high-profile cybercrime cases in the United States, and then as a senior official at the Department of Justice, the FBI, the National Security Council and the State Department.
Since leaving the U.S. government in late 2017, he continues to serve in a number of roles related to cyber issues in addition to performing consulting and advisory work.
He chaired the G8 (later G7) High-Tech Crime Group for over a decade, helping to shape international cooperation on cybercrime. Among many other things, Christopher was president of the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise Foundation, serves on the board of the Center for Internet Security and the Public Sector Advisory Board for Palo Alto Networks, and was a commissioner on the Global Commission for the Stability of Cyberspace.
Dr. James Andrew Lewis is an author whose current work focuses on how to make American foreign policy effective, how innovation changes global competition, and how technology reshapes societies. He drafted the first comprehensive national strategy for cybersecurity and developed groundbreaking policies for satellites, semiconductors, telecommunications, and internet policy. James leads a long-running Track 1.5 dialogue between the U.S. and China on cybersecurity and espionage. At the direction of the UN GGE Chairs, he drafted the 2010, 2013, and 2015 UN Reports that led to global agreement on Norms for Responsible State Behavior in cyberspace.
His government service included assignments to insurgencies in Central America, the intervention in Panama, and the first Gulf War. He was a delegate to the Cambodia peace talks, the P-5 talks on conventional arms transfers, and the negotiations that created the Wassenaar Arrangement. Jim co-drafted the text of the Wassenaar Arrangement.
He directed the first substantial redrafting of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. In support of national intelligence programs, he created policies and regulations liberalizing exports of encryption and reconnaissance satellites.
Heli Tiirmaa-Klaar is a leading voice in international cyber policy and diplomacy, with deep expertise in cybersecurity, cyber defense, and international security policy. Her career spans government and academic leadership roles that have helped shape cyber strategies across international organizations, government agencies, academic institutions, as well as non-profit and private sector organizations. She is an architect of NATO and EU Cyber Strategies, led cyber initiatives at the United Nations Security Council, and established the Estonian national cyber system. Since 2023, she has been chairing the Steering Group of the IT Coalition within the Ukrainian Defence Contact Group. She is also a Visiting Distinguished Fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States and serves on the Board of Directors of the Global Cyber Alliance.
In 2022-2024, she was Director of the Digital Society Institute at the European School of Management and Technology in Berlin. As Ambassador at Large for Cyber Diplomacy at the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2018-21, she led efforts to introduce cyber security on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council, co-chaired the Trust and Security Working Group of the UN Secretary General High-Level Panel on Digital Cooperation, and was a member of 2018-21 UN Group of Governmental Experts on Advancing Responsible State Behaviour in Cyberspace. From 2010-2018, she developed and implemented the European Union’s Cyber Strategies and established EU Cyber Dialogues with the US, China, India, Brazil, Japan, and other international organizations including NATO, OSCE, CoE, OAS, and ASEAN. In 2010-2011, she led NATO Cyber Policy development and negotiations.
Christopher Painter is a pioneering figure in international cybersecurity, widely recognized for his leadership in cyber policy, diplomacy, and the fight against cybercrime over more than three decades. He has been on the vanguard of U.S. and international cyber issues for over thirty years—first as a prosecutor of some of the most high-profile cybercrime cases in the United States, and then as a senior official at the Department of Justice, the FBI, the National Security Council and the State Department.
Since leaving the U.S. government in late 2017, he continues to serve in a number of roles related to cyber issues in addition to performing consulting and advisory work.
He chaired the G8 (later G7) High-Tech Crime Group for over a decade, helping to shape international cooperation on cybercrime. Among many other things, Christopher was president of the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise Foundation, serves on the board of the Center for Internet Security and the Public Sector Advisory Board for Palo Alto Networks, and was a commissioner on the Global Commission for the Stability of Cyberspace.
Dr. James Andrew Lewis is an author whose current work focuses on how to make American foreign policy effective, how innovation changes global competition, and how technology reshapes societies. He drafted the first comprehensive national strategy for cybersecurity and developed groundbreaking policies for satellites, semiconductors, telecommunications, and internet policy. James leads a long-running Track 1.5 dialogue between the U.S. and China on cybersecurity and espionage. At the direction of the UN GGE Chairs, he drafted the 2010, 2013, and 2015 UN Reports that led to global agreement on Norms for Responsible State Behavior in cyberspace.
His government service included assignments to insurgencies in Central America, the intervention in Panama, and the first Gulf War. He was a delegate to the Cambodia peace talks, the P-5 talks on conventional arms transfers, and the negotiations that created the Wassenaar Arrangement. Jim co-drafted the text of the Wassenaar Arrangement.
He directed the first substantial redrafting of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. In support of national intelligence programs, he created policies and regulations liberalizing exports of encryption and reconnaissance satellites.
Analysis
Our analysis leverages deep expertise in cybersecurity and technology policy to evaluate the adequacy and effectiveness of policies, organizational structures, and regulatory frameworks at national and international levels. We deliver in-depth assessments that identify gaps, benchmark against global standards, and provide actionable recommendations to enhance resilience, compliance, and strategic alignment.
Customised Training Programs
We develop and deliver tailored training programs for government officials, diplomats, military personnel, law enforcement and cybersecurity professionals. We provide unique insights on topics such as cyber diplomacy, international law, cyberwarfare, emerging and disruptive technologies, critical infrastructure protection, combating cybercrime, and designing policies needed for cyber resilience.
Expert Advisory
We provide strategic guidance on cybersecurity and tech policy development and implementation, conduct adequacy assessments and analyses of policy, organizations, and regulation at the national and international levels.
Additionally, we assist in the development and implementation of international cybersecurity cooperation frameworks, and advise on responses to international cyber events.
Projects
Our analysis leverages deep expertise in cybersecurity and technology policy to evaluate the adequacy and effectiveness of policies, organizational structures, and regulatory frameworks at national and international levels. We deliver indepth assessments that identify gaps, benchmark against global standards, and provide actionable recommendations to enhance resilience, compliance, and strategic alignment.
Cyber Policy Group
Enabling cyber statecraft for a secure digital future
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