Kadi Silde

Director of European Engagement, Helsing

Kadi Silde is the Director for European Engagement at Helsing, where her work is focused on Europe´s Eastern Flank, EU and NATO.

Prior to that, she worked in various roles in NATO and the private sector, accelerating defence tech start-ups. She helped set up NATO DIANA (Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic), as Head of the transition team, and subsequently as Chief Operating Officer.

She previously served as Undersecretary for Defence Policy at the Estonian Ministry of Defence in 2019-2022.

She joined the Ministry of Defence in 2008, holding various positions including the director of policy planning. She joined Estonia’s EU Council Presidency team at the Estonian Representation to the EU in 2017, coordinating defence efforts and subsequently worked in the European Commission on defence industry inititatives.