Michael Brasseur

Chief Strategy Officer, NATO Maritime Unmanned Systems Innovation Advisory Board

Michael D. Brasseur is the chief strategy officer for Saab, Inc. a wholly-owned subsidiary of the leading Swedish defense and security company with an enduring mission to help nations keep their people and society safe. Prior to joining Saab Inc., Michael co-founded and is currently serving as the first Commodore of Task Force 59, Commander, Unmanned & A.I. Integration. Task Force 59 is dedicated to the rapid integration of Unmanned Systems and Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) into Fleet operations to deter malign activity and secure the free flow of commerce in the waters surrounding the Arabian Peninsula. Prior to standing up Task Force 59, he served as Deputy Commodore of Task Force 55.

Before arriving in Bahrain, Michael served as the director for Naval Armaments Cooperation at the U.S. Mission to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the first director of NATO’s “start-up,” the Maritime Unmanned Systems Innovation & Coordination Cell (MUSIC2). MUSIC2 is the key integrator and accelerator for the NATO MUS Initiative (MUSI), which aims to enhance the Alliance’s capabilities through manned/unmanned teaming. Additionally, he launched and co-chairs the NATO Maritime Unmanned Systems Innovation Advisory Board (IAB), which brings together an incredibly diverse and talented group of innovators, leaders and doers from around the world to provide advice to NATO on how best to improve, accelerate and scale the NATO MUS Initiative.

Michael believes collaboration in diverse cross-functional teams is critical to solving complex challenges and has a history of building winning teams across all levels of government, including the White House, Pentagon and NATO. He has commanded two warships (Fort Worth LCS – 3 & Whirlwind PC – 11) and served on four others (Underwood FFG -36, Samuel B. Roberts FFG 58, Shamal PC – 13 & Deyo DD – 989) and sailed the world’s oceans with friends and Allies.

Michael is a graduate of Vanderbilt University (bachelor’s in chemistry), George Washington University (master’s in organizational management) and The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (master’s in international relations) and is an Honorary Practice Fellow at the Imperial College of London’s Institute for Security Science and Technology. His writings on leadership and emerging disruptive technologies have appeared in The Hill, Atlantic Council, Defense News, and the US Naval Institute among other well-respected publications.

Michael grew up on an island, loves the ocean and is happiest when he is in, on or close to the water. He is passionate about protecting our oceans and believes they are primed for innovation.