Senior Researchers

Niko is a young professional in the field of international relations and policy making. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Languages and International Relations from the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Italy, and a MA in International Relations with Political Strategy and Communication from the Brussels School of International Studies (University of Kent), which he achieved with a compelling dissertation on the effects of the use of national identity in the Greek-EU negotiations of 2015 and awarded his degree with Distinction.
His strongest theoretical expertise ranges from linguistics to foreign policy analysis, and from cross-cultural negotiations to discourse analysis. He applies the theoretical tools to provide close insights on Mediterranean, European and Latin American relations, the effects of national identity on international relations, the role of non-state actors in foreign policy making, cultural diplomacy and transformative mediation as a peaceful tool for conflict resolution.
Niko collaborates with Katoikos.eu as a writer and commentator on foreign policy. Besides, he also participates in NGOs that promote democracy and transparency by advising communication and lobbying strategies, and has been collaborating as fundraiser and facilitator for Cometa ASMME, an Italian NGO fostering research and assistance on metabolic disorders. He has also worked in the international law firm Todarello & Partners (Milan, Italy), which enabled him to do legal research and refine bargaining skills. Apart from Italian, he is fluent in English, Spanish, Greek and has a fair understanding of French, while is learning Arabic. Niko is also a polyhedral musician and plays four instruments excellently. Since late 2016 he collaborates with KEDISA as an analyst.

Evangelos holds a BSc in Political Science & History from Panteion University of Social & Political Sciences in Greece. He also holds an MA in International Relations from the University of Manchester. His MA dissertation focused on several UN Peace Operations regarding the Protection of Civilians (POC) issues and how they have transformed since 1999. His area of interests includes issues such as International Terrorism, Security & Defence and Political issues. In 2010, he worked as an intern in the Hellenic Parliament. Since 2013, he joined a UK-based NGO, PEPAIDS, alleviating poverty and HIV/AIDS in Zambia, as a volunteer Researcher and Consultant developing several research papers, drafting a proposal to obtain funding for a new project and facilitated several meetings to monitor existing and develop new policies for the NGO. Recently, he joined the Security & Defence Analysis Institute’s (i-sda) Southeastern Europe Intelligence Unit as a Research Analyst on Defence & Security issues. He is currently working at ASPIDA Corp. as an Intelligence Analyst & Advisor on international Geopolitical & Maritime Security related issues. He speaks Greek, English, French and has basic knowledge of Russian.

Dimitris is a graduate of the department of International, European and Area Studies at Panteion University and an assistant researcher at the Institute of International Relations in the Center for Euro-Atlantic Studies since 2014. He speaks fluently English and possesses significant knowledge of French and Italian. Furthermore, he is a probationary member of the Hellenic Society for International Law and International Relations and a founding member of the Theseus Chapter SHJ002 of the Sons of Pericles in Athens, the youth brotherhood of the Order of AHEPA. He has participated in simulations of the UN (MUN), NATO and the EU institutions (MEU), and has attended numerous conferences and seminars in the field of international relations and strategy. He has developed voluntary actions on environmental issues and philanthropy. His scientific interests include the theories of international relations, foreign policy, strategic studies, crisis management, defense and security.

 Olamide holds a PhD in Security and Intelligence Studies from the University of Buckingham. He developed an analytical theoretical framework, which grants constructivist insight into National Security Policies, within Security Studies. He is currently a Teaching Fellow in International Security at SOAS University of London. He earned his B.ILD degree in International Law and Diplomacy in 2013, from Babcock University, Nigeria, where he specialized in researching on the global emergence of Private Military and Security Companies, International Criminal Law, International Business Transactions and Negotiations. He subsequently earned his MA degree in Security, Intelligence, and Diplomacy from the University of Buckingham, England, where he specialised in Information Technology and Intelligence Systems, Counterterrorism, Risk Analysis, Situational Crime Prevention, Intelligence Analysis, Commercial Diplomacy, Intelligence Tradecraft and machinery, Cyber Intelligence Operations and Foreign Policy Analysis. Olamide currently holds membership of the Nigerian Society of International Law, and is also a member of the International Studies Association.

Vasilis completed his Master studies at Leiden University (MSc in Crisis & Security Management) in June 2018. He also holds a BSc in International & European Studies from the University of Piraeus, where he volunteered as a Junior Assistant Researcher in the BRICS special research center and in the Turkish & Eurasian Studies Workshop. He has been an intern at the Protocol department of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a trainee at the Center for Security Studies (KEMEA) in the Greek Ministry of Public Order & Citizen Protection. He worked for 1 year at the Certification Policy & Safety Information Department of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in Cologne. He is currently working as a Research Associate & Assistant Project Manager at the Centre for Research and Technology-Hellas (CERTH) in Security research projects funded by the EU, including topics such as Cybersecurity, Fighting Crime and Terrorism, etc. On the 1st of July 2018, he was also appointed as a Member of the BoD of KEDISA, and served as the Financial Director of the organisation. In July 2021, he was appointed as the Secretary General of KEDISA.
His main research interests include topics related to Cyber Security, Aviation Security & UAS (Drone) operations in Europe, Crisis & Security Management, and Turkish Foreign Policy & Economy. In addition to Greek, he speaks English, has an adequate knowledge of French, and a basic understanding of Turkish and German.

Dr. Spyros Plakoudas is working as an Assistant Professor of Homeland Security at Rabdan Academy (UAE). During the period September 2017-April 2020 he served as Vice-President of the Board of Directors of KEDISA. He has taught in the past in two continents (Europe and Asia) and two domains (universities and military academies) and specializes in violent non-state groups (terrorists, guerrillas and mafias). His new book under Rowman and Littlefield examines the Syrian Civil War and the Kurds.Assistant Professor in Strategy and IR, American University in the United Arab Emirates.

 

Dragan was born in Belgrade in 1985. He has completed undergraduate studies at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, School of Political Sciences, as a scholar of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hellenic Republic. During the academic year 2015/16 he attended Goethe University in Frankfurt as an exchange student, reading for postgraduate modules in Sociology of Financial Markets, Research Design, Banking in the New Normal and Big Data Technologies. Ηe worked as a marketing consultant for Belgrade-based microenterprise and as a guest economic analyst for Radio Belgrade 1, covering a number of events of critical importance for the world economy, including Greek crisis, bail-in in Cyprus and macroeconomic developments in European Monetary Union. Currently Dragan follows Postgraduate Specialization Program in Political History and Strategic Studies at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. His research work mainly focuses on the interplay between political and investment risk, with the emphasis on elevated possibility of conducting political warfare when both risks are high. Other research interests include: Monetary Policy Strategy, Commercial Banking, Sociological and Political Perspectives of Big Data, Artificial Intelligence Policy. He is fluent in Serbian, Greek and English, and speaks German and Russian as well.