Henrik Heidenkamp

Dr Henrik Heidenkamp is the Head of the Allied Command Operations (ACO) Innovation Management Branch at NATO's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium. He leads the coordination, facilitation, support and monitoring of innovation efforts across the Command in the areas of emerging and disruptive technologies, digital transformation, open innovation, concept development, operational experimentation, wargaming, modelling and simulation, non-procurement industry engagement and NATO-accredited centres of excellence. 

In his additional role as the ACO Strategic Management Coordinator at SHAPE, he coordinates and supports the development, employment and monitoring of ACO’s Strategic Management System, including the setting of strategic objectives, performance and risk management. He leads the development and monitors the execution of the ACO Strategic Management Plan and is responsible for the production of Strategic Management reports and advice to the ACO Management Board - the Command's principal executive body.

Prior to his current NATO roles, Henrik has worked as a Research Analyst with NATO’s Joint Analysis Lessons Learned Centre (JALLC) in Lisbon, Portugal. As a member of JALLC’s Operations Division he planed and conducted JALLC analysis projects on military-political, strategic and operational level themes.

Henrik has also worked as a Senior Research Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies (RUSI) in London assessing the role of the private sector in defence, national and international defence management approaches, strategic options for defence businesses and contemporary aspects of European and international security and defence policy.

Before joining RUSI, Henrik has worked as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the Queen's Centre for International Relations (QCIR) in Canada. He also worked for the military policy branch of the German Ministry of Defence (BMVg), in Berlin.