Federica Mogherini, Head of the European Defence Agency, appoints three new chairmen for the EDA Steering Boards in National Armaments Directors, Capability Directors and R&T Directors compositions.

Following consultations, the three new chairs are:

• National Armaments Directors: Deputy Minister Daniel Koštoval (CZ), with effect from 1 September 2015;
• Capability Directors: Lt Gen Erhard Bühler (DE), with effect from 1 January 2016;
• R&T Directors: Dr Bryan Wells (UK), also from 1 January 2016.

“I first want to thank the outgoing chairs for their outstanding contribution to the work of the Agency”, said Jorge Domecq. “At the same time, I am confident that the professional experience and personal qualities of our incoming chairs will make them excellent chairmen. The Steering Boards at the level of National Armaments Directors, R&T Directors and Capability Directors provide important decision-making forums. The Agency is at the service of its Member States: their input is vital to planning cooperative defence projects.”

Deputy Minister Daniel Koštoval started his career in Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1996. Between 1998 and 2002 he worked at NATO in Brussels before moving to Moscow and Washington. In October 2011 he became first Director of the Security Policy Department and then Director General of the Section of Non-European Countries at the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was appointed First Deputy Minister of Defence in April 2013 and State Secretary in the Ministry of Defence in February 2014. He has held his current position as Deputy Minister – Head of the Defence Policy and Strategy Division at the Ministry of Defence since January 2015.

Lieutenant General Erhard Bühler joined the German Federal Armed Forces in 1976. Between 1984 and 2006 he held command positions within the armed forces as well as senior posts at the German Ministry of Defence before becoming Deputy Chief of Staff V in 2006. In 2013, he was appointed Commander of the NATO Joint Warfare Centre in Stavanger. He has held his current position of Director Defence Plans & Policy and Head of the Directorate General for Planning in the Federal Ministry of Defence in Bonn since August 2014. Lieutenant General Bühler also served in two combat missions. In 2004 he deployed to Prizren as Commander of the 9th German Kosovo Force Contingent and from 2010 to 2011 he served as NATO Commander KFOR in Pristina.

Dr Bryan Wells joined the UK Ministry of Defence in 1988. He served as Assistant Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Defence 1989-1992, and has held a range of other posts, including NATO and European Defence Policy 1997-1999, and Counter-Proliferation and Arms Control 2002-2008. During 1999-2002 he was on secondment to the Department of Justice. Dr Wells joined UK Defence Science and Technology in 2008. His responsibilities include the provision of strategic policy advice on all aspects of the Ministry’s science and technology programme.

More information:

• EDA Governance