Julian Thiele

Expert in Defense Policy and Projects.

Julian Thiele joins friedrich30 as a Senior Advisor with his unique combination of military leadership experience, political advisory expertise, and in-depth knowledge of the defense industry. His expertise includes strategic armaments projects, EU and NATO affairs, and the digitalization of the armed forces.

Thiele has an excellent network of decision-makers within the Federal Ministry of Defence (BMVg), the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr), and European defense organizations. His experience in concept development and his understanding of civil-military cooperation make him an implementation-oriented strategic advisor.

Career

Julian Thiele most recently worked as Senior Consultant Public Sector & Defense at an international IT integrator. He was responsible for IT consulting in the domains of land, cyber, information, and space. Thiele developed internal strategies, conducted political stakeholder management, and managed international projects. Reference projects include cloud transformations for the Bundeswehr’s IT service provider (BWI) and tactical communications optimization for the European Defence Agency (EDA).

Since 2023, Thiele has also served at the Federal Ministry of Defence (BMVg) as a policy officer for EU and NATO affairs. One of his focus areas was NATO defense planning and EU capability development.

From 2017 to 2022, Thiele worked on the capability development of the Bundeswehr, initially as an officer responsible for infantry training and later as a project officer in the field of digitalization. He was responsible for internal coordination within the Bundeswehr as well as inter-agency coordination and led his unit’s political education program.

His military career began in 2009 with basic training as a paratrooper, followed by various officer courses and leadership positions within the airborne forces.

Education

Julian Thiele is currently pursuing an MBA in Public Affairs & Leadership at the Quadriga University of Applied Sciences in Berlin. The focus is on strategic management at the intersection of politics, business, and society. In 2024, he successfully completed the Reserve Staff Officer Course at the Bundeswehr Command and Staff College.

Thiele received his academic foundation at the University of the Bundeswehr Munich. In 2015, he completed his master’s degree in Political Science and Social Sciences with a specialization in international law and security policy.

Thiele holds various certifications, including PRINCE 2 Practitioner, Management of Risk Practitioner, and qualifications in lobbying, business development, and design thinking.