Robert Kosla, Lt. Col. (Ret.)

Robert Kosla is Microsoft’s regional manager responsible for Public Safety, National Security and Defense across Central and Eastern Europe (more than 30 countries, including 13 NATO and 13 EU States) working with national, NATO and EU information security bodies, law enforcement agencies and military structures. His core areas of focus are modernization programs and Cyber Defense, Cybersecurity, fighting Cybercrimes and national capabilities development. Before joining Microsoft, Robert served for over 20 years in the Polish Armed Forces and the Polish Government agencies responsible for Cryptography, Information Security and Cyber Defense. Retired as Lieutenant Colonel from the Information Assurance Department (DBTI) of the National Internal Security Agency (ABW) in Poland, where he held the position of Deputy Director for ten years.  He was responsible for the development, implementation, evaluation and accreditation of governmental classified information systems and networks – national as well as EU and NATO. He created the National Information Security Authority in Poland, fully compliant with NATO Security Policy, directives and guidelines. For ten years he was a national representative to NATO’s Information Security Sub-Committee and its substructure (e.g. Common Criteria Ad Hoc Working Group and Interconnection of Networks Ad Hoc Working Group), NATO’s Cyber Defense Workshops and a member of NATO’s PKI Advisory Cell.  Robert was an active member of EU Council Security Committee (INFOSEC), responsible for IT security directives and guidelines development for EU Members and bodies. He was one of the pioneers addressing National Critical IT Infrastructure protection needs in Poland and initiating Cyber Defense related projects (e.g. ARAKIS-GOV – Network Early Warning System) in cooperation with NASK CERT Polska Team. He has promoted the idea of the Polish Government CERT. In parallel to his function as Deputy Director, Robert was asked to draw upon his knowledge and experience in modern technologies standards and laws development, when he was appointed the National Project Manager for Schengen Information System implementation in Poland (Dec 2006 – May 2008) – which was successfully implemented across and within all law enforcement services (e.g. Police, Border Guard, Central Anti-Corruption Bureau, MOD, MOJ), defense structures and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.