Our Experts

Nikoloz Khatiashvili is a former diplomat and currently serves as a Senior Research Fellow at GEOCASE, one of Georgia’s leading think tanks. He is also the Founder of the Institute of Western Democracy and Leadership (IWDL Georgia). With over 18 years of experience spanning the public and private sectors, Nikoloz has held several senior positions, including six years at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia and eight years as the Chief of Staff of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Parliament of Georgia. His research focuses on international security, democracy, international relations and diplomacy, intelligence and counterintelligence, hybrid warfare, national security, and terrorism. He is a lecturer at Tbilisi State University and the Business and Technology University (BTU). Nikoloz is the author of over 60 articles and research papers, the co-author of one handbook, and has participated as a speaker in numerous international conferences and forums. Over the years, he has been actively involved in international projects supported by the International Republican Institute (IRI), the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), the German Marshall Fund (GMF), the National Democratic Institute (NDI), and the U.S. Department of State. His work has focused on advancing democracy, countering disinformation, strengthening transatlantic ties, enhancing security in the Black Sea region, and promoting Georgia’s integration into the European Union and NATO.