Giuseppe DE GIORGI, ADMIRAL (r) Admiral (r) DE GIORGI was born in Naples in 1953. He graduated from the Italian Naval Academy in 1975 and received his Naval Aviator wings in 1976, in Corpus Christi, TX, USA. He attended the Naval War College in Leghorn, Italy, in 1986. His major assignments were: - Flight Commander of the Frigate ITS Alpino (1981– 1982); - Flight Commander of the Guided-Missile Cruiser ITS Andrea Doria (1983–1985); - Flight Commander and Deputy Chief of Staff of the 18th Italian Naval Group during the Iran-Iraq War in the Persian Gulf (1987); - CO of the Auxiliary Ship ITS Bradano (1982–1983), of the Guided-Missile Frigate ITS Libeccio (1992 – 1993), and of the Guided-Missile Helicopter Cruiser ITS Vittorio Veneto (1997-1999); - Head of the Aviation Plans & Requirements Branch of the Air Warfare Department of the Italian Navy General Staff (1993–1997); - Director of the Air Warfare Department in the Italian Navy General Staff in Rome (1999– 2005) and Commander of the Naval Air Force (2000–2005); - Commander of the High Sea Fleet and NATO Commander Maritime Force (2005–2007); - Chief of Staff of the Italian Joint Operations Command (2007–2009); - Chief of Staff of the Commander in Chief of the Italian Fleet (2009–2011); - Commander Navy Education (2011–2012); - Commander in Chief of the Fleet (2012–2013); - Chief of the Navy (2013–2016). From August 28 to October 19, 2006, Admiral De Giorgi led Operation LEONTE as JTFC and CATF reinforcing the UNIFIL contingent in application of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701. He also became the first Maritime Task Force Commander within UN Mandate for the control of the Lebanese territorial waters. For the above-mentioned reasons, in 2007 he was awarded the Military-of-the-Year Award by the Smithsonian National Air Museum in Washington, DC, and the “Military Order of Italy” (Officer) by the President of the Italian Republic. In addition, he was decorated by the Lebanese Republic with the “Golden Medal for Meritorious Service” and with the French Legion d’honneur. As Chief of the Navy, he successfully lobbied the Italian Parliament to obtain emergency funding for €5.7 billion for the Navy, specifically to allow for the acquisition of: 1 aircraft carrier, 10 frigates, 1 logistic ship and 2 special operations stealth fast boats. This funding was particularly challenging given the economic crisis in Italy, and has been critical in allowing the Navy to maintain a state-of- the art infrastructure to defend the Italian coast and conduct rescue operations. He retired from the Italian Navy in the summer of 2016. A passionate defender of maritime wildlife and nature lover, he now spends his free time sailing on the Barracuda (a Swedish 40-year old, 41-feet sailing boat) and lecturing in Italian and European universities on the relevance of the sea for the future of humanity. .