Sven Sakkov, Undersecretary for Defence Policy in the Estonian Ministry of Defence, is set to become the Director of the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence on Thursday, NATO said Wednesday.
Sakkov is succeeding Colonel Artur Suzik, a high ranking Estonian military officer who was appointed director in 2012. Sakkov has served in his position at the defense ministry since 2008 where he coordinated policy planning, international cooperation, and work with NATO and the EU. He previously served as Defence Counsellor at the Estonian Embassy in Washington, D.C., and Director of the Policy Planning Department at the defense ministry.
Previously, Suzik served as commander of the Signal Battalion, Chief of Planning Section of the Communications and Information Systems Department, and Chief of J6 at the headquarters of the Estonian Defence Forces.
The NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence is a NATO-accredited knowledge hub based in Tallinn, Estonia, that focuses on interdisciplinary applied research and development. It includes consultations, training, and information-sharing among NATO, allies, and partners in cyber defense.