WHO ARE WE
COLONEL José Baltazar
MANAGING PARTNER
Colonel José Baltazar is a senior Army officer with a distinguished career in operations, intelligence, and security, bringing extensive experience in both national and international assignments, including deployments in conflict zones and participation in international missions.
In the fields of Intelligence and Operations, he has served in key leadership roles, particularly within NATO’s permanent structure, where he was Team Leader for Planning at the Future Operations Division in the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC), United Kingdom. His experience spans intelligence analysis, operational planning, and force deployment, working closely with national forces and multinational headquarters in complex environments. He has also been actively involved in international missions in conflict areas, contributing to operational security and intelligence efforts in challenging theatres.
In the security domain, he has held senior positions overseeing Intelligence, Operations, and Security across various Army units and higher command structures. He was also responsible for Security and Force Protection at Joint Force Command Lisbon, ensuring the safeguarding of personnel and infrastructure in a multinational operational setting. He is a Certified Security Director, accredited by the Ministry of Internal Administration and the Public Security Police (PSP), and is also a National Defence Auditor, certified by the National Defence Institute. Additionally, he has been granted EU and NATO security clearances by the National Security Office.
Beyond his operational career, Colonel Baltazar has been a university professor and Head of the Scientific Department at the Portuguese Military Academy. Additionally, he played a critical role as Director of the Military Support Center for COVID-19, where he was responsible for coordinating a national-level military hospital during the pandemic, ensuring effective resource allocation, crisis management, and operational response.
His academic and professional qualifications include a Specialization Course in Intelligence and Security at the Higher Institute of Social and Political Sciences (ISCSP) and a Specialization Course in Security Management. He has also completed multiple advanced courses at NATO School, including the NATO Security Course, NATO Force Protection Officer Course, NATO European Security Cooperation Course, and NATO Military Police Officer Course.
With a career spanning multiple command and operational roles, Colonel Baltazar has cultivated an extensive professional network in intelligence, operations, and security, both at the national and international levels.
Married with a son and a daughter, he enjoys spending his free time with his family, reading, taking care of his pets, and riding motorcycles.
ANTÓNIO BRÁS MONTEIRO
PARTNER
António Brás Monteiro holds a degree in Communication Sciences from the Catholic University of Portugal and has completed postgraduate programmes at leading institutions, including the European Security and Defence College, War Studies University, National Defence Institute, Portuguese Military University Institute, Institute of Police Sciences and Homeland Security, Delft University of Technology, and the National Security Office. He has been granted EU & NATO Secret Security Clearance by the National Security Authority.
He began his career in business within family-owned companies that were part of a publicly traded group, before transitioning into the security, defence, and intelligence sector. His first role in this field was as a Liaison Officer at SolvX, a Brussels-based intelligence and security services firm, where he worked in an international environment, supporting sensitive intelligence and security-related projects requiring confidentiality and discretion.
He later joined TEKEVER, where he spent seven years as Project Manager and Business Developer. In this role, he contributed to European Defence Agency projects, NATO Industrial Advisory Group studies, and European Commission H2020 security research initiatives focused on disaster resilience, counterterrorism, crime prevention, and border security.
António is also a Defence Expert for the European Commission under the EU Defence Innovation Scheme (EUDIS). In this role, he provides business coaching and strategic advisory to SMEs selected under the European Defence Fund (EDF), assisting them in areas such as market readiness, investment readiness, access to finance, commercial due diligence, execution capacity, legal and IP strategy, and international growth within the defence sector.
He is an Advisory Board Member at IntellCorp, the first Lusophone intelligence company founded by former intelligence officers, and an Advisory Board Member of AED Cluster Portugal. He also serves on the Editorial Board of "Segurança & Defesa" and is Editor-at-Large and Special Correspondent for Portugal at European Security & Defence, the leading pan-European security and defence publication in English.
Additionally, he is a Board Member at EuroDefense-Portugal and the National Defence Course Auditors Association, further engaging with strategic defence and security discussions at a national and European level.
Beyond his professional career, António is passionate about travel and Land Rovers. He was editor-in-chief of two magazines dedicated to these subjects and aspires to undertake a Land Rover expedition along David Livingstone’s route. To unwind, he enjoys sports shooting.
He is also a certified National Defence Auditor by the National Defence Institute (Ministry of Defence, Portugal).