Capt César Manuel Pires Correia (Portuguese Navy) is the Coordinator of the Teaching Area of the Study of Crises and Armed Conflicts at the Military University Institute (Instituto Universitário Militar) in Lisbon, Portugal, and the former Director of the NATO Maritime Geospatial, Meteorological and Oceanographic Centre of Excellence (MGEOMETOC COE), also in Lisbon, Portugal. After receiving a degree in Naval Military Sciences from, and serving as a cadet and ensign in, the Portuguese Naval Academy, Correia served as Executive Officer on board the patrol vessels “Zaire” and then “Limpopo”. Over the next two decades, he served as Commanding Officer of the fast patrol vessels “Argos” and “Hidra”, Anti-Submarine Warfare Officer on board the frigate “Comandante Hermenegildo Capelo”; Commanding Officer of the patrol vessel “Zambeze”; Executive Officer on board the frigate “Comandante João Belo”; and Commanding Officer of ocean patrol vessel “Viana do Castelo”. Over this period, he also served as Aide-de-Camp of the Portuguese Minister of Defence (2000-2002); Staff Officer in the Navy Flotilla in the Logistics Department (2003-2004); Head of Manpower Branch in the Personnel Division of the NATO Joint Command Lisbon (2006-2009); Staff Officer in the Portuguese Naval Audit Department (2012-2016); Planning Division Head of the Joint Military Operations Command (2016); Staff Officer in the Supreme Allied Command Transformation HQ – Capability, Engineering and Innovation Division – Transformation Network Branch – Centres of Excellence Section (2016-2019); and Staff Officer in the Navy Staff, Planning Division (2019-2020). From 2020 to 2022, he served as Resources Management Branch Head of NATO Maritime GEOMETOC COE, before his appointment as its Director. Throughout his career, he has been awarded with the military medals of Distinguished Services – Silver, 2nd and 3rd class Military Merit, 1st and 2nd class Naval Cross and Exemplary Conduct – Gold.