Michael Simm
Secretary of the Council
2024
Michael Simm is Secretary of the North Atlantic Council, Chief of Protocol of NATO HQ and Director of the NATO Summit and Ministerial Task Force.

In this capacity, he is responsible to the Secretary General for the efficient leadership and management of the Council Secretariat. The latter is in charge of preparing, executing and following-up on the activities of the North Atlantic Council (NAC) and other Council-level bodies, for advising the Chairs and Committee Secretaries of committees subordinated to the NAC, and for covering all Protocol matters and the organisation of VIP-events at NATO HQ and abroad, including NATO Summits and Ministerial meetings.
Mr. Simm served previously as Head of Council Support in the Office of the Secretary General. Prior to joining NATO, Mr. Simm has been leading multinational teams and advising senior policy makers for some twenty years in the area of security, defence and space policy. This included senior positions held at the European Union regarding defence capability development, armaments policy and defence industry. He served as Head of Office of the European Defence Agency’s Chief Executive from 2017 to 2021. From 2004 to 2009 he worked in the Cabinet of the Director General of the European Space Agency.
Michael Simm holds degrees in history, political science, and public law from the universities of Freiburg, Oxford and SciencesPo Paris, as well as senior management certificates from the Hertie School of Governance and Oxford Said Business School. He is married and father of four daughters.