Date of creation : 1995
President: Gabriel del Toro Astobiza
Vice-President : Federico Yaniz
Secretary-general : Herminio Fernandez Garcia
Email : secretariageneral@eurodefense.
The President
Gabriel del Toro Astobiza began his studies at the German School of Bilbao, from which he went on to the Gaztelueta school.
He moved to England to study Shipping and foreign trade and completed his training in Business administration in Pau (France), also taking different courses on both maritime and financial issues in Germany.
Later, he joined the family business group, where he has been carrying out different responsibilities, up to his current position as Chairman of the Group.
The Vice President
Federico Yaniz joined the Air Force Academy and, after several operational and logistical assignments, in 1986 he graduated as Staff Officer, being assigned to the Air Force Staff. In 1991, after receiving his diploma as Joint Staff officer, he got a planning position at the Joint Staff of Armed Forces. In the summer of 1993, he joined the International Military Staff at NATO Headquarters.
After being promoted to General in 1997, general Yaniz was appointed Chief of the Second Division of the Joint Staff of the Armed Forces. In June 2001 he joined the International Military Staff as Assistant Director for Cooperation and Regional Security. During those four years he was highly active in implementing NATO initiatives Partnership for Peace and the NATO’s Mediterranean Dialog. In 2006, he was appointed Director of the Museo de Aeronáutica y Astronáutica.
General Yaniz has a Doctor degree in Ciencias de la Empresa, a Master in Statistics plus many other diplomas and qualifications. He obtained a degree in journalism in 1973 and is an experienced journalist. He is the author of five books, has collaborated in many others and has written more than 300 articles mainly related with Strategy, Aeronautics, Economics and History.
Doctor Yaniz belongs to several nonprofit associations and he is Vice-president of EURODEFENSE-ESPAÑA since October 2017. He is also a member of the Board of the Atlantic Council of Spain. He writes a monthly section on the Air Force magazine on NATO affairs and on the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) of the European Unión. Dr. Yaniz is active on strategic issues, he has made many presentations and has given numerous lectures on NATO affairs, European defense issues and Aviation history. He is a member of the Scientific Committee of CICA since 2017 and since May 2019, general Yaniz is a member of the Academy of Military Arts and Sciences (ACAMI).
The Secretary General
Herminio Fernández entered the Spanish Army General Academy of Saragossa and perfected his studies in the Artillery Academy of Segovia. As 1st Lieutenant and Captain he had several assignments in Field and Air Defence Artillery Regiments.
After completing the General Staff Course he had assignments in the Army General Staff and the Defence Policy Directorate in the MOD. As Colonel he has been Defence Counsellor at the Spanish Permanent Representation to the OSCE in Vienna, Chief Arms Control & Regional Security Section in the IMS, NATO HQ in Brussels, ACOS Rear Support Command in the NATO Rapid Deployment Corps Spain in Bétera (Spain) and Operations Division Director at the Army Rapid Reaction Corps, a multinational unit under UK lead stationed at the time in Rheindahlen (Germany).
He had one tour as CJ1 Chief in SFOR, Sarajevo in 2001 and two tours in Afghanistan as Chief of Staff Region West in Herat in 2005 and Ops Division Director in HQ ISAF in Kabul 2006-2007. He has the Spanish General Staff Course and is graduated by the NATO Defence College (Rome, Italy). He holds a Bachelor in Arts, English Philology by the Universidad Complutense, Madrid. He has been Secretary General of EuroDefense-ESPAÑA since 2017.