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Ted Singer

Longtime CIA Senior Executive, Expert National Security Problem-Solver

35-year national security leader, and former CIA executive and Chief of Station with deep expertise on the Middle East, Europe and global affairs
Called upon by national and international leaders for strategic guidance on how to navigate geopolitical issues of the highest complexity
Offers a most comprehensive and straightforward analysis of national security trends and their potential impact on business and society
Reflects on his experiences to share hard-won approaches for leading through crisis and collaborating across cross-functioning teams

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In a career spanning more than 35 years, longtime Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) senior executive Ted Singer has been regarded as a national intelligence and security chessmaster whose insights and acumen have guided strategic decision-making by U.S. and foreign governments on global issues of the highest complexity. From 2006 onwards, Singer served as a CIA Senior Intelligence Service officer — succeeding in positions of increasing responsibility and U.S. national security scope, and becoming a five-time Chief of Station — serving in major Middle Eastern and European capitals. Singer’s knowledge of regional dynamics in the Middle East and Europe is near-encyclopedic and his list of achievements is as extensive as it is impressive. His expertise extends across strategic planning, stewardship of significant staff and resources, financial management, and operational control of groundbreaking intelligence programs.

Exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau, Singer draws from his real-world experiences identifying and countering threats, and successfully navigating geopolitically sensitive and unstable environments on behalf of U.S. interests, to offer audiences a highly informative, plain-speak assessment of the national intelligence and security trends and issues that are keeping world leaders up at night. In addition to his insights on global issues and why they are of importance to organizations and their industries, Singer also shares grounded strategies for leading through crises, building and collaborating across multi-disciplinary teams, and how to foster cultures that consistently tap into collective creative energy to develop solutions to business challenges.

As the responsibilities of Singer’s roles at the CIA increased, so too did his influence in the Intelligence Community and in national security matters around the globe. In his final role with the CIA, he was the chief of an enterprise-level office, during which time, he established a new executive suite office overseeing governance and innovation of essential CIA-wide functions, and served as the senior officer responsible for a multi-directorate team reporting to CIA leadership on a highly sensitive issue. He also held leadership positions in the Near East Division and Mission Center at CIA Headquarters. Throughout his tenure at the CIA, Singer led innovative and dynamic intelligence programs that engaged the highest levels of policy, military, and U.S. and international business leaders — often under presidential oversight. His unique career included 25 years overseas, taking him from the streets of Damascus to executive suites in major world capitals.

Singer’s outstanding contributions to the Intelligence Community have been recognized with numerous honors and accolades, including the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal in 2023, the Director of Central Intelligence Agency’s Award in 2020, and the Director of National Intelligence’s Award for Leadership 2016.

Insights from the Front Lines of National Intelligence and Security. In this talk, former CIA senior executive officer and Chief of Station Ted Singer explores the shifting dynamics in the national intelligence and security landscape, as well as the complexities they present in the efforts to safeguard our nation. As he breaks down the global factors that are influencing the interplay between intelligence and international diplomacy and shaking up national policy decisions, he offers a clear explanation on how what’s happening in global affairs is impacting organizations and their industries. With decades of experience advising national and foreign governments and business leaders on multi-layered intelligence issues, Singer brings audiences into the fold to help them grasp risks and opportunities in the current global landscape, while proposing practical ideas for continuing to uphold national security.

Diplomacy in Diverse Landscapes: A Look at the Middle East and Europe. Ted Singer, who served as CIA Chief of Station in major Middle Eastern and European capitals, shares a high-level overview of why developments in those regions are of importance to organizations and their industries. From the complexities of regional rivalries to the impact of nation-state actors, he explores the shifting alliances and fault lines that define the current geopolitical landscape, while offering insights into the potential effect of evolving dynamics on our businesses and national security.

Mastering Leadership Dynamics. Regarded as a rock in the Intelligence Community and one of its most dynamic leaders throughout his 35-year career, longtime CIA senior executive Ted Singer draws from his experiences at the center of high-stakes decision-making to unravel the intricacies of effective leadership in ever-changing and unpredictable environments. Singer is a seasoned storyteller whose engaging anecdotes provide invaluable lessons on the art of crisis management, fostering cross-cutting teams, and developing the strategic vision that separates good leaders from the elite ones. This talk highlights the ways in which resilience, adaptability, and principled decision-making converge to shape a legacy of impactful leadership.