Announcement to advance Scowcroft’s legacy as a national security strategist

Washington, DC – August 6, 2021 – The Atlantic Council today announced the launch of a national security strategy effort designed to honor the legacy of the late General Brent Scowcroft, two-time national security advisor to the President of the United States and former chairman of the Atlantic Council. Today’s move integrates the Council’s globally recognized foresight and strategy teams into one “Scowcroft Strategy Initiative,” which will be housed within the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security.

“In a world marked by a return of great power competition, emerging disruptive technologies, and great uncertainty about the future of the global order, sound foresight and strategy are essential,” said Frederick Kempe, president and CEO of the Atlantic Council. “I can think of no better way to honor the legacy of one of our nation’s most remarkable strategists than by deepening the Atlantic Council’s commitment to delivering sound strategic solutions to the most critical geopolitical challenges.”

Today marks the one-year anniversary of General Scowcroft’s passing. He will forever be an integral part of the Atlantic Council’s storied history, as his leadership helped to revitalize the organization. In 2012, the Atlantic Council sought to honor General Scowcroft by relaunching its international security program as the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. The Scowcroft Center is guided by his vision of blending rigorous analysis of current challenges with long-term strategic thinking.

The Scowcroft Center works to develop sustainable, nonpartisan strategies to address the most important security challenges facing the United States and the world. The Center honors General Brent Scowcroft’s legacy of service and embodies his ethos of nonpartisan commitment to the cause of security, support for US leadership in cooperation with allies and partners, and dedication to the mentorship of the next generation of leaders.

To fulfill its mission, the Scowcroft Center has prioritized foresight and strategy development. In the wake of General Scowcroft’s passing in August 2020, the Scowcroft Center has sought to honor his legacy by redoubling its efforts in these critically important fields.

“The twin pillars of the Scowcroft Center’s mission are advancing actionable strategies and honoring the legacy of General Scowcroft. Forming the Scowcroft Strategy Initiative will strengthen our ability to do both,” said Barry Pavel, director of the Scowcroft Center and senior vice president at the Atlantic Council.

The Scowcroft Strategy Initiative will be directed by Matthew Kroenig, a veteran national security strategist who will continue to serve as deputy director of the Scowcroft Center. Mathew Burrows will serve as director for foresight within the new initiative while remaining co-director of the Scowcroft Center’s New American Engagement Initiative. Ash Jain will be the director for democratic order, leading a body of work within the new initiative to advance cooperation among leading democracies to adapt and revitalize a rules-based international system. They are joined by a group of resident and nonresident fellows and staff with deep experience in strategic planning in both the public and private sectors.  

“Developing effective strategy requires an understanding of where the world is heading. This new initiative will fuse innovative foresight and strategy methods to produce long-term assessments, actionable strategies, and concrete recommendations that will serve the needs of leaders across a variety of sectors,” said Kroenig.

For media inquiries, please contact press@atlanticcouncil.org.Driven by our mission of “shaping the global future together,” the Atlantic Council is a nonpartisan organization that galvanizes US leadership and engagement in the world, in partnership with allies and partners, to shape solutions to global challenges

Related Experts: Barry Pavel, Matthew Kroenig, and Mathew Burrows