Jim Bergeron was Political Advisor to the Commander, NATO Allied Maritime Command in Northwood, United Kingdom from 2013-2025 and continues as a part-time consultant on politico-military affairs.
Previously the POLAD to Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO from July 2005, he has served as foreign policy advisor to ten senior US and NATO Commanders in the fields of maritime and joint operations. He served as POLAD during numerous NATO maritime and joint-level exercises; as POLAD to the NATO Response Force exercise Steadfast Jaguar in Cape Verde and NATO Riga Summit mission in 2006; and in a national capacity as POLAD to EUCOM Commander Joint Task Force Lebanon during the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah Conflict.
From March until July 2011 he served as the Political Advisor to Commander NATO Operation Unified Protector in support of UNSCR 1973 operations in Libya. He is regularly consulted on NATO maritime strategy, NATO-EU relations, and was one of the drafters of the Alliance Maritime Strategy. He holds a BA in History and English Literature from the University of the State of New York, MA in Political Science and Juris Doctor from Syracuse University and LL.M from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Formerly lecturer in EU law at University College Dublin and currently Honorary Professor of Strategic Studies at the University of Plymouth and Adjunct Professor at the Free University of Brussels (VUB). He is a former submariner and retired Commander in the United States Navy. He has published numerous articles and book chapters on legal, political and international security topics. A member of the Council on Foreign Relations, International Fellow of the Council on Geostrategy, Senior Non-Resident Fellow of the Center for Maritime Security of the United States Navy League and Fellow of the Durham Institute for Research, Development and Invention, he has spoken at numerous institutions, defense colleges, universities and think tanks.