Protecting Europe in Turbulent Times
Bucharest Leaders Summit: Enduring Power of Solidarity
Speakers 23 May 2022

General Daniel PETRESCU

Gen. Daniel Petrescu was appointed Chief of Defence Staff in December 2019.

Between August 2017 and August 2019, he assumed the command of the Headquarters Multinational Division South-East, and from August to December 2019, he was Deputy Chief of Defence Staff.
His professional experience includes prior appointments at tactical, operational and strategic level within the Romanian Armed Forces, NATO Headquarters, and in different theatres of operations.
At the tactical level, he commanded the 2nd Infantry Battalion ”Călugareni” in Bucharest, between January 2004 and October 2008. He commanded 2nd Infantry Brigade ”Rovine” from August 2016 until August 2017, which has later became Multinational Brigade South-East.
At the operational level he was Chief of Staff of the Operational Command Centre (2010-2013), the ROU HQ in charge with directing all ROU Forces participation in NATO and coalition operations.
His experience at strategic level includes appointments in the ROU General Staff - Strategic Planning Directorate (Head, Force Planning Office for Missions Abroad, 2008-2010), and Operations Directorate (Head, Current Operations, 2010). From June 2013 to July 2016, he represented ROU CHOD as a National Liaison Representative to the HQ Supreme Allied Command Transformation, in Norfolk, Virginia, USA.

He was deployed with the 2nd Infantry Battalion in several NATO, UN and Coalition Operations, participating in all the theatres of operations where the Romanian Army has sent troops so far:
NATO stability operations: ISAF, Afghanistan (July 2006-January 2007), Battalion commander and national contingent commander; KFOR, Kosovo (October 2003), and SFOR, Bosnia and Herzegovina (October 2004), Battalion Commander, NATO Strategic Reserve Forces; ALBA Operation, Albania (May-July 1997), Battalion Liaison Officer;
Coalition operations: ANTICA BABILONIA, IRAQ (January-August 2005), Battalion Commander;
UN Peace Support Operations: MONUA, Angola (December 1998-July 1999), and UNAVEM III, Angola (August 1995-April 1996), Liaison Officer to the UN Force HQ.
Gen. Daniel Petrescu is a top class graduate of both the Romanian Military Institute for Infantry (class of 1992), and National Defence University (class of 2003), as well as a Distinguished Graduate of the US National War College/National Defence University, Washington DC, where he completed a Master of Science in National Security Strategy (2010-2011).
His military education includes a PhD in military science and information (2010, National Defence University, Bucharest). He is also a graduate of the UK Joint Services Command and Staff College (JSCSC, Advanced Command and Staff Course, 2007-2008). He completed the Master of Arts Program in National Security Studies at the Kings College London.
He also attended shorter courses in some prestigious European institutions such as the European Security and Defence College, Brussels, Belgium (ESDP Course on the EU strategic planning for missions and operations) and Furungsacademy der Bundeswehr, Hamburg, Germany (UNSOC - United Nations Staff Officers Course).

His awards include: the National Order "Credential Service in Knight Rank, with Military Sign”, the National Order "Credential Service in Officer Rank, with Military Sign”, the National Medal "For Merit, 2nd Grade”, the Romanian “Military Command Virtue, Commodore Rank with War Signs”, the “US Army Commendation” Medal, the “NATO non-article 5” Medal and the UN Medal - “In the Service of Peace”.

He was born on January 26th, 1971, in Pitești, Argeș County. He and his wife, Adina, have been married for over twenty years, and they have two children.