Michael Zilmer-Johns | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Michael Zilmer-Johns in 2010. | |
| Chief of Protocol of the Kingdom of Denmark | |
| In office 1 September 2018 – 1 February 2023 | |
| Monarch | Margrethe II |
| Prime Minister | Lars Løkke Rasmussen Mette Frederiksen |
| Succeeded by | Nathalia Feinberg |
| Permanent Representative of Denmark to NATO | |
| In office 1 September 2014 – 1 September 2018 | |
| Monarch | Margrethe II |
| Prime Minister | Helle Thorning-Schmidt Lars Løkke Rasmussen |
| Preceded by | Carsten Søndergaard |
| Succeeded by | Liselotte Plesner |
| State Secretary for Foreign and European Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office October 2005 – August 2013 | |
| Monarch | Margrethe II |
| Prime Minister | Anders Fogh Rasmussen Lars Løkke Rasmussen Helle Thorning-Schmidt |
| Preceded by | Friis Arne Petersen |
| Succeeded by | John Nielsen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Michael Peter Zilmer 19 June 1957 Slagelse, Denmark |
| Spouse(s) |
Kirsten Frølich Jensen
(m. 1985; div. 1993) |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | University of Copenhagen |
Michael Peter Zilmer-Johns (born 19 June 1957) is a Danish retired senior diplomat and civil servant. He is currently senior fellow at the Royal Danish Defence College and the think tank Axcelfuture, having previously served as Permanent Representative of Denmark to NATO (2014–2018) as well as Chief of Protocol (2018–2023) and State Secretary for Foreign and European Affairs (2005–2013) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Zilmer-Johns' extensive career in the Danish Foreign Service spans over four decades, and he has held several key positions, including being appointed Political Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, just days before the 9/11 attacks. In 2003, he became the Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Security Policy under Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, dealing with significant challenges such as the Iraq war. Returning to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2005 as State Secretary, he contributed to the negotiation of the Lisbon Treaty, before being seconded to the European External Action Service as advisor on security and defence.
In 2020, the Danish government appointed Zilmer-Johns as Chairman of the Security Policy Analysis Group, whose purpose it was to prepare a White paper on the foreign and security policy situation towards 2035. In the autumn of 2022, the group published their analysis 'Danish Security and Defence towards 2035' (dubbed the "Zilmer-report"[1]), which will form the foundation for the upcoming Defence Agreement in the Danish Parliament, where $21 billion has been provisionally allocated.[2][3][4] He is a staunch advocate of the expansion of Danish civil defence, has proposed the establishment of a strong and centralized Ministry of Civil Defence, and has emphasized Denmark's insufficient preparedness.[5][6]
- ^ "Seminar: Præsentation af Zilmer-rapporten - Altinget: forsvar". legacy.altinget.dk. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
- ^ "Rapport fra sikkerhedspolitisk analysegruppe præsenteret i dag: Trusselsniveauet er skærpet | Udenrigsministeriet". via.ritzau.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 2024-01-07.
- ^ "Den sikkerhedspolitiske analysegruppe". Udenrigsministeriet (in Danish). Retrieved 2024-01-07.
- ^ Gronholt-pedersen, Jacob; Birkebaek, Johannes (May 30, 2023). "Denmark plans defence spend of $21 billion over next decade". Reuters. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
- ^ "Regeringens egen sikkerhedsrådgiver er bekymret for hybridkrig: Lige nu er vores strategi håb". DR (in Danish). 2023-11-14. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
- ^ "Zilmer-Johns: Vi behøver et ministerium for samfundssikkerhed". Forsvar. 2023-11-09. Retrieved 2024-01-07.