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Welcoming Gilles Schwoerer as WB3C’s New Project Manager and Director of Studies

06.02.2025

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WB3C is pleased to welcome Gilles Schwoerer as the new Project Manager and Director of Studies. With extensive experience in cybersecurity and cyber capacity building, Gilles brings valuable expertise to our mission of strengthening cyber resilience in the Western Balkans.

Prior to joining WB3C, he served as Cyber Project Manager at the Directorate of Security and Defense Cooperation (DCSD), which is part of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, where he contributed to cyber capacity-building initiatives and strategic partnerships, including for the Western Balkans.

He was also Deputy Chief at the Center for the Fight Against Digital Crime (C3N) of the French Gendarmerie Nationale, overseeing complex cybercrime investigations and digital forensics operations.

Gilles also served as Cyber Liaison Officer at the French National Jurisdiction for Combating Organized Crime. In this role, he played an important part in coordinating cybercrime investigations, ensuring seamless collaboration between law enforcement and judicial authorities.

Throughout his career, he has earned distinctions for his contributions to law enforcement, including the highest recognition from the Dutch police.

We look forward to his leadership in developing high-quality training programmes and fostering regional cooperation.


OSINT Training for Law Enforcement

Today, Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C) launched a specialized training program designed to equip law enforcement professionals from the Western Balkans with practical skills in open-source intelligence (OSINT) and digital investigations. The training is being led by Brigadier Chief Cyril C. of the French National Police, WB3C's in-house trainer, whose extensive expertise ensures participants gain valuable insights grounded in real-world investigative experience.

The program combines theoretical learning with practical exercises, enhancing participants' ability to identify threats, gather digital evidence in lawful ways and support informed decision-making. 

The training will address critical aspects of digital evidence preservation, security checks to prevent data leaks, and safe navigation of the darknet. 

Additionally, participants will develop skills in data collection and metadata analysis to extract valuable insights from publicly available information.
This initiative is designed for English-speaking law enforcement officers, particularly those attending WB3C training for the first time, reinforcing their capacity to address emerging digital threats.

Balkan Cybersecurity Days 2025

The Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C) has the pleasure of hosting the 3-day Balkan Cybersecurity Days 2025 conference, co-organized by DCAF - Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance in collaboration with CIRT.ME and supported by the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). This conference reflects WB3C’s ongoing partnership with DCAF, underscoring a shared commitment to strengthening cybersecurity capabilities across the Western Balkans.

The conference opened yesterday at the Naučno-tehnološki park Crne Gore / Science Technology Park of Montenegro, bringing together around 150 cybersecurity professionals from across the region. Opening remarks were delivered by Gilles Schwoerer, Head of WB3C, alongside British Ambassador Dawn McKen and Montenegrin Minister of Public Administration Marash Dukaj, whose Ministry is leading on the digital and cyber agenda in Montenegro. Franziska Klopfer, Principal Programme Manager at DCAF, and Serge Droz, Member of the Board of Directors at FIRST, also shared their perspectives on strengthening partnerships and enhancing cyber resilience.

In his address, Gilles Schwoerer highlighted WB3C’s central role in providing sustainable, long-term capacity building to the region across three pillars: cybersecurity, cybercrime and cyberdiplomacy, but also our role in strengthening regional cooperation and supporting the EU alignment process for all Western Balkans administrations. 

Over the three days, the conference will continue with expert-led discussions and specialized training sessions designed to equip participants with practical skills in addressing emerging cybersecurity challenges.

European People's Party Visit to WB3C

Yesterday, the Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C) had the pleasure of welcoming a delegation from the European People's Party, led by Minister of Energy and Mining, Admir Sahmanovic accompanied by State Secretary of the Ministry for Public Administration Dragisa Janjusevic and Aleksandar M. Andjic, Montenegro's National Coordinator for WB3C. 

Director of WB3C, Gilles Schwoerer, along with Katarina Zajec, Minister Counsellor at the Slovenian Embassy in Podgorica, greeted the delegation. They provided a tour of our facilities and presented an overview of WB3C's mission and ongoing initiatives. In addition, our cybercrime experts introduced the guests to WB3C's cyber investigations curriculum, highlighting how we are equipping participants with practical skills to address real-world cybercrime challenges.

During the visit, our guests expressed interest in learning more about WB3C’s partnerships and shared ideas on how these collaborations could be further leveraged with EU stakeholders to support cybersecurity efforts in the region. Their insights contributed to a productive and friendly exchange, reinforcing the importance of strong partnerships in advancing regional cyber resilience.


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Disclaimer: Translations of the original content written in English into other languages are AI generated by Weglot.