Niels Friis is a retired Commodore from the Royal Danish Navy. He spent his career at sea with numerous sea commands and in staff positions, and conducted international tours to the Balkan and Iraq.
He assumed the NATO lead on all aspects of Defence Planning and concept development at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, ensuring clear synchronization of NATO support with the European Union’s planning efforts, and managed the Defence Planning’s integration into Allied Command Transformation.

He led the Force Proposal process, as well as spearheaded the Defence Planning reforms that were approved at the Istanbul Summit. In the operational field he was responsible for prioritizing the airfields in Eastern Europe as a part of NATO’s Enlargement in 2004.

As Deputy Commanding General, Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Commodore Friis was specifically responsible for implementing and executing the Ministry of Defence Logistic Concept.

Prior to his retirement, Niels Friis took up the position as Commander Maritime Air Northwood providing advice to the Commander Allied Maritime Command Northwood (UK) on maritime air matters. Since his retirement, Niels Friis has worked on various projects as a consultant including projects for the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.