Former CIA Senior Intelligence Service Officer & Author, Clarity in Crisis
Marc Polymeropoulos: Biography at a Glance
- Marc Polymeropoulos served 26 years in the CIA before retiring from the Senior Intelligence Service as one of the CIA’s most highly decorated operations officers.
- In his book Clarity in Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the CIA, Marc shares his hard-earned strategies and core principles for meeting a crisis head-on and getting through it stronger than ever.
- His positions included field and headquarters operational assignments covering the Middle East, Europe, Eurasia, and CounterTerrorism.
- Polymeropoulos is the recipient of the Distinguished Intelligence Medal, the Intelligence Commendation Medal, and the Intelligence Medal of Merit.
- Marc is an on-air intelligence and national security analyst for MSNBC and is a regular on Morning Joe. He also writes a weekly column on intelligence as a Washington Examiner contributor.
- He frequently comments on international events in the US and international media, including discussing the challenges and opportunities for the US and Israeli intelligence as the war on Hamas continues.
- Polymeropoulos works with Sound-Off, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting mental health care for veterans.
- He is a sought-after speaker on leadership, crisis management, geopolitics, and national security.
Videos
Biography
Marc Polymeropoulos worked for 26 years at the CIA before retiring in July 2019 at the Senior Intelligence Service level. He was one of the CIA’s most highly decorated operations officers who served in multiple field assignments for the U.S. government. Marc received the Distinguished Intelligence Medal, the Intelligence Commendation Medal, the Intelligence Medal of Merit, and the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal. Marc specialized in counterterrorism, in the Middle East and South Asia, including extensive time in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Prior to his retirement, Marc served at the CIA headquarters and was in charge of the CIA’s clandestine operations in Europe and Eurasia. He frequently comments on international events in the US and international media, including the Washington Post, The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Economist.
Marc is an on-air intelligence and national security analyst for MSNBC and is a regular on Morning Joe. He also writes a weekly column on intelligence as a Washington Examiner contributor. Marc is also a non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, specializing in hybrid warfare. He is an advisor to Spycraft Entertainment, a global production company, and assists Sound-Off, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting mental health care for veterans. Marc is a sought-after leadership speaker and author. In his book Clarity in Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the CIA, Marc shares his hard-earned strategies and core principles for meeting a crisis head-on and getting through it stronger than ever.
Topics
Clarity in Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the CIA
Marc Polymeropoulos has had to live with the consequences of decisions made under the most high-stress circumstances you can imagine as a senior intelligence officer in the CIA. Though your crisis situations may not entail international counter-terrorism as Marc’s did, in our age of social media and a 24-hour news cycle, the consequences of mishandling a crisis can escalate quickly, leaving irreparable damage to a company’s reputation and bottom line in its wake.
In this conversation, Marc shares how true leaders need to lead in and through times of crisis and thrive under conditions of ambiguity, rather than message their way out or duck from hard decisions. Marc provides audiences with proven strategies and core principles that leaders can apply to meet any crisis head-on and lead through it. Audiences walk away with an understanding of the unique mindset and strategies Marc himself practiced and honed throughout his remarkable career.
Life as an Intelligence Officer
Marc Polymeropoulos discusses what it was like to serve under four presidents, including the unique time period during the first two years of the Trump administration, which includes a discussion on recruitment operations and working with foreign liaison. Marc discusses the challenges that the intelligence community will face in the 21st century, with a focus on leadership and ethics.
Challenges and Opportunities for the US and Israeli Intelligence as the War on Hamas Continues
