Bezhuashvili Gela

Gela BEZHUASHVILI is the founder and the Chairman of the Board of Georgian Industrial Group (GIG), the CEO of David Bezhuashvili Education Foundation, and has over twenty years of experience working in the Government of the Republic of Georgia. Amb. Bezhuashvili started his public sector career in 1991 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he held various positions at the International Legal Department. He served as the Deputy Chief of Mission of Georgia to the Republic of Kazakhstan, and in 2005, was appointed as the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He continued his career at the Defense Ministry as a Deputy and later, as the first civilian Minister of Defense. He was actively involved in reforming the security sector at the National Security Council of Georgia (NSC) serving as the National Security Advisor to the President. For the last 6 years of his public service, he led the Intelligence Service of Georgia (GIS). In 1998-2000, Mr. Bezhuashvili was actively involved as a national expert in cooperation with the Council of Europe and the EU on issues of international law, corruption, and protection of national minorities. As a national expert, he worked with the Venice Commission on constitutional issues. Throughout his career, Amb. Bezhuashvili received numerous awards. He was nominated as The Man of the Year 2004 by the American Biographical Institute, USA. In 2006, he received the Order of Merit I Degree from the Ukrainian Government for his contribution to the international policy and bilateral relations between Georgia and Ukraine. By the Order 94 of the President of Estonia, in 2007, he was awarded the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana III Degree, the highest award of the Republic of Estonia. In 2008, the American Biographical Institute proclaimed Gela Bezhuashvili as an approved Charter Member of the Leading Intellectuals of the World for his outstanding contributions to Defense Reforms, Civilian Control over the Military, Institutional Reform of the Foreign Service, and Security System Reforms in Georgia, as well as a distinguished member of the American Hall of Fame for his outstanding commitment, dedication and inspirational leadership. At the end of his public sector career in 2013, by the Decree № 011104 of the President of Georgia, Amb. Bezhushvili was awarded the Order of Vakhtang Gorgasal I Degree. He graduated from the Ukrainian Institute of International Relations and International Law, Kiev State University with a BA and an LL.M. He also holds a LL.M in the International and Comparative Law from the Southern Methodist University (SMU) School of Law. He is 1997 Edmund Muskie Fellow. He received an MPA from Harvard University, JFK School of Government in 2011 and is the 2004 Edward S. Mason Fellow. Amb. Beshuashvili is married, has two sons and a daughter. He fluently speaks English, Russian, and Spanish.