Professional
I am a political scientist responsible for Governmental Relations at the CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security, Germany’s leading research institution for cybersecurity, privacy and trustworthy AI.
Responsibilities at CISPA cover the full spectrum of political work, from political communications and public affairs, including international and scientific cooperation, to political monitoring, risk analysis and policy expertise in the cyber and digital domain.
An expert in international relations with degrees from Aberystwyth and the London School of Economics (LSE) as well as study visits at the University of Heidelberg and the University of Southern California (USC), I worked in the past as a researcher, teacher, writer, editor and political advisor across Europe, with longer stays in Britain and Portugal.
Private
I was born in Germany, my wife Mara in Cabo Verde, and we met in Faro in the Algarve at the geographical mid-point of our birthplaces. Clearly, it was destiny.
I play tennis and badminton, watch football (soccer), support the Arsenal, and like to walk and cycle in nature. I am fluent in German and English, speak basic Portuguese and remember some French and Russian from school.
Contact
Email behnisch at gmail dot com.
Last updated 15 November 2025.