Ukraine Foundation
Inspiring Change, Driving Impact
Mathieu Capdevila is an experienced management consulting leader with a long record of advising governments, multilateral institutions, and private-sector clients across Europe on strategy, transformation, and organizational performance.
His work bridges public policy, economic development, and security-related programs, informed by a career spanning major international consultancies and senior assignments at the intersection of governance, infrastructure, and national resilience. He holds security clearance.
He currently serves on the Board of Trustees of a UK-based Charitable Foundation, supporting efforts to rebuild critical infrastructure and strengthen the enabling conditions for long-term recovery. He is also the Founding Director of Cap & Partners, through which he advises organizations on strategic governance, program design, and delivery excellence.
From 2021 to 2024, Mr Capdevila served as EU Director at BearingPoint, where he led advisory mandates focused on strategy, digital transformation, security, and large-scale operational programs. Before that, he spent five years at ICF, serving first as Head of Practice and earlier as Consulting Director and Principal Consultant. Prior to joining ICF International, he served as Senior Managing Consultant for Europe at Matrix Knowledge Group, where he oversaw complex assignments involving public safety, security, and regulatory transformation. He began his consulting career with Deloitte as a management consulting professional after early roles with Parsys Consulting and UBM plc.
Mr Capdevila’s public-sector service began as a Junior Diplomat and Trade Officer at the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong and Macao, where he worked in the Economic Department from 1998 to 2000.
He has contributed to a number of analytical studies for the European Commission. His publications include a major evaluation of the implementation and functioning of Directive 2004/82/EC on carrier obligations to communicate passenger data, delivered to the Directorate-General for Home Affairs in 2013. The report applied mixed-method evaluation models to assess the transposition, implementation, and impact of the Directive across Member States.
Mr Capdevila completed executive leadership training through the Professional Director Series at the Institute of Directors and previously studied geopolitics, international relations, strategy, and diplomacy at the French Institute of Higher Studies in National Defense (IHEDN). He holds a Post-Graduate Degree in Political Science from Université Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallée, an MA in Economics from Université de Poitiers, and studied Economics at Portland State University through an exchange programm.
He holds multiple professional certifications, including the Corporate Finance Foundations Professional Certificate (CFI), project-management and PM2 Agile credentials, a certificate in evaluation and meta-evaluation from the University of South Florida, and advanced internal-audit training from CNAM. He is a certified Managing Successful Programs practitioner and a Prince2 practitioner.
He is fluent in English and French and conversant in Spanish.
New York: Read the latest publication with Asia Society of our International Advisory Board member, Ambassador Pierre Andrieu on China-Russia Relations since the Start of the War in Ukraine.
In his August 20, 2025 Asia Society report “China-Russia Relations Since the Start of the War in Ukraine,” our International Advisory Board Member, Ambassador Pierre Andrieu, Senior Fellow at Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis, scrutinizes how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has accelerated Sino-Russian cooperation -particularly through the rapid deepening of trade, sanctions circumvention, and the poignant asymmetry of the relationship despite the “no-limits” rhetoric that preceded the conflict.
China-Russia Relations Since the Start of the War in Ukraine – August 20, 2026
Doha: Watch our International Advisory Board Member, Dr. John A. Pennell, commenting to Al Jazeera on the Alaska Summit
Princeton University & Modern War Institute At West Point: Dr. Mariya Heletiy Publishes “The Balkans Model and Conditions for Peace in Ukraine” In the Irregular Warfare Initiative
We are proud to share the latest contribution from Dr. Mariya Heletyi, whose new article has been published by the Irregular Warfare Initiative, a joint project of Princeton University’s Empirical Studies of Conflict and the Modern War Institute at West Point.
In “The Balkans Model and Conditions for Peace in Ukraine,” Dr. Heletiy draws on the experience of the Balkan conflicts to analyze the irregular warfare nature of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and what it means for peace-building. Her analysis offers a sobering but necessary perspective: that peace in Ukraine cannot be built on traditional negotiations alone.
Using the backdrop of Russia’s repeated violations of ceasefire agreements -most recently its broken “Easter truce”- Dr. Heletiy argues that today’s hybrid conflicts require more than diplomatic handshakes. The war in Ukraine spans far beyond the battlefield, touching diplomatic, informational, economic, humanitarian, and military fronts. As she points out, ceasefires in irregular conflicts often serve less as a path to peace and more as a pause for regrouping and rearming.
Drawing lessons from the Balkans, Dr. Heletiy proposes that irregular warfare tools -such as economic pressure, information campaigns, and unconventional tactics- must be part of any comprehensive strategy for sustainable peace. Her article warns against the false comfort of conventional approaches that do not account for the ideological drivers, asymmetries, and non-state actors that continue to shape today’s conflicts.
We encourage everyone interested in peace and security in Ukraine and beyond to read Dr. Heletiy’s full piece, which brings deep insight and strategic clarity to one of the most pressing issues of our time.
Washington: Check out the latest media appearances of Ukraine Foundation’s International Advisory Board Member John Pennell
John Pennell on Russia’s Actions in Ukraine and Syria in The Cognitive Crucible by the Information Professionals Association – September 16, 2025
In the episode, Dr. John Pennell explores how Russia’s use of irregular warfare and information operations has evolved across Ukraine and Syria from 2014 to 2022, arguing that Russia has increasingly blended kinetic, cyber, influence, and hybrid tactics to shape outcomes. He discusses how the information environment has become a key domain in contemporary conflict, emphasizes the growing role of non-state actors (like criminal syndicates) in amplifying Russia’s messaging, and calls for better public literacy about information threats, more research into how adversaries adapt their strategies, and more integration between scholars, policymakers and practitioners in responding to this more complex character of war.
John Pennell on “Did Syria Prepare Russia for Hybrid Warfare in Ukraine?” in At the Boundary by the Global and National Security Institute of the University of South Florida – August 11, 2025
In the “Did Syria Prepare Russia for Hybrid Warfare in Ukraine?” episode of At the Boundary, Dr. John Pennell discusses how Russia leveraged its 2015 intervention in Syria as a proving ground for techniques later applied in Ukraine. He argues that operations in Syria allowed Moscow to test tools like drones, electronic warfare, information campaigns, and proxy forces under real combat conditions. Dr. John Pennell traces how Russia adapted those hybrid warfare methods—initially developed in the Syrian context—to the conflict in Ukraine, especially in its early phases (Crimea, Donbas), emphasizing plausible deniability, disinformation, and local proxies. He also highlights the importance of understanding this operational lineage for NATO, the U.S., and partners as they seek to counter Russia’s evolving toolkit.
FAQs
What is the focus of Ukraine Foundation’s work?
Ukraine Foundation is an independent, mission-driven research and impact organization dedicated to advancing peace, resilience, and innovation in Ukraine. Our work combines rigorous policy research with practical initiatives that strengthen Ukraine’s international partnerships, support innovation and technology, and promote cultural resilience amid the ongoing war.
How does the Foundation turn research into impact?
We believe research should lead to real-world change. Our policy programs —Ukraine in Europe, China in Ukraine, and Ukraine in the Global South— produce insights that shape international dialogue and policy. At the same time, our impact initiatives foster cooperation between governments, businesses, academia, and civil society, ensuring that ideas translate into action for Ukraine’s security, prosperity, and influence.
How can individuals and organizations engage with the Foundation?
Engagement is central to our mission. Partners, experts, and supporters can collaborate through joint research projects, public events, and strategic initiatives in innovation and culture. We also welcome contributions to our programs that amplify Ukraine’s voice globally and strengthen its resilience at home.
How can I support Ukraine Foundation?
You can support our mission by contributing financially, partnering on research or impact projects, or amplifying our work through your professional networks. Every contribution -whether funding, expertise, or visibility- helps us strengthen Ukraine’s resilience and global partnerships.
Does Ukraine Foundation accept volunteers or research fellows?
Yes. We welcome dedicated professionals, researchers, and students who want to contribute to our policy and impact agenda. Opportunities range from short-term projects and fellowships to longer-term engagement with our programs and initiatives.
How can organizations collaborate with the Foundation?
We actively partner with think tanks, universities, governments, businesses, and NGOs to co-develop research, host events, and implement projects that drive meaningful change. Organizations interested in collaboration can reach out to us directly to explore tailored partnerships.