The chairman of the ICDS council, Ministry of Defense Permanent Secretary Kaimo Kuusk, stated that Raik is an excellent choice for the director's position.

"As the current deputy director, Raik is deeply familiar with the challenges ICDS faces and has contributed significantly to the center's development. She is well-prepared to take over the leadership smoothly. Her analyses and presentations on Ukraine during Russia's full-scale war, combined with her extensive experience from Estonia, Finland, Brussels and other parts of Europe, position her as an internationally recognized expert who can continue to advocate for the security and defense policy interests of Estonia and the entire Baltic Sea region. I extend my gratitude to the current director, Indrek Kannik, for maintaining ICDS's high standards. I wish him strength and success in his new role on the European Union's foreign policy team," Kuusk said.

Kristi Raik expressed her appreciation for ICDS' work to date.

"ICDS plays a vital role in interpreting Estonia's defense, security and foreign policy activities. The world around us will not become simpler or more peaceful in the near future, making it all the more important to understand where we are headed. ICDS can help ensure that Estonia's positions and interests are represented in the international discussions that influence decisions made by NATO, the EU and our key allied and partner countries," Raik said.

Raik joined ICDS in 2018 as director of the Estonian Foreign Policy Institute. Since 2023, she has served as deputy director and head of the foreign policy program.

Raik holds a PhD in political science from the University of Turku, where she is also an associate professor of international politics. She has published extensively on European foreign and security policy.

Previously, Raik has worked at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs in Helsinki and the Council of the European Union Secretariat in Brussels. She serves on the boards of several international think tanks, including the Trans-European Policy Studies Association (TEPSA), the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) and the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP).

The current ICDS director, Indrek Kannik, will begin a new role on January 1, 2025, as an advisor on strategic policy and political analysis to Kaja Kallas, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy.

The International Center for Defense and Security is an Estonian think tank specializing in topics related to foreign policy, security and national defense. Its mission is to serve as a regional knowledge hub for Estonia, its allies and partners in the security and defense community. In addition to its diverse research activities, ICDS organizes the Lennart Meri Conference, senior national defense courses, the annual Baltic Defense Conference, the Tallinn Digital Summit and publishes the online journal Diplomaatia.

Members of the ICDS council include Ministry of Defense Permanent Secretary Kaimo Kuusk (chairman), Ministry of Foreign Affairs Secretary General Jonatan Vseviov, Riigikogu Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Marko Mihkelson, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications Secretary General Ahti Kuningas, Government Office Security and National Defense Coordination Director Erkki Tori, Ministry of Finance representative and Director of the Financial Unit at Estonia's EU Representation Andres Kuningas and media expert Raul Rebane.

Kristi Raik also applied earlier this year for the position of director of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs but was not selected for the role.

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