On Monday, March 16, 2026, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz announced on social media that Major General Karol Molenda, Commander of the Cyberspace Defence Forces Component (DK WOC), had been selected for the position of Cyber Champion – Strategic Adviser to NATO Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (ACT), Admiral Pierre Vandier.
Photo: DK WOC
“Great news for Poland! NATO’s Military Committee has selected Major General Karol Molenda for the position of Cyber Champion – strategic adviser to NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Transformation.”
“This is a key function connected with strengthening the role of cybersecurity within the Alliance. General Molenda has many years of strategic and operational experience in the cyber domain. His selection confirms that the competencies being developed by the Polish Armed Forces in the area of digital transformation and modern capabilities are highly regarded within NATO structures. Congratulations, General,” the head of the Ministry of National Defence wrote on social media.
“Minister, thank you for your congratulations and kind words. I accept this selection as an honor, but even more as an obligation. I treat this distinction above all as recognition of the work of the soldiers and experts who build the Polish Armed Forces’ advantage in cyberspace every day. More challenges lie ahead. I am ready to take them on with full commitment, serving Poland and strengthening the security of the Alliance,” Major General Karol Molenda wrote on his profile.
The Cyber Champion is the strategic adviser, or “champion,” to the commander of Allied Command Transformation (ACT) – one of NATO’s two strategic commands, alongside Allied Command Operations.
Established in 2003 and headquartered in Norfolk, United States, NATO’s Allied Command Transformation is one of the Alliance’s two strategic commands and is responsible for transforming its military capabilities to meet new geopolitical requirements. The command is tasked with testing and implementing new strategic doctrines, overseeing NATO military capabilities and capacities, and conducting training and exercises. It is responsible for developing concepts for future warfare, technological innovation, and the transformation of the Alliance’s military capabilities, including AI, multi-domain operations, cyber operations, and more.
Under ACT’s command fall the Joint Force Training Centre (JFTC) in Bydgoszcz, the Joint Warfare Centre (JWC) in Stavanger, Norway, headed by Major General Piotr Malinowski, who previously served as commander of JFTC, as well as the Joint Analysis and Lessons Learned Centre (JALLC) in Monsanto, Portugal.
The Cyber Champion advises the commander of ACT directly on the cyberspace domain. His tasks include shaping NATO’s cyber strategy, developing cyber defense capabilities, integrating cyber capabilities with other domains — land, air, sea, and space — and accelerating the Alliance’s digital transformation. The position is analogous to other “champions” within ACT, such as the AI Champion and the Multi-Domain Operations Champion.
Major General Karol Molenda is an enthusiast and expert in the field of cybersecurity. He graduated from the Military University of Technology, Faculty of Electronics, majoring in Electronics and Telecommunications, earning an M.Sc.Eng. degree, and from the Faculty of Cybernetics, where he completed postgraduate MBA studies. He also completed postgraduate studies at the Warsaw Management University in the field of protection of classified information and information security administration.
He was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in 2019 and to the rank of major general in 2023. He is a co-creator of one of the most advanced digital forensics laboratories. He chairs the work of international teams countering malicious cyber operations. A leader of change, he is the author of the vision and concept for the establishment of the Cyber Defence Forces and the initiator of the implementation of an innovative human resources management model based on the NICE framework. He is a leader with the ability to build international relationships.
He has served as Commander of the Cyber Defence Forces Component since 2022, having previously been Director of the National Cyber Security Centre from 2019 to 2022, as well as the Minister of National Defence’s Plenipotentiary for the establishment of the Cyber Defence Forces from 2019 onward. He also has more than a dozen years of experience in the Military Counterintelligence Service, serving, among other positions, as head of the Cyber Counterintelligence Department, head of the Computer Security Department, head of the Digital Forensics Department, deputy director of the Cyber Security Bureau, deputy director of the 6th Directorate of the Military Counterintelligence Service, and he also served in the 12th Podolian Uhlans Command Battalion from 2004 to 2006.
Decorations and awards:
- Recipient of the Buzdygany Award, granted by Polska Zbrojna
- The Army Commendation Medal, awarded by the United States Department of Defense for commitment and an unconventional approach to cyber counterintelligence activities
- CYBERSEC Award, for contributions to building a secure cyberspace in Poland, strengthening defense through the creation of the Cyber Defence Forces, and implementing innovative cybersecurity solutions
- Silver Cross of Merit
- Pro Patria Medal
- Gold Cross of Merit
- Bronze Cross of Merit
- Bronze Medal “Armed Forces in the Service of the Homeland”
- Bronze Medal “For Merit to National Defence”
- Benemerenti Medal
- Cybersecurity Leader, an award granted by the Security of Poland Congress for creating and developing the Cyber Defence Forces
- Person of the Year 2025, an award granted by the CISO #Poland foundation for creating the Cyber Defence Forces, building an outstanding team, and raising Poland’s cybersecurity to a world-class level
- Legion of Merit, a military decoration awarded by the President of the United States for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding military service in peacetime or wartime.
Panie Ministrze, dziękuję za gratulacje i dobre słowa. Przyjmuję ten wybór jako zaszczyt, ale jeszcze bardziej jako zobowiązanie. To wyróżnienie traktuję przede wszystkim jako docenienie pracy żołnierzy i ekspertów, którzy każdego dnia budują przewagę Wojska Polskiego w… https://t.co/1LCyGAtPkA
— Karol Molenda (@MolendaKarol) March 16, 2026
The editorial team of the MILMAG portal would like to extend its congratulations to Major General Karol Molenda.