Matthias Kennert studied international political management in Bremen before completing a joint masters degree in international relations at the Freie Universität Berlin, the Humboldt Universität zu Berlin and the Universität Potsdam. He also studied at Istanbul Kültür University and George Washington University, and gained professional experience at the German Federal Academy for Security Policy, the Defence Committee of the German Bundestag, the Embassy of Germany in Bolivia and elsewhere. As a Mercator Fellow, he will explore the opportunities and risks of civil-military cooperation in combating transnational organized crime.