Bruno Tertrais has been a Deputy Director of the Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique (Foundation for Strategic Research, FRS), the main French think-tank on international security issues, since 2017.

His areas of expertise include geopolitics and international relations, strategic and military affairs, nuclear deterrence and non-proliferation, US policy and transatlantic relations, security in the Middle East and in Asia.

He was previously a Senior Research Fellow at FRS (2001-2016), a Special Assistant to the Director of Strategic Affairs at the Ministry of Defense (1993-2001), and a Director of the Civilian Affairs Committee at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (1990-1993).

In 1995-1996, he was a Visiting at the RAND Corporation. In 2007-2008, he was a member of the Commission on the White Paper on Defense and National Security appointed by President Sarkozy and of the Commission on Foreign and European Policy appointed by Minister Alain Juppé. In 2012-2013, he was a member of the new Commission on the White Paper on Defense and National Security appointed by President Hollande.

Bruno Tertrais is a member of the Group of Eminent Persons of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization Preparatory Commission; a member of the Group of Eminent Persons for the Substantive Advancement of Nuclear Disarmament; a member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies; a member of the editorial board of The Washington Quarterly; a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Security and Strategic Analyses;  a member the scientific advisory board of Champs de Mars ; a member of the scientific advisory board of the Chaire Economie & Géopolitique of the Paris School of Business.

In 2010, he received the Vauban Prize for his distinguished career. In 2013, he was awarded the Grand Prix de l’impertinence et des bonnes nouvelles for an essay entitled Un monde de catastrophes ? Mythes et réalités du progrès. In 2014, he was awarded the Legion of Honor. In 2016, he was the co-recipient of the Brienne Prize for his book Le Président et la Bombe. In 2017, he was the co-recipient of the Georges Erhard Prize for his book L’Atlas des frontières. His latest book is  La Revanche de l’Histoire. Quand le passé change le monde (Editions Odile Jacob, 2017)