Leon HOLC
Colonel Leon Holc has served in the Slovenian Armed Forces since 1992 and has held a wide range of command, operational and strategic leadership appointments, including service at SHAPE and the Slovenian Armed Forces General Staff.
He commanded the 74th Motorized Battalion and led part of the Slovenian Contingent during the ISAF mission in Afghanistan.
Since June 2023, he has served as Director of the NATO Mountain Warfare Centre of Excellence, leading NATO's efforts in mountain warfare doctrine development, experimentation, education and capability development.
His professional military education includes the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, United States.
Why Mountain Warfare Matters for NATO's Future
The opening keynote speech will set the strategic context for the Congress by examining the enduring relevance of mountain warfare in an era of strategic competition, Multi-Domain Operations and rapid technological transformation.
It will highlight why mountain terrain remains critical to NATO's deterrence and defence, and introduce the key themes of the Congress, including capability development, innovation, interoperability, lessons from recent conflicts and exercises and headquarters decision-making.
Mountain warfare is not a niche capability—it is a strategic enabler of NATO's collective defence. To remain operationally relevant, the Alliance must continuously adapt its doctrine, capabilities, training and partnerships to meet the challenges of future operations in complex terrain.