Helena Rêgo is since 2020 advisor for the Secretary General for the Portuguese Republic Intelligence System (SGSIRP). Until 2020 and since 2013 she was the Director of the Human Resources and Intelligence training (SIRP). Between 1988 and 2013 she was analyst and after 1995 director of several operational departments of the Portuguese Intelligence Security Service (SIS).
She is an expert in international relations at the Portuguese Institute of Social and Political Sciences (ISCSP). She holds a PhD in International Relations, with focus on intelligence analysis and security issues (States Intelligence), a Master Degree in International Relations from the ISCSP, with focus on Russian issues (book The New Russia), and a Law Degree from the Classical University of Lisbon.
From 2013 until 2020 she lectured and coordinated the Post-graduation studies on Structured Analytic Techniques and Intelligence at Nova (IMS) University in Lisbon.
She was teaching assistant at the Classical University of Lisbon – Law School, between 1985 and 1987, and invited assistant Professor at Superior Institute of Political and Social Sciences- ISCSP, between 1992 and 2009.
She is a speaker at several conferences in Portugal and abroad, organized by different institutions, namely the ISCSP – Lisbon; Institute of National Defense (IDN); the Estoril Conferences, 2013; Gulbenkian Foundation, 2015; Portuguese Entrepreneurs Association (AEP); Customs Authority (DGAIEC – Lisbon); Institute for Law Enforcement and Security Studies (ISCPSI); Air Force High Studies Institute – Lisbon; Military High Studies Institute – Lisbon; Maritime Authority School – Lisbon; United Nations interregional crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI); Centre for Asymmetric Studies (CATS); Swedish University of Defence – Stockholm, Sweden; Global Futures Forum (GFF); Community of the Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP); Forum Brasilia (Brazil); Maputo (Mozambique) and Luanda (Angola), Juan Carlos University (Spain) among others.
As Counter Terrorism director (10 years) she participated since the creation (2001) on Counter Terrorism Group CTG (European intelligence) and was the President of the Terrorism Working Group (TWG) of the European Council during the Portuguese Presidency of the EU, in 2007. She was also jointly responsible for the security of several major events (Expo 98; Pope Visits; NATO summits).
She was SIS representative at the Anti-Terrorism Coordination Unit (UCAT), between 2003 and 2004.She gives training in all SIS and SIRP (intelligence) courses, since 1988.She has several articles published.
She has several articles published. Latest articles:
- “A Inteligência dos Estados. A Perspetiva do analista de Informações“, ISCSP, dezembro 2013 (PhD thesis)
- “Segurança e prevenção do terrorismo, algumas notas” in Como tornar Portugal um país seguro? ed. Bnomics, 2013
- “Globalization and challenges for intelligence analysis” in Globalization and International Security, ed. Nova Publishers, 2014
- “Complexidade, intelligence e governação” in Governação integrada e administração pública, INA Editora, 2015
- “Portugal: opções estratégicas” in Contextos de Segurança, OSCOT, colecção Diário de Bordo, Março 2017
She is author of several peer-reviewed articles dealing with different aspects of security and intelligence.
She has been jury of several thesis discussions and gives tutorial guidance in post-graduate works at Nova University Lisbon; Institute of National Defense; Institute for Law Enforcement and Security Studies (ISCPSI) and Air Force High Studies Institute.