Lasha Pataraia

Founder and CEO of CASE

Lasha Pataraia is the Founder and CEO of CASE and a seasoned instructor-analyst in specialized security disciplines. His expertise spans cybersecurity, cyber intelligence, counterintelligence, information security, negotiations, and body language. He is also the author of the "Lie Theory" and holds certifications as a public speaker and trainer with over 15 years of experience delivering instruction to law enforcement, military personnel, corporations, and university students.

Mr. Pataraia is a member of the Cyber Security Forum Initiative (CSFI) and a certified professional in information security, risk management, and regulatory compliance. He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Cybersecurity at Northern Kentucky University.

He holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and Law and is a graduate of the Diplomatic Academy of Georgia (2007). He later earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees from the Georgian Technical University’s Faculty of Law and International Relations. His education is complemented by several specialized security programs completed abroad, including studies at the Mikuláš Military Academy in Slovakia and the Center for North Atlantic Affairs (CENAA).

He is certified in various competencies in information technology from global leaders such as IFS, FORS, ORACLE, Qualys, Keystone, as well as Devry University and the Clingendael Institute of International Relations in the Netherlands, where he also completed a training-of-trainers program.

Professionally, Mr. Pataraia has led ERP implementation at Transat Corporation UK and worked as an Information Security Analyst contracted to the Ministry of Defense of Georgia through JSC GTEAM (2008–2010). He has managed numerous digital transformation and cybersecurity projects across both the public and private sectors.

In 2010, he founded the Information Security Studies and Analysis Center, which laid the foundation for the establishment of CASE. His scholarly contributions include multiple internationally published papers on topics such as cybersecurity, disinformation, intelligence, and anti-corruption. He is also the author of Georgia’s first book on cybersecurity, "Cybercrime – Legal and Intelligence Aspects".

Between 2016 and 2018, he served as a cybersecurity instructor for the training centers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Justice of Georgia, educating diplomats and public servants in cyber defense and digital policy.