Paul M. Abbate

A seasoned national security, law enforcement and intelligence leader, Paul Abbate brings nearly three decades of experience guiding high-stakes operations. Respected as an expert tactician and operational leader, Mr. Abbate is distinguished by his leadership in counterterrorism, cybersecurity, international government liaison efforts and interagency collaboration at the highest levels of government.

Mr. Abbate advises clients on a range of national security issues with a focus on identifying and combating the actions of threat actors, including conducting, overseeing and supporting discrete, sensitive investigations involving espionage, insider threats and the theft of critical assets.

Prior to joining FTI Consulting, Mr. Abbate served as Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), where he oversaw all FBI domestic and international investigative and intelligence activities. He led complex cross-agency investigations that mitigated national security risks, enhanced information sharing and improved coordination across all levels of the agency. Mr. Abbate previously served as the Associate Deputy Director, where he was responsible for the management of all FBI personnel, budget, technology and business components, and as the Executive Assistant Director of the Criminal, Cyber, Response and Services Branch, which encompassed all criminal and cyber investigations, international operations, critical incident response and victim assistance.

After becoming a special agent in 1996, Mr. Abbate held diverse assignments and executive leadership roles in various places around the country and across the globe, including leading the field offices covering Washington, D.C., and Michigan; overseeing national security squads in Los Angeles and New Jersey; serving as a team leader and liaison officer in various countries in the Middle East and Africa; and starting his career in New York City as a white-collar crime investigator. When serving as Section Chief for the Counterterrorism Division, he provided oversight of all FBI international terrorism investigations and counterterrorism operations outside the United States.

Mr. Abbate holds a J.D. from the University of Connecticut, School of Law and a B.S. in Economics from Quinnipiac University. Additionally, he has earned certifications from Carnegie Mellon University as a chief information security officer and an insider threat program manager. Mr. Abbate also earned the Attorney General Award for Exceptional Service, a Presidential Rank Award and the Robert A. Levinson Excellence in Government Award from the Foley Foundation, among other citations.