John Parsaie, PhD, JD, joins Dolce Vita Advisors as an Associate Partner, bringing with him a wealth of experience from his extensive and illustrious career. Currently the Chief Executive Officer at Blackwater International, based in Dubai, UAE, John has over three decades of expertise in global threat assessment, risk management, and paramilitary operations. 

At Blackwater International since February 2021, John has been instrumental in overseeing the company’s comprehensive suite of services. These include ethical hacking, crypto and asset recovery,  ransom mitigation, hidden asset recovery, dark web investigations, tracing and locating missing person, advanced paramilitary training, and conducting hostage rescue missions. 

Prior to his current role, John served in the Central Intelligence Agency (C.I.A.) from September 1992 to January 2021. As a Special Agent and Senior Field Operations Officer in the National Clandestine Service/Special Activities Division (NCS/SAD), John was pivotal in threat assessment and mitigation, counter-terrorism, counter-assault operations, and managing elite field operator teams. His extensive training in paramilitary and covert operations further underscores his formidable capabilities. 

John’s academic achievements are equally impressive. He holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Cal State University, Los Angeles (1992), an M.B.A. (1995) and a Juris Doctor (1996) from Columbia University, and a PhD in Engineering from UC Berkeley (2001). Additionally, he has completed various specialized training programs at the CIA Farm, FBI Academy, and US Secret Service, covering Basic & Advanced Tradecraft, Paramilitary Training, Firearms & Sniper Training, S.E.R.E Training, Enhanced Interrogation Techniques, Hostage Rescue, and Hostage Negotiations Training. 

Fluent in multiple languages including Farsi, German, Arabic, English, Turkish, Russian, Hebrew, and Dari, John’s multilingual skills significantly enhance his ability to operate in diverse and challenging environments globally. His leadership at Blackwater International is marked by his extensive background in high-stakes operations and his unwavering commitment to the highest standards of security and efficiency in all missions.