Thierry Vircoulon graduated from the French Public Management Institute (ENA) and the Institute for Political Studies in Paris. He holds a masters degree in Political Science from Sorbonne University.

He worked as the Central Africa project director for the International Crisis Group in Kenya (2010-15), taught security issues in Sub-Saharan Africa in the Institute for Political Studies in Paris (2013-19) and has been working for the French Institute of International Affairs since 2016.

He is presently the coordinator of the Central and Eastern Africa Observatory of the French Institute of International Affairs, is doing consultancy research for various organisations working in conflict zones (NGOs, donors) and is contributing to the global organised crime index.