Richard P. O'Neill is the founder and President of The Highlands Group. Mr. O'Neill previously served in government, in his last position as Deputy for Strategy and Policy in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense. In 1994 he created (and still directs) The Highlands Forum, an internationally recognized idea engine and cross-disciplinary forum of leaders from industry, academia, government, the arts and the professions, to support high level government policy and strategy development.

Since 2002 he has directed the Island Forum for the Republic of Singapore. Mr. O'Neill has briefed public and private sector leaders on a broad range of topics at the Presidential Commission on Diplomacy; Presidential Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection; President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board; Center for Strategic and International Studies; French Embassy (US-French Technology Issues); American Bar Association Committee on National Security and the Law. Additionally Mr. O'Neill has delivered lectures to the Institute for World Politics, Harvard University, Georgetown University, Tufts University, National Defense University, Naval Postgraduate School, Foreign Service Institute, the Meridian Institute, the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, and the Secretary of State Forum. He has published journal articles on conflict in the information age; and dichotic hearing, sensory overload, and decision making.

He served in the United States Navy, retiring as a Captain.