Harry Coker, a former Navy commander and esteemed national security official with decades of public service, has been chosen as the new U.S. National Cyber Director, succeeding Chris Inglis.
Furthermore, the Biden administration formally announced Coker’s nomination, entrusting him with leading the implementation of the government’s recently developed national cybersecurity strategy. One of Coker’s crucial responsibilities will be navigating the complex relationship between the federal government and tech industry giants, as they struggle to combat relentless cyber threats from malicious hackers.
Having served in top leadership roles in the U.S. Navy, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and National Security Agency (NSA), Coker brings a wealth of experience to his new position.
His previous roles include being the Executive Director of the NSA, where he managed the largest component of the U.S. intelligence community, and Director of Open Source Enterprise in the CIA’s Directorate of Digital Innovation. Additionally, Coker holds the position of an operating partner at British venture capital firm C5 Capital and has been involved in the Azure Mission Cloud advisory board at Microsoft.
The National Cyber Director role was established by federal law and has long been advocated for by lawmakers and experts in the field. This position aims to create a more streamlined strategy and coordinated response to cyberattacks that often involve officials from multiple agencies.
Chris Inglis, the former NSA deputy director, previously served as the inaugural National Cyber Director, and he and his team crafted the National Cyber Strategy, advocating for stronger regulations for companies and suppliers in the critical infrastructure sector and a more aggressive government response to significant hacking attacks.
