Ellen Lord is Exiger’s Advisory Board Chair and Strategic Senior Advisor. Having most recently served as the first Under Secretary for Acquisition & Sustainment at the Department of Defense (DoD), Ellen will advise Exiger’s senior leadership on securing the U.S. industrial base by drawing on her experience overseeing defense programs and protecting critical infrastructure in both private sector and government executive level positions. Ellen’s expertise will empower Exiger to continue to deliver cutting-edge solutions to clients across companies and government agencies that are tackling the increasingly complex threat landscape of third-party and supply chain risk.
Ellen is a high energy executive with extensive experience in aerospace and defense. Her expertise lies at the intersection of industry and government in addition to general management. She develops efficient and cost-effective business processes to commercialize cyber secure technology for aircraft, maritime, space and automotive systems. Ellen understands how products and services are successfully sold to government, both domestically and internationally.
Ellen brings 33 years of industry expertise in conjunction with 3 1/2 years in a senior political government position, the combination of which provides an understanding of the nexus of industrial capability to procure. She leverages her experience to focus on national and economic security issues that intertwine industrial and government entities. Ellen’s technology know-how, coupled with her business acumen, uniquely position her to envision capability delivery to meet customer demand. In industry she is respected for her strategic perspective, operational know-how, and the ability to recruit, develop and retain critical talent.
Ellen served as the first Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, leading the Department of Defense’s personnel, policy and processes for acquistion of products and services, lifecycle sustainment and the security and resiliency of the industrial base. Ellen is credited in her government work for driving significant acquisition policy change focused on simplicity and speed. She implemented procedures that recognize major platforms and weapon systems are hardware enabled yet software defined. Additionally she is recognized for addressing cyber vulnerabilities and incorporating an aggressive cybersecurity posture into acquisition policy. Ellen also focused on a high level of communication with all stakeholders as well as strengthening human capital. During her time with the DoD, she developed strong relationships with Congressional members in both a bipartisan and bicameral manner. She holds TS and SCI clearances.
After leaving her DoD role in January 2017, Ellen Established EML Enterprises, LLC, providing advisory services that leverage her industry and government experience. Prior to her government appointment Ellen was President and CEO of Textron Systems, a subsidiary of Textron Corporation where she led a broad range of products and services supporting defense, homeland security, aerospace, infrastructure protection, and customers around the world. She was also the former Vice Chairman of the National Defense Industrial Association, Director of the U.S. – India Business Council and served as a Trustee on the Board of the U.S. Naval Institute Foundation.
Ellen’s background in managing high-growth, mission critical programs will help Exiger to meet the needs of a transforming market. The increased urgency of supply chain security has driven – from microchip shortages to counterfeit PPE – an unprecedented demand for tools that can provide transparency, risk identification and mitigation capabilities across all global industries. The House Armed Services Committee Defense Critical Supply Chain Task Force, the President’s Executive Order on America’s Supply Chains, and the United Kingdom’s upcoming Integrated Review of Security, Defense, Development and Foreign policy are just a few examples of how the U.S. and its allied partners are sounding the alarm on supply chain security; Exiger’s award-winning tools are uniquely positioned to help grapple with these multifaceted issues.
