Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been nominated to be the next chairman of a key Pentagon advisory panel.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Wednesday he had selected Bloomberg to head the Defense Innovation Board.
The board provides advice to senior defense leaders on how to fast-track innovation to meet national security threats.
The Pentagon announcement noted Bloomberg’s “wealth of experience” as an innovator in business, government and philanthropy.
Bloomberg, 79, founded the financial data and media company Bloomberg L.P. and launched Bloomberg Philanthropies — one of the largest philanthropic organizations in the US.
“Innovation and adaptability are absolutely critical at any large organization, and there is no organization bigger or more complex than the Department of Defense,” Bloomberg said in a statement accepting his nomination.
“With rapid advances in technology happening alongside rapidly evolving threats to our national security and the safety of our service members, our largest government agency must also be our most forward-thinking.”
Austin has been revamping the Pentagon’s advisory boards ever since he took office, halted their activities and cleared out members who were appointed in the final days of the Trump administration.
As of Thursday, 36 of the 42 committees Austin ordered to go under review have been cleared to resume operations. The Defense Innovation Board was one of eight panels that got the green light from the defense secretary Wednesday.
The other seven include the National Security Education Board, the National Security Agency Emerging Technologies Panel and the Advisory Board for the National Reconnaissance Office.
With Post Wires