Mission First: Acquisition Reform

Posted: August 31st, 2020

By IN MEMORIAM -- Brett Davis

IN MEMORIAM - Brett Davis was a valued and much-loved Cipher Brief Expert before his passing in 2023. He also worked as a Partner at New North Ventures -- a Venture Capital firm focused on technological innovation. Brett served fro 34 years in the U.S. government, retiring as a Senior Executive in the Central Intelligence Agency. He also served as a Special Operations Officer in the US Navy. In government, he led complex operations and enterprise-wide programs across the Central Intelligence Agency, National Reconnaissance Office, US Military and other government agencies.

Brett Davis is a Partner in New North Ventures — a Venture Capital firm focused on technological innovation. Davis retired as a Senior Executive in the Central Intelligence Agency and Special Operations Officer in the US Navy. His combined 34 years of government experience included leading complex operations and enterprise-wide programs across the Central Intelligence Agency, National Reconnaissance Office, US Military and other government agencies.

OPINION — We are living in an age of accelerating technological advancements, geopolitical challenges, and an increasingly vocal expectation from the American public for a more stable and secure future. This statement could have been a leading sentence in the news 50 years ago, or even 100 years ago – so what is different now? Urgency of action. The speed of change has dramatically increased and so must America’s ability to incorporate new capabilities into our national security infrastructure. The time has come for the Department of Defense to streamline the procurement process and work more directly with industry in a collaborative manner or risk being left behind in the new age of innovation.

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