The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Emil Michael, a former Uber executive, as the next under secretary of defense for research and engineering in a 54-43 vote.
In a written testimony in March, Michael said he would consider reviewing the structure of the Department of Defense’s research and engineering office, Breaking Defense reported.
“It is critical that the Department innovates more quickly and with more efficiency. If confirmed, I would look for opportunities to implement, as appropriate, best practices that I’ve used in the private sector to drive innovation at speed and with efficiency throughout the organization,” he wrote.
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Top Tech Priorities
If confirmed, Michael noted that his top priorities would be artificial intelligence, quantum computing, autonomous systems, hypersonic capabilities and directed energy.
Emil Michael’s Career Background
Michael was Uber’s chief business officer between 2013 and 2017.
He previously served as chief operating officer of social media analytics company Klout and was part of the founding team of Tellme Networks, which Microsoft acquired in 2007.
The former White House Fellow served as a special assistant to the secretary of defense and led projects in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan during his time at the Pentagon.
He began his career as an associate within the investment banking division at Goldman Sachs.
The Harvard University graduate holds a Juris Doctorate degree from Stanford Law School.
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