This week, CEO Bill Lynn had the opportunity to introduce Secretary of Defense Mark Esper for his keynote speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ annual Global Defense Forum.
Lynn addressed the crowd highlighting Secretary Esper’s service in the military, on Capitol Hill, the Pentagon, and with think tanks as well as his work in industry.
In his speech, Secretary Esper focused attention on the threats posed by China and efforts by the Defense Department to counter those threats. Secretary Esper then made the case that the department is taking aggressive reform steps to free up time, money and manpower. That reform includes developing stronger relationships with industry to expand the department’s competitive edge. It also includes the elimination of a risk-averse culture within the department that’s not conducive to experimentation and new ideas.