Intel Exec To Head CIA's Investment Arm

WASHINGTON — An Intel Corp. executive and cyber security specialist has been tapped to head the CIA's investment and research arm.

In-Q-Tel (Arlington, Va.) said Tuesday (Aug. 29) that Christopher Darby, vice president and general manager of Intel's Middleware Products Division, will become its new president and CEO. Darby will assume his new post on Sept. 18.

Darby is In-Q-Tel's second new CEO this year, replacing Amit Yoran, who abruptly left In-Q-Tel in April after being appointed CEO in January.

Darby joined Intel in 2005 when the chip maker acquired Sarvega Inc., a network security specialist headed by Darby. He also headed an Internet security consulting firm acquired by Symantec.

Darby worked for the former Digital Equipment Corp. and Northern Telecom, now Nortel Networks. He is also a senior fellow at the Center for Advanced Defense Studies, based here.

Darby, 47, served as a government advisor during the formation of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Formed by the CIA in 1999, In-Q-Tel identifies and invests in companies and technologies for use by the CIA and other spy agencies. It recently invested in a pair of networking startups along with security and visualization software developers.