Palantir Names Government, Military Leaders as Members of New Advisory Board; Alexander Karp Quoted

Palantir Technologies has created its first federal advisory board and selected a host of leaders with government and military experience to assist in tailoring the company’s services to meet defense, intelligence and homeland security needs.

Among the newly announced members are Christine Fox, former acting deputy secretary of defense, Deborah Lee James, former secretary of the U.S. Air Force and William McRaven, former commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command, the software company said Wednesday.

“We invited these national security leaders to join our first government advisory board because of the exceptional contributions they have made to this country in their years of public service,” said Alexander Karp, CEO and co-founder of Palantir.

Karp also cited the board’s “expertise and unwavering integrity” when handling the country’s important and pressing national security matters.

Carter Ham, a retired general, former commander of the U.S. Africa Command and former president and CEO of the Association of the U.S. Army, will also serve on the board along with Peter Neffenger, former vice commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard. Additionally, Jeh Johnson, former secretary of homeland security at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, is scheduled to participate in PFAB meetings.

The instatement of the advisory committee is aimed at strengthening Palantir’s mission to serve its government clients with modern technological services. According to the company, public sector demand has increased for its platforms over the course of its nearly 20 years of business.

The board will help advise on issues such as Palantir’s supply of technology for counter-terrorism efforts and planning for near peer competition.

According to Aki Jain, president of Palantir USG, the new members will leverage knowledge of “how advanced technologies are profoundly changing the national security landscape” and will enable the company to empower U.S. “technological superiority.”

Palantir’s advisory board announcement follows the company’s $34 million task order to modernize an information communication system for the Army earlier this month. Going forward, the new board will likely be involved in decision-making for such contract work.