Doug Beck resigns as DIU director
Doug Beck resigned Monday as director of the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit, DefenseScoop has confirmed.
As of late Monday afternoon, Beck was no longer listed as a member of DIU’s leadership team on the organization’s website. Multiple sources familiar with the situation confirmed reports of his exit.
DIU’s communications team refused to comment. A Pentagon spokesperson did not reply to a request for comment.
It’s not immediately clear who will serve as acting director now that Beck is gone.
Although the timing of Beck’s departure from his post as DIU director was unexpected, he was a holdover from the Biden administration and many observers expected the Trump administration to eventually install a new director.
DIU — which is headquartered in Silicon Valley and has outposts in several technology hubs across the United States — serves as a key bridge between the Defense Department and the commercial tech sector and aims to help fuel U.S. military modernization. Its main focus areas include AI, autonomy, cyber and telecom, emerging technology, energy, human systems and space.
Beck first took the helm as director of the unit in May 2023 and was a direct report to the secretary of defense. Prior to taking on that role, he was a vice president at Apple for more than 13 years and reported directly to CEO Tim Cook.
Last year, Beck launched an initiative dubbed “DIU 3.0,” with the goal of addressing staffing shortfalls and procurement challenges, and scaling capabilities from the commercial sector across the U.S. military.
During Beck’s tenure as director, the organization has also played a major role in the Pentagon’s Replicator initiative, which was launched two years ago with the aim of fielding thousands of autonomous systems to counter China’s military buildup.
Beck’s roots at DIU date back to its inception about 10 years ago, when he founded and led its joint reserve component from 2015 through 2019, according to his official bio. He is currently a captain in the Navy Reserve, which he has served in for more than 28 years.
