John Edwards
Deputy Chief Operating Officer
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
John Edwards serves as CIA’s Deputy Chief Operating Officer (D/COO). He brings a wide range of enterprise-level leadership experience and expertise including his most current role as the Agency’s Chief Information Officer (CIO) and the Director of CIA’s Information Technology Enterprise. Prior to his current assignment, John held a variety of senior leadership positions of increasing responsibility and complexity here at CIA and in private industry, including 14 years as a Communications and Technical Operations Officer with the Directorate of Science and Technology (DS&T), and five years serving as the Chief of Staff to the CIA’s Executive Director, where he played an integral role in implementing the DCI’s strategic and operational priorities. Known for his leadership, corporate vision, and bias for action, John was selected to serve as the Agency’s Executive Secretary and held that position until late 2003. During that period, he was responsible for leading the DCI’s Operations Center, Analytic Support Team, Action Center, and Critical Mission Assurance Program. In 2003, John left the Agency for the private sector. In 2015, after 12 years with two successful start-up companies, Director Brennan asked John to come back to CIA and serve as CIO.