Nitin Chadda is Co-Founder and Managing Partner at WestExec Advisors.

Prior to founding WestExec and concluding government service, Nitin Chadda served as the Senior Advisor for Strategy to former Secretary of Defense Ash Carter. He provided counsel on a range of foreign policy as well as strategic engagement and communications issues. Nitin also advised on the Administration’s proactive outreach to the emerging technology community to improve and deepen ties between the U.S. national security apparatus and innovative ecosystems worldwide.

Prior to his role with the Secretary of Defense, he served at the White House on the National Security Council with a focus on the Near East, as well as on various defense and intelligence policy matters. During his time at the White House, Nitin was principally responsible for coordinating and advising on U.S. policy in support of key diplomatic and regional security initiatives impacting the broader region.

In addition to his time at the White House, Nitin has nearly a decade of experience in U.S. national security policymaking, having served in a variety of roles at the Department of State’s Policy Planning Staff and within the Office of the Secretary of Defense, working on a wide range of functional and regional policy issues.

Beyond his leadership role at WestExec, Nitin serves as the investment co-chair for Ridgeline Partners, a venture capital and special situation fund focused on investing in early-stage companies that innovate technologies to support the global security arena. He also serves on the Board of Advisors of Delta Capital Partners Management, a U.S.-based, global private equity firm specializing in litigation and legal finance.

Nitin received his BS from Cornell University with high honors.