John Negroponte was sworn in as the first Director of National Intelligence in April 2005. Prior to this appointment, he was the first U.S. Ambassador to Iraq after gaining sovereignty in 2004. Previous to his commission in Iraq, he served as the United States’ Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
Before his work in Iraq and at the United Nations, Negroponte was employed in the private sector as Executive Vice President for Global Markets of The McGraw-Hill Companies in New York.
A long-time member of the Career Foreign Service, Negroponte served in eight different posts in Asia, Europe and Latin America, in addition to holding positions at the State Department and the White House. Among his assignments Ambassador Negroponte has been Ambassador to Honduras, Mexico and the Philippines, Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, and Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs.
Ambassador Negroponte is a Member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the American Academy of Diplomacy and is also a former Chairman of the French-American Foundation. He received his undergraduate degree from Yale University.
