Aditi Kumar

Aditi Kumar is an expert in emerging technology integration and national security policy, with a career spanning government, academia, and the private sector. Aditi served as the highest-ranking political official and Principal Deputy Director of the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) within the U.S. Department of Defense in the Biden Administration. In this role, she led initiatives to rapidly acquire and deploy cutting-edge commercial technologies, including autonomy, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cybersecurity solutions.  

Prior to joining DIU, Aditi served as the Senior Advisor to the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition & Sustainment and the Senior Advisor for Industrial Policy. She led efforts to expand and accelerate missiles and munitions production, increase supply chain resilience and security in critical sectors, and strategically deploy authorities like the Defense Production Act to enhance U.S. national and economic security.

Aditi was previously the Executive Director of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School. She led the Belfer Center’s Economic Diplomacy Initiative, focused on research and expertise at the intersection of international affairs and economic policy. Prior to her time at Harvard, she was a Principal at management consultancy Oliver Wyman in the financial services and public policy practices. 

Aditi holds undergraduate degrees in Economics and International Studies from the University of Pennsylvania’s Huntsman Program, an MBA from the Harvard Business School, and a Master’s in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School. Aditi immigrated from India when she was nine.