Dawn Meyerriecks (pictured) worked at the CIA as deputy director for science and technology until December 2021.
Scott Faris, CEO of ColdQuanta, said: “As we enter our next stage of commercialisation and growth, we welcome Dawn’s guidance and look forward to the many contributions she will make.”
The news comes only two weeks after ColdQuanta announced the beta launch of Hilbert, the world’s first gate-based cold atom quantum computer. It has also announced the acquisition of Super.tech, a quantum software application and platform development company.
Quantum technology, as being delivered by ColdQuanta, is set to disrupt the encryption technology that has protected electronic communications for decades.
“Dawn is a respected leader who brings a wealth of knowledge and global expertise to help us apply our cold atom technical advances to solve some of the world’s most complex problems,” said Faris.
Meyerriecks studied electrical engineering and then computer science before working in the commercial world for companies such as TRW and AOL but also in the government sector for Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Pentagon’s Defense Information Systems Agency, where she was CTO.
For almost four years until 2013 she was at the office of the Director of National Intelligence, as assistant director for acquisition, technology and facilities.
She is not the only known ex-CIA person to join ColdQuanta. Last year it hired Laura Thomas, a former CIA case officer who was the agency’s chief of base in Afghanistan.
She is VP of corporate strategy and said of Meyerriecks: “In addition to her national security and commercial market insights, Dawn is the type of leader who focuses on the people behind the product. We’re fortunate to have her on the journey with us as we scale up not only our quantum technology, but also the people organization behind it.”
Meyerriecks said about her appointment to the board of ColdQuanta: “Anyone who knows me, knows that I’m passionate about people, and a company’s mission and technology – in that order, and that’s what brought me to ColdQuanta.”
She added: “The vision and products enticed me, but the people behind the science hooked me. I’m hopeful that my expertise and perspective will help the company further its goal of uniting the world’s systems with its transformative quantum technology.”
