Ex-MoD AI Chief Joins Strider to Bolster Economic Defense Tech

LONDON, UK – April 13, 2026 – In a move highlighting the escalating importance of private sector technology in national security, Strider Technologies has appointed Caroline Bellamy, the former Chief Data and AI Officer at the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), as its new Executive Director. The appointment signals a significant reinforcement of the firm's mission to arm governments and corporations against state-sponsored economic threats using advanced artificial intelligence.

Bellamy, a decorated data leader with over 35 years of experience, transitions from a top-level public service role into a pivotal position at Strider, a rapidly growing strategic intelligence company. Her new mandate is to help expand the company's AI capabilities, specifically focusing on the development of an "agentic data refinery"—a sophisticated system designed to process vast amounts of open-source information into actionable intelligence for navigating global competition and security risks.

The New Front Line of Economic Security

The move comes as Western nations and their industries grapple with an increasingly complex and aggressive geopolitical landscape. The front line of international conflict is no longer confined to physical battlefields; it has expanded into boardrooms, research labs, and university campuses. Adversarial nations, employing what experts call "whole-of-society" strategies, are engaged in persistent campaigns to acquire sensitive data, critical technology, and top-tier talent through methods that often exploit the openness of democratic economies.

These threats extend far beyond traditional cyberattacks. They involve state-sponsored intellectual property theft, targeted recruitment of key personnel, and the infiltration of critical supply chains. This shadow war is estimated to cost economies hundreds of billions of dollars annually and poses a direct threat to national and economic security.

It is this environment that frames the significance of Bellamy's transition. "Throughout my career, I have seen first-hand how increasingly sophisticated competitors and indeed state actors exploit the openness of advanced digital and data capabilities and economies to access technology, talent, and sensitive intellectual property," Bellamy stated upon her appointment. "Economic security is one of the defining challenges of our time, and it requires the best combination of technology, data, AI, and the right people with the skills to meet it."

From Whitehall to the Tech Trenches

Bellamy's career trajectory makes her uniquely suited for this challenge. During her six years at the UK Ministry of Defence, she served as the organization's first-ever Chief Data Officer and, later, its Chief Data and Artificial Intelligence Officer. In these roles, she was instrumental in leading a fundamental transformation of the MoD's data capabilities. She spearheaded the UK's inaugural Defence Data Strategy, establishing new frameworks for data governance and exploitation to deliver a decisive information advantage.

Her influence extends well beyond the UK. A key aspect of her work involved forging deep collaborative ties across the global defense ecosystem, including with NATO, the Five Eyes intelligence alliance (comprising Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States), and other allied governments. This experience in operationalizing advanced data capabilities across international partnerships is a critical asset for Strider.

"Caroline is one of the foremost leaders in applying data and AI to complex economic and national security challenges," said Eric Levesque, President and Co-Founder of Strider Technologies. "Her experience building and operationalising advanced data capabilities across allied ecosystems aligns directly with how Strider is evolving its AI-powered strategic intelligence platform."

Bellamy's move is indicative of a broader trend: the migration of top public sector talent to mission-driven technology firms. Recognized as one of the Top 50 Most Influential People in UK Technology in 2024 and consistently named one of DataIQ's 100 Most Influential People in Data, her decision to join Strider underscores the private sector's growing role as a crucial partner in national defense.

Strider's AI Arsenal Against State-Sponsored Threats

Founded in 2019, Strider has quickly established itself as a category creator in the strategic intelligence market. The company has raised over $112 million in venture capital and grown to more than 200 employees, serving a client base of Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and research institutions.

At the heart of its offering is a proprietary AI-powered platform that analyzes billions of publicly available data points—from government records and patent filings to academic journals and global news in over 30 languages. This platform, which does not require access to a client's internal networks, provides an "outside-in" perspective on potential threats. It is designed to identify hidden patterns of state-linked activity, allowing organizations to proactively assess their exposure to risks like IP theft or hostile talent acquisition programs.

The company's AI engine, known as "Spark," leverages generative AI to deliver detailed threat analysis in minutes, a process that traditionally could take weeks or months. Bellamy's role will be central to enhancing these capabilities, transforming Strider's vast data lake into a refined intelligence product that provides clients with what Levesque calls "clearer, faster insight into nation-state risk."

This focus on open-source intelligence (OSINT) differentiates Strider from many traditional cybersecurity firms. Instead of focusing solely on network defense, Strider maps the external landscape of people, partners, and ecosystems to detect the early signatures of state-sponsored campaigns, enabling a more strategic and proactive security posture.

Bridging Public and Private Intelligence

Bellamy’s appointment is more than a strategic hire; it embodies the critical synergy now required between government and industry. With offices in London, Washington D.C., and Tokyo, Strider is already positioned at the nexus of key allied security networks. Bellamy's deep-rooted experience within the Five Eyes and NATO frameworks is expected to further strengthen these connections.

The collaboration is already taking concrete form. In 2025, Strider announced a partnership with NATO's Defence Innovation Accelerator (DIANA), which will leverage the company's platform as an economic security tool. This integration of private sector AI into the heart of allied defense innovation highlights a paradigm shift in how security challenges are being addressed. Private firms, with their agility and specialized technology, are increasingly seen not just as contractors but as essential partners in the intelligence and defense mission.

For top talent like Bellamy, the appeal of such companies lies in their ability to combine purpose with cutting-edge capability. "What drew me to Strider is exactly that, a diverse team that is genuinely mission-driven and ethically motivated, working globally for the security of what we want to defend," she explained. "I'm proud to join an organisation where purpose and capability go hand in hand." As nation-state competition continues to intensify across economic and technological domains, this fusion of public sector experience and private sector innovation will be indispensable in safeguarding critical assets and maintaining a strategic advantage.