CIA: Integrating Risk Management Across the Supply Chain
For the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), security is vital.
It protects US national security by collecting and analysing foreign intelligence, meaning its expertise on security is crucial for implementing trade and supply chain risk mitigation.
Rising threat of risk
Supply chain risk mitigation has been at the forefront of priorities in recent years, with the rising number of cyber attacks on public and private organisations. As the world is becoming increasingly online, tight systems need to be in place to prevent attacks from disrupting global supply chains.
Organisations need to mitigate the risk of attacks by implementing techniques from cybersecurity advisories and law enforcement. By introducing these tactics, organisations can protect their operations and also reduce the risk to their supply chain relationships.
Geopolitical turbulence and the rising threat of cyber attacks have meant that businesses around the world have been aiming to build supply chain resilience and integrate risk mitigation into their operations, but knowing where to start can be difficult. Moreover, many are facing challenges with applying the right software to the wrong process, making their protection inefficient.
Risk mitigation experts
As part of the US Intelligence Community (IC), the CIA integrates supply chain risk management (SCRM) into every step of its operations. This includes the acquisition processes for mission-critical products, materials and services in order to ensure supply chain integrity and counter foreign intelligence threats.
It conducts regular mandatory risk assessments which address threats from contractors and vendors, vulnerabilities in acquisitions and potential mission impacts. Steps of risk mitigation begin at the procurement stages, meaning that security is embedded throughout the entire process.
The Intelligence Community Directive (ICD) 731 is in place to protect the supply chain lifecycle and is intended to work as a collaborative directive alongside other supply chain risk management systems throughout the US Government. Throughout the CIA, collaboration in supply chain risk management is key to risk mitigation.
Experts across acquisition, counterintelligence (CI), information assurance, logistics, program offices, analysis and security participate in ensuring supply chain risk is managed accurately. It will all be overseen by the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), who will ensure best practices are followed and will implement programmes to train the relevant people.
Join Exiger at Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE
The Supply Chain Risk & Resilience Summit at PSC LIVE: The US Summit. At this panel, leaders will explore strategies on how to build supply chain resilience while navigating global disruptions. The panel will focus on identifying, managing and mitigating supply chain risks, using insights from experts in the field of security.
Clinton West will be speaking on the panel, bringing more than 25 years of experience in national security, defense and intelligence operations within senior civilian and military roles. Clinton is the Former Director of Supply Chain Risk at the CIA and has advised senior leaders at the Department of Defense, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and Congress.
Today, he is the Senior Director of Advanced Systems at Exiger, leading the integration of advanced technologies and AI to build secure and resilient supply chains. As a result, Clinton has a thorough understanding of intelligence operations, contested logistics and global risk management, and is now bringing these insights to the summit.
“I’m looking forward to speaking at the Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE: The US Summit 2026 because it’s a rare opportunity to bring real-world lessons from Afghanistan and Ukraine into a conversation the entire industry needs to hear," Clinton says.
"Today’s leaders are being asked to manage risks that move faster and cut deeper than ever before. If sharing what I’ve seen on the front lines both as CIA’s Director of Supply Chain Risk and across global logistics operations, helps even one organisation strengthen its resilience, then the conversation is worth having.”
Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE: The US Summit
Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE: The US Summit takes place April 21-22, bringing together senior procurement and supply chain leaders focused on innovation, strategy and transformation in their organisations. Co-located with Sustainability LIVE: The US Summit, the event provides a comprehensive view of procurement and supply chain’s evolving role in driving business value and sustainability.
It will also feature the inaugural US awards, which will be presented during a black-tie gala dinner at Navy Pier, uniting the leaders driving procurement and supply chain excellence across the US and Canada.
The awards ceremony will take place following Day 1 of the US Summit.
Company portals
Executives
Clinton West
Senior Director of Advanced Systems