Press Releases

Robert Rodriguez Joins Chertoff Group Board of Advisors

February 9, 2012      

WASHINGTON, D.C. –The Chertoff Group, a global security and risk management advisory firm, is pleased to announce the addition of Robert Rodriguez to the firm’s Board of Advisors.  Mr. Rodriguez, a 22-year veteran with the U.S. Secret Service, is currently Chairman and Founder of the Security Innovation Network (SINET), which advances cybersecurity solutions across both industry and government service sectors.

“Robert is a highly respected partner to both government and private industry through his years of focus on innovation and his proven ability to forge new partnerships confronting today’s security challenges,” said Michael Chertoff, former Department of Homeland Security Secretary and Chairman of The Chertoff Group.  “We are proud to have him join our team as an advisor on our board.  We look forward to working together to bring forward new tools and state-of-the art technologies that will transform the way we protect ourselves and our most critical infrastructure.”

“I am honored to be asked by Secretary Chertoff to serve on the Board of Advisors. He is a proven security and risk management leader who is applying his public sector expertise towards our mutual interests of protecting the nation's civilian and government critical infrastructures,” said Robert Rodriguez.  “Our respective strengths and partnership will help accelerate the advancement of innovation in the cybersecurity domain by increasing awareness and building trust based relationships between the investors, builders, buyers and researchers.”

As Chairman and Founder of SINET, Mr. Rodriguez helps accelerate business opportunities for both small and large companies through community-building activities, networking events, and public-private partnerships.  Through SINET, Mr. Rodriguez has created opportunities for companies to demonstrate innovative IT security technologies and forge new relationships with both industry and Federal Government by sponsoring annual events including the IT Security Entrepreneur’s Forum at Stanford University, the Innovation Summit at the University of Chicago and the SINET Showcase in Washington DC.  

Prior to establishing SINET, Mr. Rodriguez served more than 22 years as a Special Agent with the U.S. Secret Service. During this time, he held a number of leadership roles within Executive Protection, Protective Intelligence, Inspection and Criminal Investigative Divisions.  In 2001, he spearheaded the development of the U.S. Secret Service’s first public-private partnership cybersecurity initiative in Northern California which focused on mitigating risk to our nation’s critical infrastructure. Since 2005, Mr. Rodriguez has coordinated public/private sector outreach for the Department of Homeland Security’s SRI International Cyber Security Research and Development Center and the Computer Science Department at Stanford University. He is an advisor to TRUST, a National Science Foundation trusted computing grant program that includes seven of our nation’s top universities. Mr. Rodriguez served on the US Air Force Advisory Board that helped design a public private construct relative to cyber security and has been called upon numerous times by the Department of Defense to help coordinate their private sector outreach.

Additional members of The Chertoff Group Board of Advisors include:

• Jean-Louis Bruguière – Judge Bruguière is an international expert on terrorism. With more than 25 years of experience serving as France’s leading magistrate for investigating counter-terrorism, Judge Bruguière is responsible for hundreds of important arrests and convictions including among them one of the world’s most famous terrorists Carlos (“the Jackal”). He was also appointed by the European Union to the U.S. Department of Treasury to oversee the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program.

• Joseph G. Fogg III – Mr. Fogg is currently Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Westbury Capital Partners, a venture capital firm that specializes in providing value-added capital to privately owned companies in high-growth, complex markets. Mr. Fogg has more than 35 years of prior investment banking experience at Morgan Stanley where he led the bank's global investment banking division in the early 1990's.

• Admiral Timothy Keating – Admiral Keating is a highly decorated, retired Admiral in the U.S. Navy and the former Commander of the United States Pacific Command (CINCPAC), where he worked to preserve the security of our nation across the Asia-Pacific region. Previously he served as Commander of the United States Northern Command (NORTHCOM), responsible for protecting the United States homeland and providing support to federal, state and local officials in times of crisis. During this same time, he also served as Commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), providing aerospace warning, air sovereignty and defense for the United States and Canada.

• Dr. Joseph S. Nye Jr. – Dr. Nye is currently a University Distinguished Service Professor, the Sultan of Oman Professor of International Relations and a former Dean of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He has served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, Chair of the National Intelligence Council, and Deputy Under Secretary of State for Security Assistance, Science and Technology.

• William Saito - An authority in the fields of encryption, authentication and biometric technology, Mr. Saito has spent the past two decades shaping information security policy, establishing startups and managing public corporations. Currently residing in Japan, Mr. Saito addresses business and technology issues for clients worldwide through his consultancy Intecur K.K., which helps companies identify and develop applications and markets for innovative technologies.

• Sir John M. Scarlett KCMG OBE – Sir John Scarlett served for 38 years with the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) and three years (2001-2004) as Chairman of the Cabinet Office Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC). He took over the JIC six days before the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States. From 2004 to 2009, he was Chief of MI6. Sir John is currently a Senior Advisor at Morgan Stanley. He is a member of the Advisory Boards of PwC and Swiss Re and a Trustee of the Imperial War Museum.

• Maurice Sonnenberg – Mr. Sonnenberg currently serves as Senior International Advisor at J.P. Morgan. He has served in five U.S. Presidential Administrations holding various appointed advisory positions in the areas of finance, international trade, intelligence and counterterrorism.Mr. Sonnenberg currently serves as Senior International Advisor at J.P. Morgan. He has served in five U.S. Presidential Administrations holding various appointed advisory positions in the areas of finance, international trade, intelligence and counterterrorism.Mr. Sonnenberg currently serves as Senior International Advisor at J.P. Morgan. He has served in five U.S. Presidential Administrations holding various appointed advisory positions in the areas of finance, international trade, intelligence and counterterrorism.

About The Chertoff Group
The Chertoff Group is a global security advisory firm that provides consulting, business development and merger and acquisition (M&A) advisory services for clients in the security, defense and government services industries.  With decades of trusted leadership experience across both government and financial services, The Chertoff Group advises clients on how to manage their risk, protect against a broad array of threats and crises, and grow their business within a complex security market.  In the last 18 months, The Chertoff Group has acted as a strategic advisor on several M&A transactions totaling more than $2.7 billion in deal value.  Headquartered in Washington D.C., the firm maintains offices in London, New York and San Francisco.  For more information about The Chertoff Group, visit www.chertoffgroup.com.