19 November 2025
Introducing ARIA's next CEO
Kathleen Fisher will join us in February 2026.
In 2014, two test pilots flew a Boeing Unmanned Little Bird helicopter while elite hackers actively tried to take control. The hackers failed.
The software protecting it came from HACMS, a DARPA programme that experts once said was impossible. It was revolutionary for cybersecurity, providing the formal-methods blueprint now used by some of the world’s largest tech companies to secure their critical systems.
Started and led by Kathleen Fisher, HACMS was designated by DARPA as their most influential programme of the last decade.
Today, we’re excited to announce that Kathleen will be ARIA’s next CEO.
ARIA’s next phase
Three years in, ARIA has built strong foundations. We’ve recruited sixteen Programme Directors across two cohorts, launched nine programmes spanning AI safety to synthetic biology, and committed over £400 million to the UK R&D ecosystem.
But the numbers only tell one part of the story. What matters more is communities are forming around bold ideas, companies are spinning out, and early wins are emerging, from NHS trials of brain-computer interfaces to new UK subsidiaries of leading deep-tech firms.
ARIA was designed with time-limited leadership from the start, a deliberate choice to stay dynamic as we evolve. We’ve reached a natural inflection point – and the next chapter is clear: turning the ambitious programmes we’ve launched into breakthroughs with the power to transform the world. Kathleen brings the track record to help get us there.
Leading ecosystems
HACMS was only the start. Kathleen went on to lead DARPA’s Information Innovation Office, overseeing a $500 million portfolio, 50+ programmes, and more than 20 programme managers – the same kind of portfolio and team leadership ARIA’s CEO must deliver.
But the most telling part of her track record goes beyond individual programmes: it’s her ability to mobilise entire ecosystems. Her AI Cyber Challenge brought thousands together around a focused problem, and the Resilient Software Systems initiative she led activated industry and research communities simultaneously. Kathleen understands how a focused agency creates impact far beyond its direct funding by energising communities, not just backing individual efforts.
What the CEO search revealed
The search itself revealed something powerful about where the UK stands today. We received 314 applications from top researchers, successful founders, and ARPA veterans worldwide. The quality and breadth of candidates – spanning continents, career paths, and technical domains – speaks to the strength of the UK’s global R&D standing.
Kathleen was the standout candidate in an exceptional field. And her decision to leave one of America’s most prestigious research institutions to join ARIA reinforces what our early programme momentum has already shown — the UK is building something that draws the world’s best.
What’s next
ARIA’s mission stays the same. Our model – Programme Director-led, long-term funding, and the freedom to take bold, informed risks – remains unchanged. Kathleen will build on the foundations Ilan has established to ensure that scientific breakthroughs don’t just advance knowledge, but transform industries, lives, and communities.
The question three years ago was whether this model could work in the UK. Today, the question is what ARIA can achieve. We’re excited and ready for what comes next.
Kathleen Fisher begins as CEO in February 2026 – Ilan will remain as CEO until Kathleen is fully in post, ensuring a smooth transition.