The International Centre for Defence and Security (ICDS) has appointed David M. Cattler, a senior U.S. national security leader with more than three decades of experience in intelligence, defense policy, and international security, as a Non-Resident Research Fellow.
Cattler most recently served as Director of the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA), where he oversaw one of the U.S. government’s largest security agencies. The agency announced his retirement back in July. In that role, he led more than 15,000 personnel, managed security vetting and industrial security for over 10,000 cleared companies, and advanced insider threat prevention efforts across the Department of Defense and more than 100 partner agencies.
Before leading DCSA, Cattler was NATO’s Assistant Secretary General for Intelligence and Security. At NATO, he unified the Alliance’s intelligence enterprise, strengthened counterintelligence capabilities, and expanded cooperation with Allied and partner nations. His earlier career also included senior roles at the White House, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), and the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA).
In recognition of his contributions to Allied security and international cooperation, Cattler was awarded the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana (Third Class) by Estonian President Alar Karis.
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