WASHINGTON, March 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) today announced that retired General Joseph F. Dunford, who served as the 19th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has been named its next chief executive officer.

General Dunford will assume the role on May 7, 2026, succeeding John Hamre, who announced last year that he will retire as CEO after 26 years of transformational leadership at CSIS. As CEO, General Dunford will oversee all aspects of CSIS’s research programming and operations, guiding the Center’s strategic direction and institutional growth. His appointment comes at a critical moment, as CSIS centers its scholarship on the defining challenges of a changing global order marked by strategic competition, technological transformation, and evolving security threats.

“It is a privilege to lead CSIS as the United States confronts a challenging strategic landscape,” said Dunford. “For more than 60 years, CSIS has shaped national security debates through nonpartisan analysis and practical recommendations. The stakes today are profound, and I am committed to working with our world-class scholars to strengthen American security and prosperity in a more competitive and uncertain world.”

One of the nation’s most respected national security leaders, General Dunford brings decades of experience at the highest levels of national decisionmaking. He served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff—the nation’s highest-ranking military officer—under Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump, from October 2015 through September 2019. Previously, he served as the 36th commandant of the Marine Corps. He also commanded the International Security Assistance Force and United States Forces–Afghanistan from February 2013 to August 2014.

A native of Boston, General Dunford is a graduate of St. Michael’s College. He earned master’s degrees in government from Georgetown University and in international relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He has most recently served as non-resident senior fellow with the Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.

Founded in 1962, CSIS is regarded by many as the world’s top national security think tank. Across defense, geopolitics, economic security, technology, and global development, the Center integrates policy analysis with strategic insight to advance American security and prosperity.

“It has been the privilege of a lifetime to lead CSIS for the past 26 years, and there is no one better prepared to lead our institution into its next chapter than General Dunford,” said John Hamre, CEO of CSIS. “He brings unparalleled experience in confronting complex global challenges and a clear understanding of the strategic choices facing the United States. I am confident CSIS will build on its momentum and deepen its impact under his leadership—and I will remain fully committed to supporting its success.”

John Hamre will continue contributing to CSIS’s scholarship and global engagement as CEO emeritus once General Dunford assumes the CEO position on May 7.

Watch: John Hamre Introduces General Joseph F. Dunford

To learn more, visit CSIS.org.

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