Eric Chewning is executive vice president of maritime systems and corporate strategy. His responsibilities include working alongside the division presidents in leading the company’s strategy for future maritime capabilities and fleet architecture, development of hybrid manned-unmanned teaming strategies; identifying outsourcing partners to accelerate throughput; driving business pursuits for new maritime capabilities; managing enterprise strategic partnerships; managing HII’s Dark Sea Labs Advanced Technology Group, and overseeing enterprise strategy and corporate development.
In addition, he serves as a director on H&B Defence Board of Directors, the HII-Babcock International joint venture in Australia.
He has 25 years of experience across government and industry working issues at the intersection of national security, technology, and business.
Prior to joining HII, he co-led McKinsey & Company’s Aerospace & Defense practice in the Americas.
While in government, Chewning was the chief of staff to the U.S. Secretary of Defense. In this role he led the secretary’s executive team, working across the military services, Joint Staff, combatant commanders, and senior civilian political appointees. He also provided counsel and advice to the secretary on all matters concerning the department.
Prior to serving as the chief of staff, Chewning was the deputy assistant secretary of defense for industrial policy. In this capacity, he was the principal advisor for analyzing the capabilities, policies and overall health of America’s defense industrial base.
A former U.S. Army military intelligence officer, he is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Prior to his military service, Chewning was an investment banker at Morgan Stanley & Co. where he focused on corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions in the global industrials sector.
Chewning received a MBA from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia where he was recognized as a Shermet Scholar. He also earned a Master of Arts degree in international relations and a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors from the University of Chicago. He is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations and appointed to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia by Governor Glenn Youngkin.
