DGI 2026

23 - 25 February 2026

Queen Elizabeth II Centre, London

Dave Gauthier

Dave Gauthier

Vice Chair, Advisory Committee on Excellence in Space (ACES) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

David Gauthier brings over 27 years of experience in U.S. national security as an intelligence officer, technology innovator, and strategic leader. In 2023 he became the Chief Strategy Officer of GXO, Inc., a full-service consultancy helping space industry innovators grow sustainable solutions for national security. Mr. Gauthier also serves as the Vice Chair for NOAA’s Advisory Committee on Excellence in Space (ACES), is a Senior Associate (Non-Resident) with the Center for Strategic Intelligence Studies (CSIS), and a Visiting Fellow for the National Security Institute at George Mason University.

Mr. Gauthier served in the Senior Executive Service for nine years prior to his role with GXO, Inc. He was the founding Director of Commercial Operations at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and the first-ever Chair of the Intelligence Community’s Commercial Space Council. Mr. Gauthier was also NGA’s Chief Strategy Officer and the Portfolio Lead for Activity-Based Intelligence. Over his career he led intelligence efforts at NGA, ODNI, DIA, and the U.S. Air Force gaining expertise in technical remote sensing, OPIR operations, all-source intelligence, national space policy, and AI.

Mr. Gauthier earned M.S. degrees in both Aerospace Engineering and Telecommunications Science from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is a graduate of MIT Sloan’s Executive Education, DoD’s APEX, and ODNI’s Leading the IC; and is the recipient of several awards including a National Intelligence Professional Award, Meritorious Civilian Service Medal, and the Presidential Rank Award.

Day 1 | 23rd February 2026

12:30 PM Leadership Fireside Chat – How are National Governments Preparing Themselves for the Age of pLEO (proliferated LEO) and TacSRT (Tactical Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Targeting)?

  • Harness Proliferated Constellations: How to exploit pLEO networks for resilient, real-time tactical intelligence delivery. 
  • Enable Targeting Agility: How to shorten sensor-to-shooter timelines through integrated ISR and responsive space assets. 
  • Future-Proof ISR Doctrine: How to evolve national strategies to embed TacSRT into operational planning and execution. 
  • Secure Tactical Superiority: How to prepare infrastructure and workflows for space-based support to frontline warfighters. 


3:20 PM Leadership Fireside Chat – How Can We Build Trust in AI for ISR for and from Space to Realise its Full Potential?

  • Ensure Transparent Algorithms: How to validate AI models to deliver consistent, explainable ISR outputs at scale. 
  • Mitigate Bias Risks: How to detect and manage bias in AI to protect decision integrity. 
  • Strengthen Human Oversight: How to balance automation with analyst control for trustworthy, mission-ready intelligence. 
  • Prove Operational Value: How to demonstrate AI effectiveness in live ISR missions to drive adoption and confidence. 


Check out the incredible speaker line-up to see who will be joining Dave.

Download The Latest Agenda