Emil Michael with President Donald Trump
President-elect Donald Trump announced that he has picked businessman Emil Michael to be undersecretary of defense for research and engineering. The R&E chief plays a key role in fostering next-generation military capabilities and overseeing critical technology areas for the Pentagon’s research-and-development enterprise, including trusted AI and autonomy; space; integrated sensing and cyber; integrated network systems of systems; renewable energy generation and storage; microelectronics; human-machine interfaces; advanced materials; directed energy; advanced computing and software; hypersonics; biotech; quantum; and FutureG wireless tech.
Michael was chief business officer at Uber, the ridesharing company, from 2013 to 2017.
He also served as special assistant to Defense Secretary Robert Gates during the Obama administration.
After graduating from law school, he joined Goldman Sachs as a partner in the investment banking group, where he worked on complex projects including mergers and acquisitions, equity financing, and debt financing.
In 1999, he joined the startup Tellme Networks, where he was part of the executive team for nine years.
For nine years, starting from June 1999 until 2008, Michael was part of the executive team at internet-telephony startup Tellme Networks, which was a forerunner of speech recognition technology.
The company was later acquired by Microsoft in a deal worth $800 million.
In 2012, he joined Klout as COO, and as a member of the board of directors, he played a key role in the company’s growth until it was sold to Lithium for $200 million in 2014.
In September 2013, Michael joined Uber as Senior Vice President, serving as CEO Travis Kalanick’s right-hand man.
He played a pivotal role in raising around $15 billion in funding, helping turn Uber into the world’s most valuable private company by 2018.
In 2021, Michael co-funded Checkstop, an AI-powered content moderator for digital platforms. He was also considered for the position of Secretary of Transportation in the Trump administration.
During the Obama administration, Michael served as a special assistant to US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, where he was involved in sensitive assignments that included work in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Michael is a graduate of New Rochelle High School (1989) and is a graduate of Harvard University and Stanford Law School. His parents still reside in New Rochelle, New York.
“I couldn’t be more grateful for @realDonaldTrump’s nomination to serve our nation as Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. It is a dream come true and I can’t wait to get started as part of @PeteHegseth’s leadership team. Our best days are yet to come!”
President Trump posted, “Emil Michael will serve as the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. Emil has lived the American Dream by building several successful Tech companies, including Uber. He served as a Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense when he was a White House Fellow. Emil will ensure that our Military has the most technologically sophisticated weapons in the World, while saving A LOT of money for our Taxpayers. Emil is a graduate of Harvard University, and has a Law degree from Stanford. He is a one of the most respected leaders in the Tech business, and will be a champion for the Troops, and our Great Country.”
