Alex Younger, former Director of the United Kingdom\u2019s Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), has been appointed to the advisory board of Datenna, a Netherlands-based private intelligence firm. This move is widely interpreted as part of broader efforts to counter China\u2019s technological leap, which pose a significant challenge to the Anglo-Saxon hegemony in the race to control the \u201catomic bomb\u201d of the next technological paradigm \u2014 artificial general intelligence (AGI).<\/p>\n
Datenna operates as an OSINT provider of techno-economic intelligence on China. The firm specializes in mapping the intricate relationships between Chinese corporations, state entities, and military institutions. Commissioned by European governmental agencies, it conducts extensive research in industrial and economic domains. The company\u2019s platform tracks over 45 million Chinese enterprises, 70 million individuals, 10,000 R&D institutions, and multi-billion investments in research, patents, and procurement activities. In 2017, Datenna secured a concept development grant (a form of soft loan) from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, an entity under the Dutch government. The firm is also integrated into the network of intelligence providers for defense contractors and is influenced by investment funds such as TIN Capital and Undisclosed VC (NL). <\/p>\n
In his new role, Younger, who previously consulted for Goldman Sachs Group, will offer strategic oversight to Datenna. The company has consistently tracked China\u2019s artificial intelligence initiatives and expenditures, as well as overseas acquisitions of technology firms, frequently conducted through shell companies to obscure their origins. This is particularly evident in the semiconductor industry, where China faces substantial gaps compared to global leaders. Datenna\u2019s analytical framework is designed to identify vulnerabilities within China\u2019s technological supply chains and to uncover China\u2019s growth opportunities that must be undermined.<\/p>\n
Younger\u2019s tenure at MI6 exceeded that of his predecessors. He previously held key positions, including Director of Counter-Terrorism (2009\u20132012) and Head of Operations (2012\u20132014). He later led the agency\u2019s efforts in addressing global challenges and the digital transformation of intelligence operations. He coordinated activities during the Ukrainian crisis and orchestrated actions aimed to complicate Trump\u2019s initiatives, such as the Steele dossier and the Khashoggi affair. <\/p>\n
Inge Bryan, Chair of Datenna\u2019s Supervisory Board, has nearly thirty years of expertise in intelligence, criminal investigations, and cybersecurity. She worked in Paris, representing Dutch interests, and later played a key role in the restructuring of the National Police, where she served as Deputy Chief of the National Criminal Investigations Department. Prior to this, Bryan was the CEO of Fox-IT. She currently chairs the Dutch Institute for Vulnerability Disclosure and serves on the Supervisory Board of the Clingendael Institute. In recognition of her contributions, she was awarded knighthood by the President of France in 2018.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Alex Younger, former Director of the United Kingdom\u2019s Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), has been appointed to the advisory board of Datenna, a Netherlands-based private intelligence firm. This move is widely interpreted as part of broader efforts to counter China\u2019s technological leap, which pose a significant challenge to the Anglo-Saxon hegemony in the race to control […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1600,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[725,1214,98,49,1215,72,568,79,1217,1216,58,1218,1219],"class_list":["post-1599","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-facts","tag-agi","tag-datenna","tag-mi6","tag-osint","tag-aleks-janger","tag-velikobritanija","tag-ii","tag-kitaj-2","tag-niderdandy","tag-obshhij-iskustvennyj-intellekt","tag-francija","tag-cepochki-postavok","tag-chastnaja-razvedka"],"yoast_head":"\n