Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. announced that Eric Chewning, former chief of staff to the U.S. Secretary of Defense and deputy assistant secretary for industrial policy, is joining HII as executive vice president, Strategy & Development, reporting directly to HII President and CEO Chris Kastner. Chewning assumes the role on January 30, 2023. Chewning joins HII as it grows its customer set across the armed forces and executes on its significant shipbuilding backlog for its primary customer, the U.S. Navy.

With 20 years of experience in national security markets, Chewning will guide HII's corporate strategy, including identifying new opportunities for growth, cross-division collaboration, and potential investment. Most recently Chewning was the Americas co-lead for the aerospace and defense practice at McKinsey & Company. A former U.S. Department of Defense senior official, he served as the chief of staff to the Secretary of Defense, advising on all policy, operational, personnel, and budgetary matters, and driving senior leaders towards execution of the national defense strategy.

Prior to that role, Chewning served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for industrial policy, where he was the principal advisor on defense industrial base and supply chain issues for the secretary.