- Former CIA Assistant Director in charge of the Agency’s operations, analysis, and resources across the Middle East and North Africa, leading thousands of personnel and countless high-profile initiatives
- Briefed multiple presidents and senior US government officials, bringing that same depth of insight to audiences
- Brings unique expertise in crisis leadership, risk assessment, decision-making, and change management to help organizations navigate uncertainty
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About Martinzie Richmond
Download ProfileMartinzie Richmond is a former senior CIA executive with nearly 30 years of combined experience across the CIA and FBI, and has operated at the center of many of the most consequential national security challenges of our time. He has been a key leader during major intelligence efforts on the Middle East, counterterrorism, and counterintelligence, where he managed large teams, oversaw high-stakes operations, and drove critical analytic insights to support top US policymakers.
He most recently served as the Assistant Director of CIA for the Near East (June 2022-December 2025) where he was in charge of all of CIA’s operations, analysis, and resources across the Middle East and North Africa. He led thousands of officers and managed one of the Agency’s largest budgets during a period of intense regional instability.
Richmond also served as the Associate Executive Assistant Director of the FBI (September 2019-September 2021) where he was CIA’s senior most representative to the Bureau and reported to the Directors of both Agencies. He also led CIA counterintelligence analysis and was a leading counterterrorism expert after 9/11. He started his government career in 1996 as an FBI Investigative Specialist carrying out surveillance operations in support of counterterrorism and counterintelligence investigations in the US.
An analyst by vocation and known for clear thinking under pressure, Richmond has briefed multiple Presidents, senior national security officials, and foreign leaders on a host of fast-moving global threats. Exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau, he now brings this same expertise to audiences with clear frameworks for navigating uncertainty, assessing risk, and making difficult decisions with confidence.
Speech Topics
Download TopicsA key voice in the US national security space, Martinzie Richmond served decades in the US intelligence community, rising through the ranks to become the senior most CIA executive in charge of the Agency’s operations, analysis, and resources across the Middle East and North Africa. He offers audiences a unique real-time lens into today’s global threat landscape and its implications for business and leadership. He connects geopolitical instability, emerging security risks, and shifting power dynamics to the decisions organizations face every day. With nearly 30 years of combined CIA and FBI experience on the Middle East, counterterrorism, counterintelligence, and service as a President’s Daily Briefer, he translates complex global developments into clear, relevant insights. This session equips leaders to think strategically about risk and respond with agility.
Drawing from his nearly 30 years of combined experience in the CIA and FBI, Richmond takes audiences inside the moments where decisions carry global consequences. As former Assistant Director of CIA for the Near East, he led intelligence efforts across one of the world’s most volatile regions, guiding teams through rapidly evolving crises with incomplete information and no margin for error. From briefing multiple presidents and senior US government officials to leading large-scale intelligence operations, Richmond shares how leaders can cut through noise, assess risk, and act decisively under pressure.
In this powerful and personal talk, Richmond shares the story behind his rise from small-town Tennessee to one of the most senior roles in the CIA. As one of the highest-ranking Black officers in the Agency’s history, his journey offers a compelling perspective on resilience, opportunity, and leadership. He reflects on the experiences and decisions that shaped his path, providing audiences with insights into perseverance, purpose, and personal growth. This session resonates with leaders and aspiring professionals alike, offering both inspiration and a deeper understanding of what it takes to lead at the highest levels.
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