In-Q-Tel, the venture capital fund for the Central Intelligence Agency, named Christopher A. R. Darby as its new chairman on Tuesday, replacing acting CEO Scott Yancey.

Mr. Darby is set to take the helm of the Arlington, Virginia-based nonprofit venture organization September 18. He steps in following the short tenure of previous chief Amit Yoran, who resigned abruptly in April after only four months on the job (see CIA Gains in Hunt for VC CEO).

A former Intel vice president and general manager, Mr. Darby previously led an Internet security consulting firm, @stake, which was acquired by Symantec.

His background in both security and high technology was what led the board to hire Mr. Darby, said Donald Tighe, In-Q-Tel’s vice president of marketing and communications.

“We have in Christopher Darby a technologist—someone who had VC funding and made a success of it—and a fluency in the issues of national security, but also an operator; someone who’s built strong companies,” said Mr. Tighe.

Homeland Security Advisor

Mr. Darby has served as an advisor in the formation of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in the wake of 9/11 and provided testimony to Congress on security infrastructure.

Questions have swirled around In-Q-Tel’s future since Gilman Louie, who was chairman of the company from 1999 through 2006, left to start his own venture firm.

Since then, another high-level executive, Mark Frantz, left after just three months at the company to become a partner at an investment firm, Redshift Ventures, according to Dow Jones Newswires.

Mr. Tighe denied that this represents a great deal of turnover, saying Mr. Frantz was brought on board by Mr. Yoran and left once he was no longer at In-Q-Tel.

Mr. Yancey, who joined the firm in 2004, was formerly chief financial officer and will remain at the company in a capacity to be determined, said Mr. Tighe.

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