BigBear.ai announced that the Board of Directors has appointed Kevin McAleenan as Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors, effective January 15, 2025, succeeding Mandy Long. Mandy Long will step down as Chief Executive Officer and from the Board of Directors, transitioning to serve as a Company advisor.
McAleenan currently serves as BigBear.ai’s President and has deep government and business experience working with U.S. national security agencies, including serving as Acting Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) during the first Trump administration before founding Pangiam, which was subsequently bought by BigBear.ai in 2024.
Prior to Pangiam, McAleenan was Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, where he focused on counterterrorism, border security and immigration enforcement, following almost two decades as a career official.
“Today marks an important next step for the business,” said Peter Cannito, Chair of the Board of Directors of BigBear.ai.
“The demand for differentiated artificial intelligence solutions to provide strategic advantage in government and business is strong and the combination of recent technological achievements and strategic contract awards have positioned BigBear.ai as a leading AI solutions provider focused on national security imperatives.
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“Kevin is a proven leader with a track record of driving success through mission focus, technology and process innovation, and operational excellence. Having served at the highest levels of government, Kevin brings an intimate understanding of current national security priorities and the challenges faced by our mission partners, providing BigBear.ai with a deep understanding of how artificial intelligence can be most effectively leveraged to maximize impact. We are thrilled to welcome Kevin as CEO and confident in his ability to drive the company’s next phase of growth.
“All this would not have been possible without Mandy’s efforts over recent years in bringing innovative, cutting-edge AI technologies to market. The BigBear.ai product portfolio and financial position has been significantly enhanced as a direct result of her efforts. The Board is grateful for her contributions and the role she has played in shaping our strategy,” he concluded.
“It is an honor to step into the role of CEO at BigBear.ai,” said McAleenan. “The success of our customers depends on their ability to navigate complexity and act decisively in the most high-stakes environments. BigBear.ai is uniquely positioned to support these objectives with our domain expertise, and our cutting-edge technology. I look forward to working with this exceptional team to build on our successes and expand our ability to deliver AI-powered solutions in ways that make a meaningful impact for our customers, partners, and stakeholders.”
“It has been a privilege to lead such a talented and dedicated team of professionals over the past two and a half years. The future is bright for BigBear.ai and its mission to deliver clarity for the world’s most complex decisions,” said Mandy Long.
Source: Businesswire
