TYSONS CORNER, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–BigBear.ai (NYSE: BBAI) today 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.
“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.
Executive Bio
Kevin McAleenan, CEO, BigBear.ai
Kevin most recently served as President of BigBear.ai, where he led teams offering cutting edge computer vision, simulation and modeling, with digital identity tools to support customers critical security and operational decisions. Kevin co-founded and led Pangiam as CEO and Chair of the Board until its acquisition by BigBear.ai, developing cutting edge biometric and AI products for security applications, for both government agencies and commercial customers.
Kevin brings experience from almost two decades of leadership in the U.S. Government to his role. He was the first career civil servant to be appointed and confirmed as Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in 2018, and he served most recently as Acting Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under President Donald Trump, where he led over 240,000 employees and oversaw operations at CBP, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the U.S. Coast Guard, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Secret Service, and others.
His past experiences include implementing innovations to the U.S. international arrival and departure process, developing comprehensive counterterrorism and risk management strategies, and overseeing the implementation of the U.S. government’s single window for international trade, a project that spanned over 4-dozen agencies. Kevin received several awards for his service and leadership including a Presidential Rank Award—the nation’s highest civil service award, a Service to America Medal, and multiple awards from travel and trade industry groups.
About BigBear.ai
BigBear.ai is a leading provider of AI-powered decision intelligence solutions for national security, digital identity, and supply chain management. Customers and partners rely on BigBear.ai’s artificial intelligence and predictive analytics capabilities in highly complex, distributed, mission-based operating environments. BigBear.ai is a public company traded on the NYSE under the symbol BBAI. For more information, visit https://bigbear.ai and follow BigBear.ai on LinkedIn: @BigBear.ai, and X: @BigBearai. To receive email communications from BigBear.ai, register here.
