Leidos has appointed Theodore “Ted” Tanner Jr. as its next Chief Technology Officer, as the company accelerates its use of artificial intelligence, mission software, and cyber and quantum technologies. Tanner will succeed Jim Carlini, who has served as CTO since 2019 and will transition to a senior advisory role focused on national security. A veteran of Apple, Microsoft, and IBM Watson Health, Tanner holds 18 U.S. patents and has co-founded multiple startups.
Tanner most recently held the role of Chief Technology and Strategy Officer at BigBear.ai, where he led advanced AI and machine learning programs for defense, intelligence, and civilian agencies. His appointment aligns with Leidos’ NorthStar 2030 strategy, which emphasizes growth across space and maritime systems, digital modernization, cyber operations, health services, mission software, and energy infrastructure, with AI as a key driver of execution and outcomes.
Announcing the appointment, CEO Tom Bell said, “Ted is a high-impact leader who pairs entrepreneurial creativity with execution discipline to solve tough deep-technology challenges. His track record of delivering bold, disruptive tech to defense, government, and healthcare customers is a great fit with our capabilities and NorthStar 2030 growth priorities.”