Tom Bell Earns 2026 Wash100 Recognition for Driving Leidos’ NorthStar 2030 Strategy & Innovation Leadership
Executive Mosaic is honored to recognize Tom Bell, CEO of Leidos, as a 2026 Wash100 Award recipient for his leadership in shaping the company’s strategic direction, securing high-impact federal contracts, and advancing innovation across national security, defense, civil and health missions.
The Wash100 Award is an annual distinction that honors 100 premier executives for their leadership, innovation, and sustained impact on the government contracting sector. The list identifies a select group of “executives of consequence” from both the public and private sectors, celebrating their past successes while highlighting their potential to drive critical federal initiatives forward. By recognizing these influential figures, the Wash100 underscores the vital role of visionary leadership in shaping the future of the government landscape and ensuring the success of national security and technology missions in the coming year.
Vote for Tom Bell as one of your favorite government industry leaders in the 2026 Wash100 Popular Vote Competition at Wash100.com.
Why Is Tom Bell Winning the 2026 Wash100 Award?
Tom Bell’s selection as a 2026 Wash100 Award winner reflects his continued momentum as CEO of Leidos, guiding the company through major contract wins, portfolio-shaping acquisitions and a sharpened focus on technology-driven mission outcomes.
Since taking the helm in May 2023, Bell has quickly established himself as a steady leader driving growth across defense, intelligence, homeland security, digital modernization and managed health services. Under his direction, Leidos has strengthened its role as a key federal partner delivering advanced capabilities in cyber, artificial intelligence, cloud infrastructure, hypersonics and autonomous systems.
“Leidos is a leading GovCon powerhouse in GovCon and Tom’s visionary leadership compounded the already hugely successful path Leidos was clearing upon his entrance,” said Jim Garrettson, CEO of Executive Mosaic and founder of the Wash100 Award.
“Tom’s selection as a 2026 Wash100 Award winner is an impressive milestone that marks his third overall Wash100 honor and his third consecutive win. That level of sustained recognition speaks volumes about the steady, mission-focused leadership Tom brings to GovCon for consecutive years. You need vision when you’re already one of the best in your field to not only remain on top, but energize and grow.
“His vision is exemplified by Leidos’ big FBI award for agile software modernization and development to modernize the bureau’s biometric and criminal history database. Tom’s customer-first mindset and commitment to innovation truly embody the Wash100 standard of excellence,” Garrettson continued.
Who Is Tom Bell?
Appointed as CEO following the retirement announcement of longtime leader Roger Krone, Bell assumed leadership of Leidos at a pivotal moment for the GovCon sector — one defined by accelerating modernization demands, evolving global threats and increased emphasis on operational efficiency.
Leidos’ board selected Bell based on what it described as his “exceptional track record in harnessing the power of technology to drive growth and innovation,” as well as his customer-focused leadership approach.
Bell brings decades of aerospace and defense leadership experience, having previously served as president of defense at Rolls-Royce and as chairman and CEO of its North America business unit. He also held senior executive roles at Boeing’s defense, space and security business.
Bell began his aerospace career at Lockheed Martin. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University and a master’s degree in business administration from the Florida Institute of Technology.
Executing the NorthStar 2030 Growth Strategy
A defining theme of Bell’s leadership has been the rollout of Leidos’ long-term growth strategy, NorthStar 2030, which is centered on five key pillars:
- Space and maritime
- Energy infrastructure
- Digital modernization and cyber
- Highly customized critical mission software
- Managed health services
“These growth pillars have been carefully chosen as our analysis shows clearly that they are areas where customer needs and spending will continue to grow robustly,” Bell told investors and analysts during an earnings call in 2025.
Major Contract Wins Across Defense, Civil & Homeland Security
Under Bell’s leadership, Leidos has continued to secure major, mission-critical awards across the federal landscape.
Among the most notable contract wins is a potential $2.63 billion contract with the Transportation Security Administration to provide integrated logistics support for checkpoint screening equipment at airports and government-designated facilities.
Leidos has also strengthened its position in cloud and digital infrastructure, including through a $455 million Air Force task order to provide Cloud One architecture and shared services support through 2031.
In the defense modernization arena, the company won a $205 million contract to support the Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s enterprise IT modernization and zero trust cybersecurity posture.
Leidos also secured a $128 million FBI task order to modernize the Next Generation Identification biometric and criminal history repository — one of the world’s largest biometric systems supporting law enforcement and intelligence missions.
The 2026 Wash100 winners have been announced, but the competition isn’t over yet. Now, the public has the chance to crown the ultimate GovCon champion through the Wash100 Popular Vote. This is your opportunity to recognize the leader you believe will have the greatest impact on the federal landscape this year. Cast your vote for Tom Bell today at Wash100.com and help decide who rises to the top of this elite class.
Expanding Cyber Capabilities Through Strategic Investment
Cyber remains one of Leidos’ most important differentiators under Bell’s leadership.
In 2025, Leidos acquired Kudu Dynamics in an approximately $300 million all-cash deal, accelerating its push into AI-enabled offensive cyber, vulnerability research and electromagnetic spectrum operations.
“Kudu’s ability to generate new cyber capabilities with AI perfectly complements our strategy to rapidly grow differentiated offensive cyber technology capabilities,” Bell said.
Bell previously described cyber as “one of the golden bolts” the company has invested in as a core competency, noting that Leidos’ cyber and zero trust strengths are frequently cited by customers as reasons the company wins in adjacent mission areas.
Maritime Autonomy & Emerging Technology Leadership
The 2026 Wash100 awardee has also signaled a stronger strategic push into maritime autonomy, positioning Leidos as an emerging contender in surface and undersea drone markets.
“We’re not seen as at the vanguard of this, but we’re about to surprise people,” Bell said at the company’s supplier and technology symposium in August 2025.
Leidos has expanded its maritime capabilities through acquisitions, such as Gibbs & Cox and partnerships with Nauticus Robotics, while demonstrating systems such as Sea Dart and the Leidos Autonomous Vehicle Architecture.
Portfolio Growth, Energy Infrastructure & AI Partnerships
Bell has guided Leidos through major portfolio moves aligned with NorthStar 2030, including the planned $2.4 billion acquisition of ENTRUST Solutions Group, which will expand Leidos’ energy infrastructure engineering footprint.
“This deal is a bold step forward in support of Leidos’ growth strategy and a national priority to expand America’s energy infrastructure,” Bell said.
Garrettson attributed this strategic momentum to Tom’s focused leadership. “Clarity of mission is a discipline in which Tom excels,” the Executive Mosaic CEO said. “His critical AI acquisitions of ENTRUST and Kudu along with increased expansion in the energy sector demonstrate that.”
Leidos has also expanded its AI ecosystem through partnerships, including a collaboration with OpenAI to integrate agentic and generative AI into federal workflows, as well as launches like Imperium, an AI-powered platform supporting U.S. information operations.
What Is Leidos?
Leidos is a Reston, Virginia-based Fortune 500 company that provides technology, engineering and mission support services to federal government agencies across the defense, intelligence, civil and health sectors. The company delivers capabilities in areas such as digital modernization, cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, systems integration, logistics and advanced mission software, helping government customers address complex national security and operational challenges at scale.
Looking Ahead
Through NorthStar 2030 execution, major contract momentum, strategic acquisitions, and continued investment in cyber, AI and autonomous systems, Tom Bell is positioning Leidos for sustained impact across the federal mission landscape.
Executive Mosaic congratulates Tom Bell and the entire Leidos team on his 2026 Wash100 recognition and looks forward to seeing where his leadership takes the company next.
Cast your vote for Tom Bell in the 2026 Wash100 Popular Vote Competition at Wash100.com!