Thomas Bell’s tenure as Leidos CEO has officially started, as the transition was first announced in February. Bob Shapard has also assumed the role of chairman of the board
Bell and Shapard succeed Roger Krone, chairman and CEO since 2014.
Before Leidos, Bell was senior vice president of global sales and marketing for defense, space and security at The Boeing Co. Prior to that, he was president of Rolls-Royce Defense Aerospace.
“Tom comes to Leidos from an impressive global career spanning multiple companies and varied roles of increasing responsibility,” Shapard said. “Most recently he led Rolls-Royce’s North American business. The Board is confident that Tom is the right leader for the company and will quickly earn the trust of all our stakeholders.”
Bell spent more than 20 years with Boeing in several leadership positions within the defense, space and security business. He began his aerospace career with Lockheed Martin in human space flight.
“I’m honored to have been asked to lead Leidos into and through its second decade as an independent company,” Bell said. “In its first decade, Leidos has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the missions of our customers. I’m ready to stand with our 45,000 employees to harness technology and push the boundaries of what’s possible, building an even bolder, brighter future together.”