Raghu Bemgal chose a career focused on complex, mission-critical federal challenges, where technology directly shapes national security and operational resilience.
Today, as chief technology officer at Next Phase Solutions and Services, he leads technical strategy across defense, homeland security and science missions, with a focus on modernizing legacy systems, advancing secure AI and machine learning adoption and reducing technical debt.
In this Q&A, Bemgal explains what drew him to this work, how federal modernization shaped his leadership approach and where he sees the biggest opportunities for agencies seeking to move faster while strengthening security, interoperability and mission outcomes.
Why was this the path you chose, and how influential was it to your career?
I chose this path because I’m drawn to solving complex, mission-critical challenges where technology directly impacts national security, readiness, and operational resilience. Working in federal modernization shaped my leadership approach and reinforced the value of secure, scalable, and user-centered architecture.
Do you have a personal connection to the current mission you support?
I have deep respect for missions that protect the nation and strengthen community resilience. With family ties to public service and STEM, supporting agencies that safeguard citizens and advance national capabilities is personally meaningful.
What are your current top priorities and responsibilities? How do these relate to your company’s overall mission/growth strategy?
My priorities include advancing cloud and data modernization, maturing AI/ML capabilities, strengthening secure engineering practices, and aligning our technical strategy with Next Phase’s growth objectives. These efforts ensure we can scale responsibly across defense, homeland security, and science missions.
Where do you see growth opportunities and customer challenges?
We see increasing demand for secure AI/ML adoption, improved data interoperability, modernization of legacy systems, real-time observability, and cybersecurity automation. Agencies need to reduce technical debt while improving operational agility and risk management.
How are you and your team planning to address these opportunities?
We’re investing in repeatable modernization frameworks, strengthening cloud-native and AI-ready engineering patterns, and expanding internal expertise in data mesh, automation, cybersecurity, and LLMOps. We also maintain strong partnerships across the GovCon and tech ecosystem.
How important is mentorship & networking in GovCon? Were they influential to your career?
Mentorship and networking are critical in GovCon. Success depends on trusted relationships, shared mission understanding, and collaboration across organizations. Mentors played a major role in my own career, and I actively pay that forward by guiding engineers and emerging leaders.
What is something most people don’t know about you?
Most people don’t know that I’ve recently gotten into golf and really enjoy it, not just for the game itself, but for the fun of playing with friends and meeting new people on the course. One of my favorite moments so far was dunking an 83-yard shot for a birdie, which keeps me coming back. Golf has become a great way for me to relax, connect with others, and have a lot of laughs along the way.