Tom Bell

Tom Bell
Born	Thomas Bell
Nationality	American
Occupation	Business executive
Title	Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Leidos Holdings
Employer	Leidos Holdings
Known for	CEO of Leidos Holdings

Thomas "Tom" Bell is an American business executive who serves as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Leidos Holdings, a Fortune 500 defense technology, information technology, and biomedical research company headquartered in Reston, Virginia. Under his leadership, Leidos has pursued a strategic growth plan known as "NorthStar 2030," which outlines the company's long-term objectives across its defense, intelligence, civil, and health market segments. Bell has overseen several acquisitions and contract wins in the defense and technology sectors, positioning Leidos as a major contractor for the United States government and classified customers. Prior to his role at Leidos, Bell held senior leadership positions in the aerospace and defense industry, building a career spanning several decades in sectors closely tied to national security and advanced technology.

Career

Leadership at Leidos Holdings

Tom Bell serves as Chairman and CEO of Leidos Holdings, one of the largest defense and information technology companies in the United States. Leidos operates across multiple sectors, including defense and intelligence, civil government services, and health-related technology solutions. The company is a significant contractor for the U.S. Department of Defense and various intelligence agencies, as well as allied governments and commercial customers.

Under Bell's leadership, Leidos has pursued an enterprise-wide strategy branded as "NorthStar 2030." In discussing the company's second-quarter 2025 financial results, Bell described the NorthStar 2030 plan as a framework for long-term growth, emphasizing that the company would "continue to seek constructive acquisitions that back its growth pillars" as part of executing the strategy. The NorthStar 2030 initiative reflects an effort to align the company's portfolio around several key growth areas, including advanced defense technologies, digital modernization, and cyber operations.

Financial Performance and Growth

In the second quarter of 2025, Leidos reported a 3 percent increase in revenue compared to the same period in the prior year, reflecting steady organic growth across the company's core business segments. The results were consistent with the company's trajectory under Bell's strategic direction, which has emphasized both organic growth and targeted acquisitions to expand capabilities in high-demand areas.

Acquisitions

A notable element of Bell's tenure at Leidos has been the company's acquisition strategy. In 2025, Leidos completed the purchase of Kudu Dynamics, a move that Bell highlighted as part of the company's effort to bolster its capabilities in alignment with the NorthStar 2030 growth pillars. Bell stated that the Kudu Dynamics acquisition was representative of the type of "constructive acquisitions" the company intended to pursue — those that directly support its strategic objectives and strengthen its competitive position in areas of national security importance.

The acquisition strategy under Bell's leadership has focused on bringing in companies with specialized technical expertise that complement Leidos's existing portfolio, particularly in areas such as cyber operations, advanced analytics, and emerging defense technologies.

Defense Contracts

During Bell's tenure as CEO, Leidos has secured several significant defense contracts. In August 2025, the company announced that it had received a contract from a "classified customer" for 12 Sea Dart unmanned underwater vessels (UUVs) intended "to augment their arsenals." The Sea Dart contract underscored Leidos's growing role in the autonomous systems and unmanned vehicle market, a segment that has become increasingly important to the U.S. military and intelligence community.

The contract from a classified customer also illustrated the nature of much of Leidos's work, which involves sensitive programs for government agencies whose identities and operational details are not publicly disclosed. The Sea Dart UUV is one of several autonomous platforms that Leidos has developed for undersea applications, reflecting the company's investment in unmanned maritime technology as a core competency.

The same period saw Leidos report an increase in second-quarter earnings, further indicating the company's strong positioning within the defense contracting market.

Strategic Vision

Bell's strategic vision for Leidos has centered on aligning the company's capabilities with the evolving needs of national defense and intelligence communities. The NorthStar 2030 strategy encompasses several growth pillars that address areas such as digital modernization, advanced defense platforms, autonomous systems, and cybersecurity. Bell has articulated a vision in which Leidos serves as a technology integrator for government customers, bringing together advanced software, hardware, and operational expertise to address complex national security challenges.

The emphasis on autonomous systems, as demonstrated by the Sea Dart UUV program, reflects a broader trend within the defense industry toward unmanned platforms that can operate in contested environments. Under Bell's leadership, Leidos has positioned itself as a competitor in this space, developing capabilities that span air, land, sea, and undersea domains.

Bell's approach to growth has been characterized by a combination of organic investment in research and development alongside strategic acquisitions of companies with complementary technical capabilities. The Kudu Dynamics acquisition in 2025 exemplified this dual approach, adding specialized expertise to the company's portfolio while supporting the broader NorthStar 2030 framework.

Recognition

In December 2024, it was announced that Tom Bell would receive a Central Atlanta Progress (CAP) award, alongside Camille Love and Carter. The CAP awards recognize individuals who have made contributions to the civic and business life of Atlanta. The recognition reflected Bell's involvement in civic affairs beyond his corporate role at Leidos, highlighting his connections to the Atlanta business community.

Bell's leadership at Leidos has also drawn attention within the defense industry media, where the company's contract wins, financial performance, and strategic direction under his stewardship have been subjects of regular coverage in outlets such as GovCon Wire and Defense Daily.

Legacy

Tom Bell's tenure at Leidos Holdings has been marked by a focus on positioning the company for long-term growth within the defense technology sector. The NorthStar 2030 strategy represents an effort to define a multi-year roadmap for the company, addressing both current government requirements and anticipated future needs in areas such as autonomous systems, cybersecurity, and digital modernization.

Under Bell's leadership, Leidos has pursued a growth strategy that balances organic development with acquisitions, as exemplified by the purchase of Kudu Dynamics in 2025. The company's contract wins, including the classified Sea Dart UUV program, have reinforced its position as a major player in the unmanned systems market, a sector of growing strategic importance to the United States military and its allies.

Bell's approach to corporate leadership at Leidos has reflected broader trends in the defense industry, where companies are increasingly expected to function as technology integrators capable of delivering advanced solutions across multiple domains. His emphasis on constructive acquisitions and strategic alignment with government priorities has shaped the company's trajectory during a period of significant evolution in defense procurement and technology development.

The company's steady financial performance, including the 3 percent revenue growth reported in the second quarter of 2025, has provided a foundation for Bell's strategic ambitions. As Leidos continues to execute the NorthStar 2030 plan, Bell's leadership decisions during this period are likely to shape the company's competitive position in the defense technology market for years to come.