Meet Mandy Long: Mother, Tech Nerd, and Trailblazing New CEO of BigBear.ai
About a month ago, I was named the new CEO of BigBear.ai. From the moment I first began considering the opportunity, I was blown away by the company’s world-class talent, technology opportunities, and customer base focused on helping our federal defense and intelligence communities, our healthcare system, and the global manufacturing and supply chain ecosystem.
I’ve already gotten to work – BigBear.ai is building a better world through better choices, and our superpower is wading through some of the most complex information to find and unlock what really matters. We support decisions, often in incredibly dynamic and high-stakes environments, and we take our role very seriously.
Many people have asked me why I joined BigBear.ai and what lies ahead for the company. As I embark on this new journey, I wanted to take a moment to share my thoughts on the company, my leadership values, and how BigBear.ai will become an agent of change in the fourth industrial revolution.
Why I Joined BigBear.ai – Purpose, People, and Opportunity
Purpose – The idea of creating a better world through better choices is something that everyone can relate to. Our technology has empowered the federal government and supported hospitals and manufacturers in quickly determining the best courses of action with precision and efficiency. These capabilities can, and should, be leveraged by organizations across many industries and sectors to help drive transformative results.
People – The caliber and quantity of subject matter experts within the BigBear.ai community, combined with a compassionate and accepting culture, is unique in a professional world where we are still adjusting to the new way people want to live and work. I recognize that leadership must place a high value on establishing an inclusive culture that focuses on authenticity, vulnerability, and enhancing everyone’s ability to contribute. This is a key priority for me.
When I talk about people, it goes beyond the four walls of our office building – I’m also talking about our broad community of customers and partners. The dialogue and information sharing we have with our customers is invaluable. They help us develop products and services that propel their organizations, and the technology industry at-large, forward. They trust us to do the right thing, always, and we cherish that trust and work every day to protect it.
Opportunity – Leaders in every sector face the uphill battle of exponential information growth and compressed decision timelines. BigBear.ai has some of the best technology I have seen in my career, and we have every opportunity to become the dominant and trusted player in this space.
Moving Beyond the Theoretical in AI Deployments
In many ways, AI is still in the early phases of its life. Fortunately, we’ve moved past the experimental phase and are now maturing in narrowly defined use cases. AI applications are now in hyper-targeted production environments, specifically trained, and performance controlled.
The next phase is federated learning, where distributed models can evolve, and we can more effectively monitor performance and production. This enables us to accelerate innovation and dynamically tailor AI solutions for operating environments. What this means for our customers is that BigBear.ai can build upon use-case models and evolve them to address their unique environments and goals directly.
The Three Ps of Successful Software
- When it comes to software success, I follow the mantra of the three Ps:
- What’s possible
- What’s practical, and
- What people will pay for.
It sounds straightforward, but it’s challenging to achieve. The rate and pace of innovation – particularly in AI – has no historical precedent, and the rules are constantly changing. Moreover, great software focuses on all the universal experiences. It’s not just about having the technology and forcing users to use it. What we build must be intuitive from the moment of discovery. We will work to achieve that for every release from BigBear.ai.
Building Successful Teams
It’s all about trust. Not just at a cursory level, but deep, authentic trust. And that’s something that’s earned. The best teams I’ve had the privilege to be a part of had that kind of trust. It comes over time and by navigating difficult situations together and cannot be forced or rushed.
Importance of Authentic Leadership
I have been lucky to work with and for extraordinary leaders who made me feel seen and appreciated my differences. Rather than try to fit me into a box, they established environments where I felt safe. Authentic leaders are transparent and empower their teams to carve their own paths. I intend to carry this inspiration with me as I embark on my new phase as BigBear.ai’s CEO.
If you’re interested in learning more about Mandy and her vision as CEO for BigBear.ai, watch our interview video series:
