MITRE appoints Brian Abrahamson to drive OPEX & support critical US government missions

MITRE appointed Brian Abrahamson as new chief operating officer (COO) to drive operational excellence (OPEX) and support critical US government missions.

Abrahamson will work across MITRE to champion a culture of continuous improvement and position the organization as a benchmark for OPEX, collaborating with cross-company teams to improve end-to-end operations.

MITRE is an American not-for-profit organization with dual headquarters in Bedford, Massachusetts and McLean, Virginia. It manages federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs) supporting various US government agencies in the aviation, defense, healthcare, homeland security and cybersecurity fields, among others.

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MITRE targets best-in-class operational capabilities

Abrahamson joins MITRE from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), where he served as chief digital officer and associate laboratory director. During his tenure at PNNL, he earned national recognition delivering operational improvements through digital transformation and led communications and public affairs, information technology, research computing and enterprise-wide cybersecurity. 

With nearly three decades of experience in driving a digitally enabled, mission-first approach to OPEX in both the public sector and private industry, Abrahamson will lead efforts to position MITRE with best-in-class operational capabilities that support delivery of critical government missions, according to a press release.

“Brian has achieved remarkable results in modernizing the operational practices of organizations like MITRE, and his leadership will be instrumental as we further sharpen our capabilities to drive efficiency and deliver on government missions,” said Mark Peters, president and CEO at MITRE. “His proven track record of simplifying complex operating environments and amplifying mission visibility makes him the ideal leader to strengthen MITRE’s commitment to Mission First, People Always.”

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Modern OPEX for today’s businesses

OPEX is a vital element of business success, and one that is high on the agenda for organizations across sectors.

Enterprise learning company CGS Immersive recently published the 2025 OPEX Outlook Report, highlighting how artificial intelligence (AI), immersive tech and human-AI collaboration are shaping modern OPEX.

More than 400 Fortune 1000 executives, operational leaders and IT professionals contributed to the report. Key findings include:

• 66 percent of organizations now consider AI central or supplementary to their strategy, underscoring its growing influence on operations and innovation.
• 82 percent of respondents stress the need for human-AI collaboration skills as a talent imperative, underscoring the urgency for upskilling and reskilling programs.
• 88 percent of businesses report satisfaction with digital transformation efforts despite almost 40 percent struggling to align these initiatives with core business goals.

“The message we’ve heard from stakeholders is loud and clear: integrating AI and immersive tech to enhance operations is a competitive necessity,” said Doug Stephen, president, enterprise learning division at CGS. “Businesses that fail to embrace technological breakthroughs risk falling behind in an era where agility, intelligence and innovation define success.”

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