SEC’s David Bottom steps down after nearly 6 years as CIO

David Bottom has stepped down as the Securities and Exchange Commission’s chief information officer and is heading to the private sector after nearly 6 years in the role.

Bottom publicly announced his departure from the SEC in a LinkedIn post Monday, writing it was “an honor” to serve at the agency with “colleagues dedicated to protecting investors, maintaining fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and facilitating capital formation.”

He served as CIO at the SEC from January 2020 to September 2025, according to the agency’s website. 

Before joining the SEC, Bottom was on a special assignment to the Federal CIO in the Office of Management and Budget, where he worked on federal cloud and artificial intelligence deployments. He previously served as CIO and chief data officer at the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis and spent 10 years as a senior executive at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. 

The SEC confirmed Bottom’s departure and told FedScoop that Jed Hickman, who has served as the director of the SEC’s Edgar Business Office since 2020, became the agency’s acting CIO in early September. 

As for what’s next, Bottom said he is transitioning to the role of chief information security officer at Consulting Services Group, which provides support services to public and private sector clients. 

“At CSG, I look forward to advancing the company’s cybersecurity strategy and capabilities, applying my experience at the SEC, DHS, White House and Intelligence Community to enable our current and future clients to meet the complex challenges they face,” Bottom wrote on LinkedIn. 

Bottom’s departure follows a flurry of similar moves from other federal technology leaders in recent months. He did not immediately respond to messages over social media.