People on the move: Hayden AI, Keolis Commuter Services

Hayden AI and Keolis Commuter Services have made new appointments to their respective leadership teams.    

Hayden AI appoints new CEO 

Hayden AI has appointed Marty Beard as its new CEO. Most recently, Beard served as co-founder and CEO of alwaysAI, a computer vision platform bringing deep learning to edge devices for real-time applications. Previously, he was COO at BlackBerry, where he helped lead the company’s strategic shift from hardware to security software. His career also includes executive leadership roles at LiveOps, Sybase  and Oracle. 

“Marty brings the right combination of operational expertise, strategic clarity and deep technology experience to lead Hayden AI into its next chapter,” said Hayden AI Board Chair Lisa Schule. “We conducted a thorough search to find the right person to lead the company forward, and I’m confident that Marty’s leadership will help Hayden AI build on its strong foundation and scale with focus and impact.” 

Beard added, “I’m honored to join Hayden AI at such an exciting time in the company’s growth. Hayden AI is already making a major difference in cities across the country, improving transportation safety and efficiency through its impressive vision AI platform and strong customer partnerships. I look forward to working with the team to accelerate growth and expand the reach of our technology.” 

Keolis Commuter Services names next CEO 

Keolis has appointed John Killeen as CEO of Keolis Commuter Services. Killeen has more than 25 years of leadership experience driving safety, reliability, operational excellence and transformation across major commuter rail networks in North America and Europe. He also has deep knowledge of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) Commuter Rail network operations and assets, having served as the vice president of asset management at Keolis Commuter Services since 2017. 

“I am happy to see John assume this leadership role with the Keolis Commuter Services team,” said Keolis North America CEO Brad Thomas. “His nearly 30-year career in the rail industry, combined with a strong commitment to our employees and the MBTA, have been a driving force in delivering safe and reliable service for our passengers. John’s dedication and expertise will be essential as Keolis continues to improve service for the greater Boston community.”  

Killeen added, “This is an exciting time for the MBTA Commuter Rail and Keolis Commuter Services remains steadfast in its commitment to delivering safe and reliable service for our passengers. I look forward to continuing to work closely with our partners at the MBTA and with our entire workforce to serve the people and communities across the Commuter Rail network who depend on our service every day.” 

Killeen is a chartered mechanical engineer and holds a Master of Science in railway systems engineering. His career on the railroad demonstrates his deep technical ability and operational experience. He has led the procurement and introduction of new rolling stock at two major railways, Go-Via Thameslink Railway and Southern Railway in the U.K. 

He will formally take over the role on Sept. 1, 2025, after a brief transition period with support from the current CEO Abdellah Chajai.