Bridger Photonics Names Ryan Sullivan as Chief Technology Officer, Ushering in a New Era of Advanced Data Insight and Platform Innovation
Bridger Photonics, an industry leader in methane emissions detection and actionable data solutions, has announced a significant addition to its executive leadership team with the appointment of Ryan Sullivan as Chief Technology Officer (CTO). This strategic move is poised to accelerate the company’s capabilities in software development, artificial intelligence (AI), cloud-first infrastructure, and data-driven insights, further cementing Bridger’s position at the forefront of technology innovation in the oil and gas sector.
Sullivan, a seasoned technology executive with over 20 years of experience at the nexus of digital transformation and business strategy, will lead Bridger’s expanding software and technology division. His leadership will be key in steering the company’s evolution toward more integrated, scalable, and intelligent platforms that deliver greater value to clients through more sophisticated and timely data insights.
A Transformational Appointment for Bridger’s Software Future
As methane emissions regulations tighten and energy companies increasingly seek reliable and rapid emissions data to inform mitigation strategies, Bridger’s software and data solutions have become indispensable. The company’s patented LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology, which detects, locates, and quantifies methane emissions from aerial platforms, has set a new standard for accuracy and timeliness in emissions monitoring. With the addition of Sullivan to the leadership team, Bridger aims to deepen the integration between hardware, software, and analytics, ensuring clients not only receive cutting-edge detection data but also can quickly act on it through user-friendly platforms and automated insights.
Sullivan’s new role will focus on building and scaling Bridger’s software team, optimizing cloud infrastructure, and introducing new layers of intelligence into the company’s data ecosystem. With increasing volumes of methane data being captured and analyzed every day, the need for seamless software solutions that can manage, interpret, and deliver this information to users in intuitive ways has never been greater. Sullivan is uniquely positioned to meet this challenge.
“From the moment I engaged with the Bridger team, I was struck by their clarity of purpose and relentless drive to address one of the most pressing climate issues of our time—methane emissions,” said Sullivan. “The company is deploying some of the most advanced technologies in the field, and I’m honored to join a mission where the intersection of machine learning, data science, and applied technology can be used to produce real-world impact. There is an incredible opportunity ahead to make our platform smarter, faster, and even more valuable to our clients.”
Proven Leadership in Data and Platform Innovation
Ryan Sullivan joins Bridger with a distinguished track record of scaling data science and software teams, having previously held multiple senior leadership roles in high-growth companies and Fortune 500 firms. Throughout his career, he has built robust data platforms capable of supporting critical business decisions, delivering data services at scale, and pioneering innovations in cloud-native software architectures.
His experience includes leading cross-functional teams that specialize in AI/ML, cloud infrastructure, and real-time analytics, which directly aligns with Bridger’s technology roadmap. Sullivan’s approach emphasizes a collaborative and purpose-driven culture, where engineering excellence, product innovation, and customer-centric design intersect to create technology ecosystems that scale effectively.
At Bridger, he will lead the continued development of the company’s multi-modal data delivery system, integrating inputs from LiDAR, optical imaging, and additional sensors into a single, intelligent framework. This comprehensive platform approach will provide energy producers with a consolidated view of their emissions landscape, facilitating faster identification of leaks and more efficient deployment of remediation resources.
Strategic Realignment to Drive Long-Term Innovation
As Sullivan assumes the CTO role, Bridger is also announcing a complementary change to its executive leadership structure. Mike Thorpe, the company’s founding Chief Technology Officer and a driving force behind its pioneering LiDAR and emissions quantification technologies, will transition into a newly created position: Chief Scientist. In this role, Thorpe will continue to lead Bridger’s research and development (R&D) and advanced analytics initiatives.
Thorpe’s move into the Chief Scientist role ensures continuity of innovation while allowing him to focus fully on deepening the company’s core scientific and technological capabilities. This dual-leadership approach reflects Bridger’s recognition that both product innovation and platform scalability are critical to maintaining its competitive edge in a rapidly evolving regulatory and market landscape.
“Mike has been a visionary leader since Bridger’s inception and is a key reason we’ve been able to deliver such transformational capabilities to the methane detection market,” said Ben Little, CEO of Bridger Photonics. “His transition into the Chief Scientist role allows us to double down on our commitment to R&D while bringing in a fresh strategic technology lens through Ryan. Together, they will form a powerful partnership that strengthens both our innovation pipeline and our ability to execute at scale.”
Scaling Impact Through Intelligent Data
Bridger’s appointment of Sullivan comes at a pivotal moment. With mounting global pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, methane—a potent contributor to climate change—has become a primary target of international climate policy. Bridger’s technology enables companies in the oil and gas sector to meet increasingly stringent regulatory requirements while also realizing economic benefits from reduced product loss and improved operational efficiency.
By bringing AI, automation, and advanced software design to the forefront of its solution stack, Bridger is poised to revolutionize how emissions data is collected, interpreted, and acted upon. Sullivan will lead the charge in ensuring that clients can unlock insights faster, integrate Bridger’s data into their operational systems more easily, and ultimately improve their environmental performance with less friction and more precision.
“Ryan brings a wealth of experience and critical insight to our leadership team,” added Little. “As we scale our operations and look to deliver even more value to our clients, his expertise in building best-in-class software platforms will be instrumental. We’re not just collecting data—we’re transforming it into meaningful, actionable intelligence, and Ryan’s vision will help us get there faster.”
A Vision for the Future
Looking ahead, Sullivan’s focus will extend beyond immediate software enhancements. He aims to position Bridger as a global leader in emissions intelligence by developing long-term strategies for platform expansion, customer success, and real-time insight generation. His vision includes building APIs that allow for seamless integration with client systems, incorporating predictive analytics that can anticipate emissions patterns, and deploying machine learning algorithms that enhance detection accuracy and efficiency.
In addition to his technical focus, Sullivan is committed to nurturing a company culture grounded in innovation, collaboration, and mission alignment. He plans to expand the software and data teams with top-tier talent passionate about tackling climate challenges through advanced technology. By fostering a dynamic environment that encourages experimentation and continuous improvement, he believes Bridger will not only retain its leadership in methane detection but also help shape the broader future of environmental data platforms.
Bridger Photonics’ decision to invest in this caliber of executive leadership reflects its long-term commitment to solving critical environmental challenges through high-precision data and transformative software solutions. With Sullivan at the helm of its technology organization and Thorpe guiding scientific innovation, Bridger is well-positioned to drive a new era of intelligent emissions management—one where environmental compliance, operational efficiency, and climate action go hand in hand.
