The Social Security Administration is moving to address ongoing technical and operational hurdles by bringing in high-level private sector expertise. Former JPMorgan Chase Chief Operating Officer Matt Zames is stepping into an unpaid advisory role starting August 24. His primary focus is to assist the agency with modernization efforts, specifically targeting legacy technology systems and operational workflows.
Zames joins Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano in this effort. The two worked together during their tenures at JPMorgan Chase, and Bisignano is currently tasked with fulfilling commitments he made during his Senate confirmation hearing in 2025. Those commitments center on improving agency efficiency, cutting wait times for beneficiaries, and implementing advanced technology to identify fraud, waste, and abuse.
As a special government employee, Zames is restricted to 130 days of service. Given his background in leading technology and cost-cutting initiatives at JPMorgan, as well as his roles at the private equity firm Cerberus and various Federal advisory boards, he brings a perspective rooted in private sector scaling. His involvement marks a clear continuation of the administration's goal to treat the agency as a payments-based, customer-facing operation.
Commissioner Bisignano has previously identified artificial intelligence as a primary tool for monitoring program integrity. The agency reported double-digit improvements in client-facing metrics in June, and the addition of Zames suggests a move toward deeper systemic changes. While the Social Security Administration has not provided formal commentary on the appointment, the move underscores a significant push to modernize infrastructure that has faced long-standing public criticism regarding service delays.