ManTech names new CEO, board after Carlyle buy

Now under the ownership of The Carlyle Group Inc., Herndon-based ManTech International Corp. has a new CEO and a new board of directors, the company announced Monday.

Kevin Phillips will retire as CEO and president of the tech contractor and transition to chairman of the board of directors, and Chief Operating Officer Matt Tait has been promoted to CEO.

In September, ManTech’s stockholders approved the sale to Washington, D.C.-based private equity firm Carlyle for $4.2 billion. Under the terms of the transaction, ManTech stockholders were to receive $96 per share in cash. ManTech and Carlyle announced the deal in May. ManTech’s new board includes four Carlyle executives, and Tait, who joined ManTech in 2018, will join the board.

Phillips has served on the board since 2020 and joined the firm in 2002 after it acquired his former company, CTX Corp. He  served as ManTech’s president and CEO since 2018 and became chair in 2020 under a plan to transition leadership of the company co-founded in 1968 by George Pedersen. ManTech reported $2.5 billion in revenue in fiscal 2021.

“It has been a privilege to lead ManTech, and I am humbled by the dedication, innovation and collaboration that have made ManTech a company that people admire and trust,” Phillips said in a statement. “Matt has been an integral member of our leadership team and my partner over the last four years in developing and executing our strategic plans. As ManTech begins its next chapter in partnership with Carlyle, I am confident that Matt brings the executive skills and experience to continue advancing our business with an ever-present commitment to excellence. I look forward to working closely with Matt and actively supporting ManTech’s ongoing success in my new role as chairman.”

As COO, Tait expanded and repositioned the company’s intelligence, federal civilian and Department of Defense businesses, according to the company. Before joining ManTech, he spent 20 years with Accenture and a decade in the Navy.

“I am honored to assume the CEO role and am energized by the opportunities to advance our leadership position and deliver even stronger outcomes for our customers,” Tait said in a statement. “Since joining ManTech in 2018, I have worked alongside some of the best and most innovative talent in the industry and I am excited to be at the forefront of what comes next for our team. I am grateful for the support of Kevin and Carlyle and for their entrusting me to lead ManTech. I look forward to working closely with them as we seamlessly execute this leadership succession.”

ManTech provides technology solutions for U.S. defense, intelligence and federal civilian agencies. In 2021, the Fortune 1000 company reported $2.55 billion in revenue.