Guidehouse consolidates national security, defense segments

McLean-based Guidehouse is consolidating its national security and defense units, the global management consulting firm announced Monday.

Ed Meehan, who has led the company’s defense unit, will become chief growth officer for Guidehouse. Meehan has worked in the public and commercial sectors, and has delivered digital transformation programs to diverse clients and has sales leadership experience. Before joining Guidehouse in 2019, Meehan spent 28 years at Arlington-based Accenture Federal Services, including as chief operating officer.

John Saad, a partner and leader of Guidehouse’s national security unit, will now lead its combined segment. He has more than 25 years of consulting experience focusing on organizational transformation and chairs the board of directors for the Homeland Security and Defense Business Council. He is also a senior fellow at the Virginia Tech Hume Center for National Security and Technology and a member of the Business Executives for National Security. He joined PricewaterhouseCoopers, from which Guidehouse spun off in 2018, in 1996.

David Zito, who has worked as chief growth officer, will shift to lead Guidehouse’s managed services, integrating the firm’s financial services, health care and energy managed services. He joined Guidehouse via its acquisition of Navigate in 2019 and had led that company’s commercial healthcare unit and is based in Chicago. Bill Jones, the managed services leader, will move to a part-time role to support Zito in the transition.

“These key updates and leadership transitions come at a pivotal point of need in the markets we serve,” Guidehouse CEO Scott McIntyre said in a statement. “We are excited for these dynamic leaders to take on the challenges of their new roles. As we continue to see a huge demand for the multidisciplinary services Guidehouse offers, the combined management and technology capabilities, and continued growth in managed services offerings, these transitions will enable us to be responsive to client needs and further grow our business.”

Owned by Veritas Capital, Guidehouse employs more than 12,000 people in more than 50 locations around the world and works in public and commercial markets, providing advisory, consulting, outsourcing and digital services in management, technology and risk consulting.