Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Upcoming Event

Best Places to Work in Virginia

Hamburger Menu Hamburger Menu

Tag: Novetta

Accenture Federal taps next CEO, as Goodman steps down

Starting Sept. 1, Ron Ash will take the wheel as CEO at Arlington County’s Accenture Federal Services, the federal contractor offering IT services announced Tuesday. He will also become chair of AFS’ board of managers. 

Ash will succeed John Goodman, who is stepping down as CEO and chair at the end of August and will retire March 31, 2025, according to the company. Since 2022, Ash has served as chief operating officer at AFS, a subsidiary of Fortune Global 500 professional services company Accenture.  

Described in the news release as having “an exceptional track record of using the latest technologies and innovation to help clients solve complex challenges,” Ash, in his new role, will work to “advance the company’s ability to help the [U.S.] federal government embrace new technologies, such as generative AI.”  

“Ron Ash is the right leader for Accenture Federal Services in this time of reinvention with data, technology and AI,” Julie Sweet, chair and CEO of Accenture, said in a statement. “He brings both broad and deep experience across the government and commercial worlds, technology, and strategy, and a strong, proven commitment to creating value for clients, people and communities.” 

After graduating from Ohio University in 1996, Ash joined Accenture, where he went on to work in supply chain transformation. In 2002, Ash moved to AFS, filling a variety of roles including leading the Public Safety Portfolio, where he worked with homeland security, law enforcement and first-response agencies. 

AFS described Ash as “integral” to shaping inclusion and diversity priorities. He is an executive sponsor of the Hispanic American Employee Resource Group.

CEO since 2017, Goodman doubled the size of AFS’ workforce to 15,500 employees. During his tenure, AFS increased investments in emerging technology, advanced research and development and human-centric design. 

In May, AFS completed its acquisition of Falls Church’s Cognosante, which provides IT support to federal, state and local government agencies with public health missions. In 2021, Goodman oversaw AFS’ acquisition of McLean’s Novetta, an advanced analytics company that had been a subsidiary of The Carlyle Group, a Washington, D.C.-based private equity firm. 

“His leadership and commitment set new standards for how to serve clients, grow the business, embrace new technologies and ways of working, and bring everyone along on the journey,” Sweet said of Goodman. 

Accenture reported $64.1 billion in revenue for fiscal 2023.

Accenture Federal Services announces new National Security lead

Arlington-based Accenture Federal Services has promoted Kevin Heald to National Security portfolio lead, effective May 1, the federal contractor announced Wednesday.

Heald is currently the emerging technology and cyber sector lead for AFS’ National Security portfolio. He was Novetta’s senior vice president of its information exploitation division before AFS acquired the McLean-based analytics company in 2021.

“Kevin Heald brings an entrepreneurial spirit to everything he does,” AFS CEO John Goodman said in a statement. “He’s committed to empowering teams to help mission partners achieve their strategic vision. I look forward to working with Kevin in this exciting next step for him and our National Security team.”

Before joining Novetta, Heald worked with Scitor Corp. as a technical lead and then as an architect. He previously was co-founder and chief technology officer of Herndon-based IT consulting firm Ennovex Solutions.

Heald will succeed Tiffanny Gates, who was Novetta’s president and CEO from 2017 to 2021. She will retire after a transition period and is joining the Accenture Federal Services Board of Managers.

“I’m proud and excited to hand the reins of Accenture Federal Services’ National Security portfolio over to Kevin Heald,” Gates said in a statement. “I’m confident Kevin will bring the experience, energy and focus this role requires.”

Accenture Federal Services is a wholly owned subsidiary of Accenture LLP, part of Irish Fortune Global 500 company Accenture PLC. Accenture has more than 738,000 employees with clients across 120 countries and reported $61.6 billion in fiscal year 2022 revenue.

Accenture Federal Services completes Novetta acquisition

Arlington-based Accenture Federal Services, a subsidiary of Fortune Global 500 professional services company Accenture, has completed its acquisition of Novetta, a McLean-based advanced analytics company, the two companies announced Thursday.

The financial terms of the deal, first announced in June, were not disclosed.

The acquisition will add a national security portfolio to AFS’ business, according to the company, and Novetta President and CEO Tiffanny Gates will lead the division. The deal adds 1,300 Novetta workers, including software developers, data scientists and specialists in machine learning, cyber cloud and information exploitation to AFS’ 11,000-person workforce.

“Our combined company brings the scale and power of Accenture Federal Services’ digital capabilities together with Novetta’s ability to solve the government’s toughest mission challenges with precision,” Accenture Federal Services CEO John Goodman said in a statement. “We look forward to delivering the next-generation of solutions that today’s missions and times demand.”

Novetta was a subsidiary of The Carlyle Group, the Washington, D.C.-based private equity firm where Virginia GOP gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin was co-CEO until his retirement last year. Carlyle purchased Novetta in 2015 from Arlington Capital Partners.

“I’m tremendously excited about my role as senior managing director of this new segment of Accenture Federal Services’ business,” Gates said in a statement. “Our disruptive technologies combined with Accenture Federal Services’ ability to deliver federal innovation at scale are highly complementary and will play a major role in meeting our clients’ mission needs.”

The new division will provide expertise in analytics, intelligence expertise, cloud engineering and cyber services.