Peraton appoints KBR exec to lead its defense sector

Reston-based federal contractor Peraton announced Thursday it has appointed Gabe Camarillo as president of its defense sector.

In the role, Camarillo will lead efforts to deliver advanced capabilities for U.S. warfighters and allies operating in contested environments. He joins the company from government contractor KBR, where he was senior vice president of the company’s defense technology solutions business unit.

It was not immediately clear whether Camarillo was succeeding someone in the role or whether the position was newly created, and Peraton did not immediately return a request for comment. Peraton described the hiring as its “latest move to strengthen its top executive leadership team and accelerate growth.”

In a statement, Peraton President and Chief Operating Officer Bob Genter said he was “excited” to have Camarillo join the company.

“His rare combination of senior government service, defense acquisition expertise and industry leadership makes him uniquely positioned to drive our defense sector forward,” Genter said.

Before joining KBR, Camarillo served as the 35th under secretary of the Army, overseeing Army operations, personnel and modernization priorities while leading the service’s programming and budgeting process. In that role, he led reforms in software acquisition and foreign military sales and helped establish the Army’s first digital engineering policy, according to a news release.

“Peraton has built a reputation for delivering trusted, differentiated solutions for its customers to address some of the most complex and consequential national security challenges,” Camarillo said in a statement. “Delivering capabilities to our warfighters at speed is vital to our national security, and I am proud to join this talented team and to strengthen and expand our support to U.S. warfighters and allies.”

Camarillo earned a law degree from Stanford Law School and a bachelor’s degree in government from Georgetown University. He was named to WashingtonExec’s list of the Top DOD Execs to Watch in 2025.

Peraton is owned by Veritas Capital, which established the government contracting firm in 2017. Four years later, Peraton purchased Chantilly-based IT contractor Perspecta and Northrop Grumman’s federal IT and mission support services businesses for a combined $10.5 billion. The company has more than 17,000 employees, including roughly 7,000 in the Washington, D.C., region.