Booz Allen Hamilton on Middle East expansion path
Global consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton is currently on a major expansion path in the Middle East. The US-based strategy and technology consultancy has added five new partners to its leadership team, and seven new Vice Presidents. In addition, the firm has launched a large recruitment drive at various levels, with the aim of bolstering its market share in the Middle East.
Booz Allen Hamilton was founded in 1914, and operates under its current name since 1943. Following decades of expansion, both in the US and internationally, the firm grew into one of the largest and prestigious management firms in the consulting industry. In 2008 the consultancy decided to split, into Booz Allen Hamilton (focus on US public sector) and Booz & Company (focus on private sector outside the US). As part of the deal, the firms agreed a non-compete clause for the period of three years. Not surprisingly, after the agreement expired in Q3 of 2011, Booz Allen Hamilton announced that it planned to gradually re-enter the private sector consulting, with a focus on the Middle East – a region where it can build on a strong reputation.
In May 2012 Booz Allen Hamilton extended its on-the-ground operations to Kuwait and Qatar, and in October that year it opened an office in Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Towers, which serves as its regional headquarters. Booz Allen also has a Middle East footprint in Beirut, Lebanon and Saudi-Arabia.
In line with its ambition to further boost its Middle East market share, the consulting firm recently attracted dozens of new advisors in the region, including several high-profile partners, Vice Presidents and consultants. An overview of the partners that lately joined the firm:
- Ramez Shehadi, former Partner at Strategy&, and A.T. Kearney alumnus
- Walid Fayad, former Partner at Strategy&, and McKinsey alumnus
- Raymond Khoury, former Partner at Strategy&,
- Nabih Maroun, joins from Quantum Communications, Booz & Company / Booz Allen alumnus
- Mahir Nayfeh, former CTO of Abu Dhabi Systems Information Center
- Nadim Batri, former Partner at Strategy&
Interestingly, four of the six new partners have been poached from Booz & Company, currently known as Strategy&, following the rebranding executed earlier this year by PwC*. “The firm’s new partners bring long-standing ties to the MENA region and expertise in the oil and gas, utilities, financial services, information and communication technology, healthcare, and public sector markets,” states Booz Allen Hamilton in a press release. In addition to the senior leader joiners, Booz Allen has added seven new Vice Presidents and is through a recruitment drive attracting further talent at various levels. The expansion is being realised across a wide spectrum of services areas, including cybersecurity, data analytics, operations, human capital, engineering, life-cycle project management and digital innovation.
“The MENA region offers opportunities and challenges for clients who are now more prepared than ever to embrace us as their essential partner,” says Executive Vice President Joseph Logue. “While government and commercial institutions have significantly modernised in recent years, the rapidly evolving needs of societies require a constant emphasis on adapting infrastructure and technology, services and regulations. The addition of our new team in the region will allow us to address these needs in a sustainable, results-driven way.”
Globally, Booz Allen Hamilton employs more than 22,000 people and a revenue of $5.48 billion.
George Atalla
Recently another high-ranked partner of Strategy&, the Lebanese origin George Atalla, left the firm to join EY, where he serves as global head of its Government & Public Sector practice.
* PwC acquired Booz & Company in Q4 2013 for an estimated fee of roughly $1 billion. PwC and Booz & Company were however obliged to drop the ‘Booz & Company’ name, as part of the contractual agreements with Booz Allen Hamilton agreed during the spit in 2008.
