The news of yet another security breach for Booz Allen (BAH) in just a few years begs the question of how to secure the role of consultants as "trusted advisers" to their clients. The basis for success of any consultant-client relationship is trust, and consulting firms must take a fresh look at how to ingrain trust into each client relationship; not just at the top level of management but all through the front line as well. Each and every team member needs to have a sense of commitment and loyalty to the client in order for client success to be ensured.
As background, it recently came to light that BAH is facing its second major personnel scandal in 3 years. In August, the Justice Department arrested Harold Thomas Martin for stealing top-secret documents and unlawfully taking government property while working for BAH as a contractor for the NSA. He was formally charged in October. ("Booz Allen Faces More Fallout After NSA Contractor's Arrest," www.wsj.com, October 5, 2016). Updated filings on October 20, show that Martin allegedly took over 500 million pages of government records. ("Ex-NSA Contractor Stole at Least 500 Million Pages of Records and Secrets, U.S. Says," www.wsj.com, October 20, 2016). Interestingly, BAH derives the majority of its revenue from defense and intelligence agencies. More than 2/3 of its employees have security clearances. ("Booz Allen Faces More Fallout After NSA Contractor's Arrest," www.wsj.com, October 5, 2016).
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