The recent downturn in the consulting industry tested Dan Lewis, president of Booz Allen Hamilton's worldwide commercial business, but it wasn't the first time he'd confronted a deep downturn. Graduating from Purdue University with hopes of pursuing a career in aerospace, he found an industry mired in a deep recession. Unable to pry open a door even a crack, he followed a path to manufacturing and operations, eventually winding up in consulting. Navigating his firm through the latest setback was easy by comparison. "We were pretty well prepared for the downturn. We saw the changes coming and had already decided on a strategy to provide a more complete set of services," he says. The fact that Booz had not bet heavily on the dot-com mania simplified the task. Management never believed in the new dot-com business models and therefore avoided that kind of exposure. Its only involvement amounted to a few small Internet projects primarily for the purpose of staff retention.
While other consulting firms were scrambling to recover, Lewis had already laid the groundwork for the firm's future growth. He streamlined business development activity and focused resources on a targeted set of priority service offerings that tap cross-functional problem solving and experience-based knowledge. He also expanded the geographic scope of Booz's efforts. He oversaw the firm's successful acquisition of Gemini Consulting Japan, doubling the firm's presence in that country, and added valuable complementary expertise in enterprise transformation and change management. Before that, in his second year as president, Lewis led the acquisition of Carta Corporate Advisors. His hardest task today, he reports, is keeping everyone in the firm focused on the same strategic agenda. But by claiming no personal agenda of his own, he is the right person to ensure everyone sticks to the strategy.
Aerospace retains a special appeal for Lewis. He expanded Booz's aerospace practice globally. A licensed pilot (although no longer actively flying), Lewis is a recognized leader in the field of commercial aerospace, having worked with more than 20 of the world's largest airlines on the major changes that have engaged the industry over the past 15 years.
Actively involved in the aerospace industry, Lewis participated in the governor panels on civil aviation and travel and tourism at the past two World Economic Forum Annual Meetings.
Maybe it is his joy of flying that enables him to maintain his fast-paced global consulting regimen. He commutes regularly between his home and office in California and another in New York, as well as visits Booz's far-flung outposts. For pleasure, he dashes off to Mexico, where he keeps a boat with which he pursues his passion for marlin fishing.
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