Top 25 Execs to Watch in 2020

Charles Beard, Chief Operating Officer, Guidehouse

Charles Beard oversees the day-to-day performance of Guidehouse’s business operations, and points to the acquisition of Navigant Consulting as one of the company’s most significant 2019 achievements.

The deal provided Guidehouse with commercial advisory capabilities and thought leadership in financial services, energy and sustainment and health care transformation — complementary mission areas to its government clients at the state and national levels.

And whether Guidehouseis seeking clinical transformations in health care that drive wellness and affordability, working on the transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, or building a 21st-century design on economic and national security alliances, it understands the most transformative solutions will likely transcend conventional boundaries and require multidisciplinary approaches.

“We are building a business operating and staffing model that aligns with our shared commitment to these future outcomes,” Beard said.

And with the cyclic rate of technology innovation being measured in months, weeks or days, Beard said Guidehouse is in step with that pace for its clients.

That includes the digitization of health records accelerating the application of data analytics to determine the efficacy of protocol designs; artificial intelligence and machine learning being applied to everything from electric grid resiliency to fraud detection and the antecedents of criminal activity; and the opportunities associated with the deployment of 5G.

“These are just a few of the opportunities we are supporting through our dedicated innovation centers, where we seek to co-create the future with our clients,” Beard said.

Why Watch:

Beard and his team have three exciting focus areas for 2020.

The first is to apply the principles of user-centered design to understand how to meet the needs of Guidehouse’s diverse and geographically distributed constituencies: clients, employees and partners.

“We are challenging ourselves to reimagine health and wellness benefits that are outcomes-based and align to our unique needs while also providing a backstop to the unanticipated catastrophic events,” Beard said.

Second, Guidehouse will reimagine its employee experience. From benefits to continuing education, diversity to office services, Guidehouse believes there is a new model of employee engagement that allows it to create a workforce for the future by engaging with its professional colleagues in a way that is intellectually challenging, financially rewarding, while also beneficial to clients and their missions.

And third, Guidehouse is going to complete operational integration of its acquisition and continue to deliver the strategic agility required by its clients as they address the most pressing issues facing their businesses, constituents and alliances.