Shawn Purvis
President & CEO, QinetiQ US
Shawn Purvis has almost 30 years of experience in defense, intelligence and cybersecurity technical solutions. She has led billion-dollar organizations that support warfighter and intelligence customers around the world. Under her leadership, the companies have achieved year-over-year organic revenue growth and margin improvement.
Appointed president and CEO of QinetiQ US in early 2022, Purvis brought her mission-led approach to innovation to bear, ensuring QinetiQ US got the best capabilities rapidly into the hands of its customers. With a portfolio of products and services encompassing robotics and autonomous systems, national security, ISR solutions, cyber and engineering, QinetiQ US is committed to transformative technologies with an operational advantage.
“It is important to maintain our focus on mission-led innovation,” Purvis said. “Our drive is ultimately the success of the customers’ missions, and the ability to understand that and put our technology to use executing on that mission is the key to success on a corporate, customer and national level.”
Why Watch
In November 2022, QinetiQ US acquired Avantus Federal, significantly boosting the company’s revenue and expanding the services and solutions it provides to customers. This year, Purvis will continue to focus on growth and promoting a culture of innovation, inclusion and fierce curiosity.
Protecting platforms, networks and infrastructure are core areas of growth for QinetiQ as well, through organic and inorganic means. Purvis is seeking acquisitions that align with the company’s strategy and culture. She is focused on developing a disruptive, mid-tier, multibillion-dollar company.
For Purvis, leadership is also about more than strategy; it’s about creating a culture where employees can thrive and reach their full potential.
“We have an incredible team of people,” she said. “As CEO, one of my principal jobs is to provide channels for personal growth and empowerment of our workforce – I honestly believe that anything is possible when people feel they have a voice. I am focused on creating a diverse and inclusive culture that creates channels to enhance communication and collaboration across the company.”