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Business Development
Reinvigorating Defense Business Development for CBRNE and Nuclear Missions
Created and implemented business development strategy for Department of Defense and Department of Energy CBRNE missions, established Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center account executive role, and chaired new business council spanning 30 divisions.
The Challenge
Organizational Context & Leadership Imperative
SAIC's defense business development for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive (CBRNE) missions required strategic repositioning—aligning capabilities with evolving DoD and DOE priorities while establishing account executive frameworks for high-value nuclear weapons center programs.
Problems That Existed
- CBRNE business development strategy lacking cohesive market positioning
- Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center requiring dedicated account executive engagement
- 30-division new business council needing unified pipeline governance
- Competitive defense contracting landscape with shifting mission priorities
- Cross-divisional coordination gaps limiting capture effectiveness
Why Leadership Was Needed
SAIC required a business development executive with deep nuclear enterprise fluency and Pentagon policy experience—someone who could reinvigorate CBRNE strategy while establishing account executive discipline for nuclear weapons center programs.
Strategic Approach
Strategy, Governance & Decision Architecture
Leverage nuclear enterprise command experience and Pentagon policy background to reposition CBRNE business development—establishing account executive frameworks and cross-divisional pipeline governance.
Leadership Style
Strategic business development leadership combining market intelligence with operational credibility. Account executive model with direct customer engagement at program level.
Decision Making
Pipeline prioritization based on mission alignment, competitive positioning, and division capability mapping. Investment decisions driven by capture probability and strategic account value.
Governance
Chaired new business council spanning 30 divisions—establishing unified pipeline review, capture strategy alignment, and cross-divisional resource coordination.
Planning
CBRNE market repositioning aligned to DoD and DOE mission evolution. Nuclear Weapons Center account plan with dedicated executive engagement and multi-year capture strategy.
Execution
Timeline, Initiatives & Cross-Functional Delivery
Execution Timeline
Strategy Development
Q1 2009
- Assessed CBRNE market landscape and SAIC competitive positioning
- Mapped division capabilities against DoD and DOE mission priorities
- Developed repositioned business development strategy framework
Account Executive Launch
Q2 2009
- Established Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center account executive role
- Initiated direct customer engagement at program and leadership levels
- Aligned division capabilities to Nuclear Weapons Center requirements
Council Governance
Q3 — Q4 2009
- Chaired new business council for 30 divisions
- Implemented unified pipeline review and capture governance
- Reinvigorated CBRNE business development across DoD and DOE missions
Major Initiatives
- CBRNE business development strategy creation and implementation
- Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center account executive establishment
- 30-division new business council chairmanship
- Cross-divisional capture strategy alignment
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Engagement with Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center leadership and program offices
- Cross-divisional coordination across 30 SAIC business units
- DoD and DOE customer relationship development at mission level
- Internal alignment with SAIC corporate business development functions
Risk Mitigation
- Pipeline diversification across CBRNE mission areas reducing single-program dependency
- Account executive model ensuring sustained customer relationship continuity
- Cross-divisional governance preventing capture conflicts and resource fragmentation
Innovation
- Nuclear enterprise experience applied to defense business development strategy
- Account executive framework for high-value nuclear weapons center programs
- 30-division council governance model for enterprise capture coordination
Business Results
Measurable Outcomes & Enterprise Impact
Reinvigorated SAIC's CBRNE business development positioning, established nuclear weapons center account executive discipline, and created cross-divisional pipeline governance spanning 30 business units.
Divisions Governed
0
New business council scope
Mission Areas
0
DoD and DOE CBRNE
Account Executive Roles
0
AF Nuclear Weapons Center
Strategy Delivered
0%
CBRNE repositioning complete
Key Outcomes
- CBRNE business development strategy created and implemented
- Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center account executive role established
- 30-division new business council governance operational
- Cross-divisional capture alignment improving pipeline effectiveness
Leadership Lessons
Executive Insights & Transferable Principles
Operational credibility in a mission area accelerates business development effectiveness.
Account executive discipline requires sustained leadership engagement—not episodic pursuit.
Cross-divisional governance prevents the fragmentation that undermines enterprise capture.
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