Home
cover of episode Future of Business: SAIC’s Toni Townes-Whitley on Leading Strategic Transformation

Future of Business: SAIC’s Toni Townes-Whitley on Leading Strategic Transformation

2024/11/7
logo of podcast HBR IdeaCast

HBR IdeaCast

Chapters

Toni Townes-Whitley discusses her approach to strategic transformation at SAIC, focusing on fine-tuning rather than wholesale change, and identifying key areas for pivot based on data analysis.
  • SAIC was the first in its market to have an employee-owned operating model.
  • The company had gone a bit flat in its growth cycle and needed more differentiated portfolio.
  • Four hypotheses were identified for areas needing tuning, which were tested in the first year.

Shownotes Transcript

With more than $7 billion in annual revenue and 24,000 employees, SAIC provides engineering, digital, AI, and mission support to defense, space, intelligence, and civilian customers. CEO Toni Townes-Whitley took the helm a year ago, after stints as a senior executive at Microsoft, CGI Federal, and Unisys. She discusses her approach to strategic transformation at SAIC through fine tuning and employee upskilling, rather than wholesale change. She also shares how the company is incorporating cutting edge technologies, like generative AI, with appropriate safeguards for government clients.