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Navigant Consulting
Navigant Consulting grew under Julie Howard to a $2B+ disputes, investigations, and regulated-industry advisory firm acquired by Guidehouse in 2019.
Navigant Consulting
Navigant Consulting was founded in the 1980s by James A. Mayo and a group of former A.T. Kearney and Booz Allen consultants, building a niche in litigation support and financial investigations. The firm went public in 1996 under CEO William D. Walsh, and later expanded into energy, healthcare, and infrastructure advisory through acquisitions. The strategy relied on two pillars: disputes and investigations — including forensic accounting, whistleblower cases, and regulatory compliance — and advisory for heavily regulated industries such as energy, utilities, and healthcare. Navigant's consultants worked directly with legal teams, government agencies, and corporate boards. Known for its practice in energy market design and renewable integration, the firm also advised on large infrastructure projects and healthcare payment reform. By 2019, Navigant employed over 6,000 professionals across 20+ offices. Key acquisitions included DSI Consulting (energy litigation) and O'Connor Healthcare (revenue cycle advisory). In August 2019, Guidehouse (backed by private equity firm CCMP Capital Advisors) announced the acquisition of Navigant for $1.2B, creating a combined firm with over 10,000 employees. One structural differentiator was Navigant's specialization in areas where consulting was integrated with expert testimony, often its professionals would serve as expert witnesses in court. This hybrid model combining consulting and litigation support was unusual among large consulting firms.
General information
Firm type
other
Year founded
—
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Chicago
Corporate office
Chicago, IL, United States
Principals
Julie M. Howard
Chief Executive Officer (historical)
Stacy M. McLaughlin
Chief Financial Officer (historical)
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who ran Navigant Consulting and what was their background?
Julie Howard served as CEO from 2010 to 2019. She previously served as president of the company and had a background in consulting and business development. Under her leadership, Navigant shifted focus to higher-margin advisory work and expanded into energy and healthcare (public record).
What industries did Navigant primarily serve?
Navigant focused on highly regulated industries: energy and utilities (including electricity market design and renewable energy), healthcare (hospitals, payment systems, and regulatory compliance), and financial services (advising on disputes and investigations). The firm also had a practice in infrastructure and construction advisory (per SEC filings).
Was Navigant an asset manager or did it deploy capital?
No — Navigant was a management consulting and litigation services firm, not an asset manager. It generated revenue from professional service fees, not investment returns. It did not maintain an investment portfolio of its own outside of cash and working capital (per public filings).
Why was Navigant acquired by Guidehouse in 2019?
The acquisition was a strategic move by Guidehouse, a consulting firm owned by CCMP Capital, to combine their capabilities in energy, healthcare, and government services. Navigant's board recommended the deal, citing increased scale and expanded client reach. The transaction closed in February 2020 (per the firm, August 2019).
How did Navigant's team size compare to peers at acquisition?
At the time of the acquisition, Navigant employed roughly 6,000 professionals. Combined with Guidehouse's 4,000 employees, the merged entity employed over 10,000. This placed it among the larger specialist consulting firms focused on regulated industries (per public filings).
Did Navigant have a family office or investment arm?
No — as a publicly traded company, Navigant did not operate a family office. Its ownership was dispersed among institutional and retail shareholders. The wealth origin for shareholders was through public equity markets, not a single-family source.
Which consulting firms were Navigant's closest competitors?
Navigant competed with Big Four accounting firms (Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG) in the disputes and investigations space, alongside specialty firms like FTI Consulting, Berkeley Research Group, and Huron Consulting Group (per industry reports).
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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