Ricardo Benn
, PrincipalWhy did you choose Booz Allen?
My original intention after business school was to go into investment banking; however, wanting to stay in the Washington, DC, area, I began to look at other alternatives. A friend suggested Booz Allen. It might sound like a cliché, but my interview made it clear that Booz Allen was a perfect combination of what I was looking for—a way to use my business school skills and leverage my technology background. I’ve never looked back.
Why have you chosen to stay at Booz Allen?
I’ve stayed because of the opportunities I have here to reinvent myself while staying with the same firm. My work with Booz Allen has spanned many different areas—from the public sector, to commercial markets, and now to the international development market. Booz Allen allows me to work with many different clients while continuing in a solid career trajectory.
What type of work do you do at Booz Allen?
I’m now working in the international development market for clients funded through government international aid programs and agencies such as USAID, the Millennium Challenge, and the Department of State. My particular focus is on financial strategy, assisting financial organizations within governments to make their policies and procedures more efficient. Currently, I’m working with an educational institution of a Middle Eastern country, where I’m leading the charge on a financial restructuring project that will align the institution with international best practices. It’s a technical challenge, and that’s exciting. We also get to see our progress reported weekly or monthly in the local news, and that’s very exciting for the team.
What excites you about your work?
I’m excited by the variety of the work I do, by the change, and by being able to participate in the international development space. I like having the opportunity not only to help clients, which is always gratifying, but also to give something back by working in developing economies. Being an avid student of history, I am excited to participate so actively in foreign assistance, which in many ways is helping to create history.
Do you have a mentor at Booz Allen?
I have several mentors here, and I use them for very different reasons. For example, I greatly respect the way one mentor is able to captivate audience members and speak directly to them, and I try to emulate that in my leadership style. Others I turn to when I have large, perplexing business challenges, or when I’ve done all I can and need new insight and perspective—solutions I’ve not seen before. I’ve found that people at Booz Allen are excited and motivated about being here, and that comes across in the company leaders. I’ve found, too, that no one in a leadership position here has ever been unwilling to take time to talk.
What differentiates Booz Allen from other companies that you could work for—what makes Booz Allen special?
I believe it’s the intangibles that make our firm different. It’s a combination of a terrific assessment process, exceptional training opportunities, and an impressive level of professional respect that people have for one another and that Booz Allen as a whole has for its employees. This combination motivates people to want to do their best and deliver high-quality results, and it’s what really differentiates Booz Allen—this dedication to quality. People from other companies are always saying to me, “There’s something different about you Booz Allen guys.”
How has Booz Allen helped you be ready for what’s next in your career?
My experience includes working for many different clients. This is one of the best things that could have happened to my career because it has taught me how to operate well in many different and changing environments. In today’s fluid business world, this skill is vital.
How does the work you do help your clients be ready for what’s next? How has your and your team’s work made an impact for your clients?
Change is difficult. Because we address the unique needs of every client, rather than offering pre-packaged solutions, we are able to share what we’ve learned about change and offer anecdotes from our experience to help clients through their transition periods. For example, we are helping one client manage the enormous challenges of moving to the next generation of finance and information technology (IT), but we are able to help that client by sharing what to expect at every stage.
Can you talk about a time when you saw one or more of our Core Values displayed?
I see teamwork all the time. Working in an international environment, we often have to hit the ground running after 18 hours on a plane. I remember one particular project in Southeast Asia on which we had a very aggressive timeline—we had to develop a product in only a week, but we didn’t learn about the assignment until after we arrived. It was amazing to see how we all shrugged off our weariness and pulled together—pitching in with no complaints, with no one saying, “That’s not my job.” We got the work done on time because of that teamwork—and that has always resonated with me. I see this same thing happen time and time again.
