Global Telecom Leader
Management Consultant
Independent Board Member

About

ABOUT

Sean P. McDevitt is a leading decision-maker, advisor, and thought leader in the telecommunications industry. He has more than three decades of international management consulting and operations experience spanning several global markets.

Sean is currently US Practice Lead in Arthur D. Little’s TIME (Telecommunications, Information, Media & Electronics) and Private Equity Practices. Founded in 1886, ADL is the first management consulting firm. ADL's global operations now span nearly 50 offices and ~1700 staff. Across its industry and functional practice areas ADL enables client success by leveraging strategy, technology, and operational excellence.

In 2023, Sean was appointed by US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to serve on the Board of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet), an independent authority within the US Department of Commerce. Authorized by Congress in 2012, FirstNet's mission is to develop, build, and operate the nationwide broadband network to enable first responders to protect US communities. In October 2024, Sean was reappointed by the Secretary to a full 3-year term and named Chair of the Finance and Investment Committee.

Sean's clients - top telecom operators, suppliers, private equity, infrastructure funds, and lenders – turn to his expertise for critical business decisions regarding strategic growth initiatives, investment due diligence, market and competitive assessments, market-entry, spectrum auctions, and a full range of broadband residential and business services markets.

Sean earned his Master’s in Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and his Bachelor of Arts in Classics and Business Economics from Brown University.

Prior to joining ADL, Sean spent six years with Cartesian, a specialist consulting firm in the global communications, technology, and digital media industries. There, he was Vice President of North American Strategy and Management Consulting, where he was responsible for business development, account management, and client project delivery.

Internationally, Sean has held executive roles in several newly deregulated European telco markets - United Kingdom, Italy, and France. In 2004, Sean first served as InfoNXX's Vice President of EU Expansion and later as President of Il Numero Italia 892892, where he directed its greenfield entry in the Italian directory enquiries market.

In 2005, Sean was Président Directeur Général of Le Numéro France 118218. Sean oversaw its regulatory strategy, establishing business operations in France and Morocco, and innovative, award-winning marketing campaigns.

Finally, with 118//Media in the United Kingdom, Sean led the building and chartering of a lead-generation business based on analysis of calling patterns and advertiser value.

Sean is also a Level 5 (highest level) USA Hockey Coach and a Level 4 Tenured (highest level) USA Hockey and NIHOA certified On-Ice Official for youth, high school, NCAA, and disabled ice hockey. Sean is a regular league official for the Northeast Sled Hockey League and officiated the 2025, 2024, and 2023 USA Hockey Sled/Para National Championships. In November 2024, Sean was also selected to officiate the NHL Sled Classic in Dallas.

publication

PUBLICATIONS

Reshaping Telecom Investment in a Next-Generation World, co-author of ADL Viewpoint, July 2024
Unlocking Sustainability Value in Private Equity, co-author of ADL Viewpoint, May 2024
Migrating to the Next Network, co-author of ADL Viewpoint, March 2024
Enabling a Sustainable Telco Ecosystem, co-author of ADL Viewpoint, July 2023
Operations 4.0 – The five tech pillars that will make or break telco operators in 2022, co-author of ADL Viewpoint, June 2022
Consolidation Onset : How to sustain accelerated CPaaS value creation, co-author of ADL Viewpoint, December 2021
Edge Computing : Hype or ripe?, co-author of ADL Viewpoint, October 2021
Now is the time for Healthcare Providers to get into IoT, co-author of ADL viewpoint, March 2021
Closing in: The development of CPaaS towards a cohesive market structure, co-author of ADL viewpoint, February 2021
Seizing the IoT opportunity in the 5G Era, co-author of ADL viewpoint, November 2020

The Race to the Home Butler, co-author of ADL Viewpoint, May 2020
Realizing the potential of the Internet of Things with 5G, co-author of ADL PRISM article, (H1 2020)
The Race to 5G, co-author of ADL viewpoint, March 2019
Private Campus Networks, co-author of ADL viewpoint, February 2019
R2V – The 5G Growth Engine, co-author of ADL viewpoint, January 2019
Delivering the Digital Dividend, co-author of ADL ‘s 2018 Flagship Report, December 2018
Google Buys Motorola: The Most Expensive Corporate R&D Experiment of All Time? CSMG Viewpoint, October 2011

AWARDS & CERTIFICATIONS

The Top 25 Private Equity Consultants and Leaders of 2024

The Consulting Report

NACD Directorship Certification®
National Association of Corporate Directors
September 2024

The Top 25 Technology Consultants and Leaders of 2025, 2024, and 2023

The Consulting Report

The premier certification program designed to qualify corporate directors for effective boardroom performance.

The Top 25 Marketing and Sales Consultants and Leaders of 2024 and 2023

The Consulting Report

Luce Scholar

The Henry Luce Foundation

1992 -1993

One of 18 Americans awarded a Henry Luce Foundation scholarship / placement with the LG Economic Research Institute in Seoul, Korea

expeience

EXPERIENCE

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Arthur D. Little
Partner | Market Practice Lead | Global Telecom Transactions Lead

(2017 - Present)

Sean joined Arthur D. Little (ADL) in 2017. He is Partner and US Practice Lead, TIME (Telecommunications, Information, Media & Electronics), heading up business development, account management, and client project delivery. Sean is responsible for global telecom sector transaction services and plays a vital role in coordinating collateral qualifications and outbound marketing as part of strengthening the practice’s bottom line. Sean is also a member of Arthur D. Little's Global Partnership Assessment Committee (PAC) which assesses internal and external candidates for promotion and hiring to the partnership.

ADL has been a pioneer in management consulting since its founding as the first firm of its kind in 1886. Today, its versatile roster of practices excels in linking strategy, innovation, and transformation in technology-intensive and converging industries.

FirstNet Authority
Board Member | Chair - Finance & Investment Committee

(2023 - Present)

FirstNet is an independent authority within the U.S. Department of Commerce. Authorized by Congress in 2012, its mission is to develop, build, and operate the nationwide broadband network to enable first responders to protect U.S. communities.

Chair, Finance and Investment Committee
Member of Finance and Investment Committee
Member of Programs and Future Planning Committee

Cartesian
Vice President and Partner, Strategy and Management Consulting

(2010-2016)

Sean spent six years in leadership roles with Cartesian. As Vice President of North American Management Consulting, Sean held operational and administrative responsibility for 100+ staff and oversaw $30+ million in revenue. Previously, Sean was Vice President and Partner in Cambridge Strategic Management Group, which was rebranded into Cartesian in 2013.

Based in Boston, MA, Cartesian provides strategic advice, project delivery, and technology solutions for the communications sector. Its services portfolios span strategy and management consulting, analytics, data science, technical services, technological solutions, and security.

Povo
Interim CEO

(2008-2009)

Sean joined the Povo team as interim Chief Executive Officer in 2008 to reinvigorate its SMB lead generation start-up that harnessed a wiki-based collaborative local guide. Sean designed an SEO/SEM subscription offering and developed the marketing and sales efforts.

InfoNXX

(2004-2007)

InfoNXX is the world’s largest directory assistance (DA) provider and offers upgraded information services marketed to retail customers in Europe, as well as outsourced DA for US firms like Sprint, Verizon, and others.

With this opportunity, Sean was deployed across three European subsidiary companies. Initially Sean was Vice President for EU Expansion and then from 2004-2005, Sean was President of Il Numero Italia 892892. In France from 2005 -2006, Sean was Président Directeur Général with Le Numéro France 118218. Finally, in the United Kingdom from 2006-2007, Sean was Chief Operating Officer with 118//Media.

118//Media UK - Chief Operating Officer
Le Numéro France 118218 - Président Directeur Général
Il Numero Italia 892892 - President

(2006-2007)
(2005-2006)
(2005)

As Chief Operating Officer of 118//Media, Sean established a greenfield lead generation business unit for 118118 (The Number). As part of this multifaceted project, Sean led the building and chartering of its go-to-market strategy based on analysis of calling patterns and advertiser value, designed product offering, developed a budget and business plan, and secured board approval.

Sean directed two greenfield entrants in the newly deregulated Italian and French directory assistance landscapes. In both markets, Sean defined strategic directions, coordinated regulatory strategy, negotiated favorable supplier/outsourcer relationships, built the management teams, and oversaw innovative marketing campaigns.

In France, Sean’s work earned the fledgling organization #1 position with 46% share. The marketing campaign was celebrated by several awards, such as Best Advertising Campaign, TV Advertising, and Best Media Strategy.

Endovellicus
President

(2002-2004)

In 2002, Sean founded Endovellicus in Boston, MA, as a bespoke professional services firm that provided strategic and management financial advisory.

Corporate Decisions
Manager
Case Team Leader
Consultant

(1996)
(1995)
(1993-1994)

In 1993, Sean began his stint at Corporate Decisions in Boston, MA, a consulting firm that centered on profitable, customer-driven growth. Today, it is part of Oliver Wyman.

LG - Luce Scholar

(1992-1993)

Sean was among 18 Americans awarded the prestigious Henry Luce Scholarship. As part of this honor, Sean was placed at the LG Economic Research Institute in Seoul, South Korea.

Temple, Barker & Sloane

(1987-1990)

Sean joined Temple, Barker & Sloane in 1987 as a Research Associate and was later promoted to Consultant. TBS was a general management consulting firm, and Sean focused primarily on the marketing/sales management practice. Today, TBS is part of Oliver Wyman.

EDUCATION

Kellogg Graduate School of Management,
Northwestern University
(1990-1992)

Sean earned his Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) in Marketing, Management Policy, and Organization Behavior from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.

Brown University
(1983-1987)

Sean earned his Bachelor of Arts from Brown University in Classics and Business Economics.

HOCKEY

Sean has been involved in youth and amateur hockey for more than two decades. He is a Level 5 (highest level) USA Hockey Coach and is also a Level 4 Tenured (highest level) USA Hockey On-Ice Official for para/sled, collegiate, high school, and youth hockey.

networks

NETWORKS

NACD Directorship Certification®

The National Association of Corporate Directors is an independent, not-for-profit, section 501 founded in 1977 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. NACD's membership includes the entire boards of 1,700+ corporations as well as several thousand individual members, for a total of more than 23,000 members

USA Hockey, Level 4 Tenured On-Ice Official

Sean is a certified Level 4 Tenured (highest level) On-Ice Official for youth, high school, and disabled ice hockey. Sean officiated the NHL Sled Classic in 2024, the USA Hockey Sled National Championships in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and attended the 2023 USA Sled Hockey Developmental Camp.

Northeast Sled Hockey League (NESHL),
On-Ice Official

The NESHL is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, established in 2005 as a means for regional Sled Hockey teams to engage in competitive, sportsmanlike hockey. It is the first-ever organized, multi-state, co-ed sled hockey league in the United States. Sean has been a standing referee in the league for five years.

USA Hockey, Level 5 Coach

Sean is a Level 5 (highest level) USA Hockey Coach and is certified to coach U8, U10, U12, U14/16/19, disabled, goaltending, and women's teams.

National Ice Hockey Officials Association (NIHOA) On-Ice Official

Sean is a National High School Federation (NFHS) and NCAA certified On-Ice Official.

Brown University,
Alumni Admissions Interviewer

For more than three decades, Sean was an interviewer for Brown University as part of its Alumni Admissions Interview program. Sean has met with dozens of prospective Brown applicants to learn about their unique and inspiring goals for higher education, as well as to answer questions about the university.

Media