Putting the Scott in ScottMadden

The firm was founded in 1983 by utility industry executive Peter Scott, whose first client also happened to be the utility where he had previously worked. Since 2000, the firm has been led by current CEO and President Brad Kitchens, who has more than 30 years of experience in business and consulting. A former employee of Deloitte & Touche’s capital markets practice, Kitchens’ resume also includes several years in the oil and gas industry.

Over the course of the 21st century, ScottMadden has experienced significant growth; along with formalizing its practice structure for a clear business strategy, the firm has also expanded its rates and regulation practice with the acquisition of Sussex Economic Advisors, finalized in 2016. Starting in 2020, the firm began publishing an annual corporate responsibility report for stakeholders and the public, and the firm has expanded its D&I initiatives to include employee resource groups, wider-reaching recruiting efforts, and a Director of Corporate Responsibility.

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According to the firm's website, ScottMadden's differentiation within the consulting industry comes from its willingness to create long-term partnerships with its clients and to personalize its work based on each client's specific needs. Indeed, that commitment to meeting needs is what led the firm to expand its practice areas beyond energy in the early 2000s, thereby moving away from being a niche practitioner and toward the role of a general management consulting provider.