New leadership team under CEO Jim O'Leary integrates high-stakes advisory with frontier intelligence
Penta, the leading modern corporate advisory firm, today announced the appointment of Dustin Johnson as president, Global Intelligence and AI, and Conall McDevitt as president, Global Advisory.
The appointments establish a new leadership team under recently appointed CEO Jim O'Leary, pairing Penta's high-stakes advisory with its frontier intelligence to help clients anticipate risk, identify opportunity and act with greater confidence in an increasingly complex stakeholder environment.
Johnson and McDevitt will lead Penta's two global units, Global Intelligence and AI and Global Advisory. The updated operating model reflects growing client demand for the firm's integrated offering.
"Client needs are shifting rapidly, and firms built for the next decade already look fundamentally different from those built for the last," said Jim O'Leary, Penta's chief executive officer. "Our clients increasingly come to us for real-time intelligence that gives them a clearer, more comprehensive view of what matters, so they have the confidence to act. I'm excited to see demand for our integrated approach accelerate under Dustin and Conall's leadership."
About half of Penta's revenue is driven by its intelligence capabilities. The firm's proprietary intelligence engine processes more than 25 million signals each day across more than 100 languages and more than 120 countries. Its sentiment models are trained on 12 years of data, and its research draws directly on primary engagement with policymakers and other influential stakeholders. That foundation lets Penta help organizations understand not only what is happening, but what it means for their businesses, reputations and strategic choices.
Johnson joins Penta from Weber Shandwick, where he served as chief commercial and innovation officer and led the firm's integrated AI, analytics, research and technology capabilities. Earlier in his career he led transformation at Edelman and held roles at PwC and Microsoft. An entrepreneur and operator, Johnson has built and sold a technology company and has led AI transformation work for Fortune 100 companies across sectors.
At Penta, Johnson will lead Global Intelligence and AI, bringing together the firm's intelligence teams, proprietary products and technology organization. He will advance the firm's AI capabilities, scale technology-enabled client solutions and convert Penta's data advantage into faster, more actionable counsel.
McDevitt, a longtime Penta leader based in London, will lead Global Advisory, overseeing the firm's public affairs, financial communications, brand strategy, corporate communications and crisis specialties. He will drive the growth and integration of Penta's senior advisory capabilities across markets and sectors, including financial services, energy, technology and healthcare.
The appointments follow O'Leary's arrival as CEO in May 2026.
Backed by Shamrock Capital, the firm is focused on driving significant growth over the next several years through a combination of organic growth and strategic acquisitions, with expansion focused on New York, London and other major global capital markets.
About Penta
Penta is the leading modern corporate advisory firm that helps global organizations navigate complexity and the the intersection of reputation and political, cultural, financial and technological risk. The firm pairs senior advisory expertise with a proprietary intelligence platform to help clients read and act on the stakeholder ecosystems that shape their business outcomes. Penta is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices in London, New York, Brussels, Dublin, Singapore, San Francisco and Hong Kong, and is backed by Shamrock Capital. For more information, visit www.pentagroup.com.