Reston, VA | May 9, 2025 – Brillient CEO, Founder, and Executive Chairman, Sukumar Iyer, spoke at the 2025 OrangeSlices AI FXP Elev8 event May 9 at the Roundhouse Theater in Bethesda, Maryland. He joined fellow industry leaders Tim Borchert, of Tria Federal, Beverly Beavers of ProclivIT LLC, Dr. Malissa R. of NIH, and moderator Stacey Piper of Piper Strategies on Panel 3—Leveraging Data and Agility to Achieve Operational Excellence.
Here are a few memorable takeaways from Sukumar’s remarks:
On the power of repetition: Sukumar reminded us that repetition is not redundancy—it’s reinforcement. “My wife has heard my stories six times,” he said with a smile, “but repetition inspires.” In uncertain times, a steady drumbeat of vision and values can keep teams aligned and motivated.
On agility as a response: In the face of disruption, Sukumar emphasized that agility is more than a buzzword—it’s a mindset. It requires action from both the top down and the bottom up, creating a feedback loop of continuous learning and adaptation.
On innovation and failure: “Don’t be afraid to fail,” he urged the audience. True innovation comes with risk—and that risk must be embraced, not avoided, if we want to move the needle for our clients and communities.
On Brillient’s national impact: Sukumar opened with a powerful image: “With 1,500 employees coast to coast across America, when the sun is shining on America, it’s shining on a Brillient employee.” A beautiful reminder of the human side of federal contracting—and the reach of a shared mission.
Thank you, Sukumar, for bringing clarity, humor, and inspiration to the conversation!