Chertoff Group
The Chertoff Group is a Washington, D.C.-based global security and risk management advisory firm founded in 2009 by former DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff and former DHS Chief of Staff Chad Sweet, serving government contractors, defense firms, critical infrastructure operators, and technology companies with cybersecurity, federal strategy, and M&A advisory services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Chertoff Group does
The Chertoff Group is a global security and risk management advisory firm founded in 2009 by former U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and former DHS Chief of Staff Chad Sweet, and headquartered in Washington, D.C. The firm serves government contractors, defense and aerospace companies, critical infrastructure operators, and high-growth technology firms with advisory engagements spanning cybersecurity, physical and geopolitical risk, federal market strategy, transportation security, and trust and safety. Its core service lines are Security Risk & Resilience, Federal Strategy, Cybersecurity, Geopolitical & Regulatory Risk, Transportation & Innovation, and Private Equity, supplemented by a Buyside M&A Advisory practice delivered through Chertoff Capital, LLC, a wholly-owned FINRA-registered broker-dealer subsidiary.
The firm's commercial offering rests on a body of proprietary advisory assets, most notably a Security Risk Management Methodology approved by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for SAFETY Act designation in 2017 and re-approved in 2022, alongside newer frameworks such as the Fast GRC Framework and threat-modeling methodologies tailored for AI products. It also holds an interest in Gigaplex, a joint venture with SureScan and VMD commercializing patented remote x-ray screening technology for airports. Revenue is generated through professional services fees (advisory engagements, multi-year contracts, and M&A advisory), growth equity investment activities via the MC² Security Fund (which acquired Trustwave in 2024), and licensing-related economics from proprietary methodology and technology assets.
The go-to-market is sales-led and enterprise-focused: senior advisors and principals engage directly with Fortune 500 and federal clients, supported by thought leadership, a podcast series (Mission Critical Conversations), industry events, and a Schneider Electric supply chain case study that has become a reference engagement for Department of Defense-aligned compliance work. The firm employs 51–100 people across its six practices, with a leadership team drawn heavily from former senior officials at DHS, CIA, NSA, TSA, DOD, GSA, and the U.S. Secret Service, which functions as both a marketing asset and a barrier to entry.
Chertoff Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Chertoff Group
- Legal name
- Chertoff Group, LLC
- Website
- https://chertoffgroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The Chertoff Group is a Washington, D.C.-based global security and risk management advisory firm founded in 2009 by former DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff and former DHS Chief of Staff Chad Sweet, serving government contractors, defense firms, critical infrastructure operators, and technology companies with cybersecurity, federal strategy, and M&A advisory services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Chertoff Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Chertoff Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Security Risk Advisory: Global risk advisory services including cyber, physical, geopolitical, and regulatory risk management for organizations in demanding national security environments.
- Federal Market Strategy: Business development and federal growth advisory helping government contractors win strategic government and national security work.
- M&A Advisory: Mergers and acquisitions advisory services through Chertoff Capital, LLC, a FINRA-registered broker-dealer subsidiary, focused on security industry transactions.
- Growth Equity Investment: Private equity investments in defense technology, government services, cybersecurity, and national security-focused companies through the firm's private equity business.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom advisory engagement pricing based on scope and team composition |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Chertoff Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Chertoff Group is a global security and risk management advisory firm that delivers professional advisory services across cybersecurity, security risk and resilience, federal strategy, geopolitical and regulatory risk, transportation and innovation, and private equity. It also provides Buyside M&A Advisory through its wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary Chertoff Capital, LLC, and holds an interest in Gigaplex remote screening technology for aviation security.
Product overview
The Chertoff Group is a global security and risk management advisory firm, not a traditional product company. The firm offers a portfolio of professional advisory services organized around six core service lines: Security Risk & Resilience (proactive risk management and vulnerability mitigation), Federal Strategy (federal market business development and growth advisory), Cybersecurity (threat-informed defense and cyber resilience), Geopolitical & Regulatory Risk (global risk management and compliance), Transportation & Innovation (aviation security and transportation sector advisory), and Private Equity (growth equity investment in security and defense). Additional services include Buyside M&A Advisory for defense technology acquisitions and Trust and Safety programs for online platforms. The firm also holds an interest in Gigaplex, a remote screening technology enabling real-time x-ray image review from centralized locations. These services are delivered through senior advisors with backgrounds in government, military, intelligence, and private sector security.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Chertoff Capital, LLC: Wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of The Chertoff Group, facilitating investment banking and capital formation activities.
Products and services
- Security Risk & Resilience Advisory services providing proactive strategies to manage risks, safeguard operations, and close vulnerabilities for organizations across cyber, physical, and geopolitical dimensions.
- Federal Strategy Business development and growth advisory helping companies understand federal customers, shape offerings to mission needs, and compete effectively for government and national security work.
- Cybersecurity Advisory services helping organizations anticipate and address complex cybersecurity risks, protect critical assets, and build resiliency through threat-informed defense and governance programs.
- Geopolitical & Regulatory Risk Advisory services helping organizations address global risks and meet evolving compliance requirements, including supply chain risk management and sanctions compliance.
- Transportation & Innovation Advisory services focused on managing aviation security risk and improving operations for transportation sector clients.
- Private Equity Growth equity investment and advisory services focused on investing in high-growth companies within security and defense sectors, including defense technology, government services, cybersecurity, and national security-focused companies.
- Buyside M&A Advisory Investor-focused advisory services for defense technology and government services acquisitions, delivered through the firm's wholly-owned FINRA-registered broker-dealer subsidiary Chertoff Capital, LLC.
- Trust and Safety Advisory services designing trust and safety programs aligned with leading frameworks and tailored to specific platform risk profiles for online platforms and technology companies.
- Gigaplex Remote Screening Technology Patented remote screening technology enabling real-time screening of x-ray images from airport scanners at centralized offsite locations, developed and patented by The Chertoff Group, SureScan, and VMD.
Quantifiable outcome
- Saved customer agencies $21.6 billion during Emily Murphy's tenure as GSA Administrator
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Chertoff Group
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Chertoff Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature3 records
Chertoff Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, significant, notable and strategic.
- Gigaplex LLCcoreJoint venture between The Chertoff Group, SureScan, and VMD to bring remote screening technology to airports, enabling real-time x-ray image screening from centralized offsite locations.
- Schneider ElectricsignificantPartnership to strengthen customer and government trust for Schneider Electric, securing sensitive federal opportunities and building a more resilient, compliant supply chain posture through a DOW-endorsed playbook.
- Abbott and Brunswick InsightsnotableCo-authored white paper on medical device cybersecurity challenges, surveying 300 physicians and hospital administrators, recommending industry-wide cybersecurity standards and incident response investment.
- DHS Silicon Valley Innovation Program (SVIP)strategicIdentified as a high-probability entry point for commercial tech firms to access Coast Guard market through DHS innovation programs.
- Palantir TechnologiesnotableGreg Little, Senior Counselor at Palantir and former DOW civilian executive in data transformation, participated in Chertoff Group-hosted strategic briefing on federal market changes.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Chertoff Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Pinkerton: Corporate security services and consulting firm providing risk assessments, executive protection, and supply chain security to global enterprises. Overlaps with Chertoff's Security Risk & Resilience and executive protection engagements but also provides operational security staffing.
Broad incumbents
- Guidehouse: Global consulting firm with significant federal and cybersecurity practices serving defense, civilian, and homeland security clients. Competes with Chertoff in cyber advisory, risk management, and federal market strategy engagements.
- Booz Allen Hamilton: Major federal consulting and engineering firm with extensive cybersecurity, defense, and intelligence practices. Multiple Chertoff senior directors previously worked at Booz Allen; broader portfolio overlaps with Chertoff's federal strategy and cyber advisory work.
- FTI Consulting: Global advisory firm with dedicated cybersecurity, public sector, and strategic communications practices serving regulated industries and government-facing companies. Overlaps with Chertoff's federal strategy, cybersecurity, and regulatory risk advisory offerings.
Direct peers
- Avascent: Federal market strategy and growth advisory firm serving defense, government services, and aerospace clients with market entry, capture, and competitive intelligence support. Direct overlap with Chertoff's Federal Strategy practice; several Chertoff senior directors previously worked at Avascent.
- Control Risks: Specialist risk consultancy providing political, security, integrity, and cyber risk advisory to multinational clients. Closely comparable to Chertoff's Geopolitical & Regulatory Risk and Security Risk & Resilience practices, with similar enterprise client base.
- Kroll: Global security, cyber, and risk advisory firm offering security risk management, cyber defense, investigations, and regulatory advisory to enterprises. Direct competitor to Chertoff's Security Risk & Resilience and Cybersecurity practices with broader international footprint.
- WestExec Advisors: Strategic advisory firm founded by former senior government officials providing geopolitical, technology, and security advisory to corporations. Closely comparable talent model and client engagement style to Chertoff Group.
- The Beacon Group: Washington-based advisory firm providing federal market strategy, government affairs, and growth advisory to defense and technology companies. Direct overlap with Chertoff's Federal Strategy practice; Chertoff senior director Cameron Fegers previously held a senior role at Beacon Group.
Others
- CSIS (Center for Strategic and International Studies): Major bipartisan policy research organization focused on defense, security, and technology policy. Indirectly comparable as ecosystem participant producing thought leadership and policy analysis that informs Chertoff's federal and security advisory positioning.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Chertoff Group social profiles
Digital presenceChertoff Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Chertoff Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Chertoff Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Chertoff Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Chertoff Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments4 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Chertoff Group
What does Chertoff Group do?
The Chertoff Group is a global security and risk management advisory firm that delivers professional advisory services across cybersecurity, security risk and resilience, federal strategy, geopolitical and regulatory risk, transportation and innovation, and private equity. It also provides Buyside M&A Advisory through its wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary Chertoff Capital, LLC, and holds an interest in Gigaplex remote screening technology for aviation security.
Is Chertoff Group a public or private company?
Chertoff Group is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Chertoff Group founded?
Chertoff Group was founded in 2009. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Chertoff Group based?
Chertoff Group is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does Chertoff Group make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Security Risk Advisory is the primary driver. The others are federal Market Strategy, M&A Advisory and growth Equity Investment.
Who are Chertoff Group's main competitors?
Pinkerton is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Guidehouse, Booz Allen Hamilton and FTI Consulting. Direct peers are Avascent, Control Risks, Kroll, WestExec Advisors and The Beacon Group. CSIS (Center for Strategic and International Studies) is listed as an others.
Does Chertoff Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Chertoff Group.