Future Leader Award
Thear Suzuki
Partner
EY
During her early months at EY, Thear Suzuki approached Bob Patton, the head of Americas Advisory Services, and asked him: "How can I have the greatest positive impact at EY?" Patton said he wanted inclusiveness to be ingrained in the firm's culture and he steered Suzuki toward working with the firm's women's leadership initiative where she is now involved on multiple fronts, including mentoring, sponsoring and initiating new programs.
"This is an incredibly gratifying aspect of my role at EY," Suzuki says. "I enjoy connecting with people and the challenge of bringing the right team together to solve complex problems. Helping people progress in their careers and helping clients achieve success energizes me. This profession also allows me to engage in firm- and community-based leadership activities."
But Suzuki almost pursued a career in medicine after majoring in Biomedical Engineering at Southern Methodist University. She decided to work for a few years in order to save some money for medical school and took a position with Andersen Consulting "never looked back."
Today, she's a Partner at EY in Advisory Services and has 17 years of experience leading and delivering large and complex IT Transformation programs.
She also leads EY's IT Transformation Practice for the Southwest Region and serves on the EY Americas Advisory Women's Leadership Steering Committee, a task force focused on the retention and advancement of women. Suzuki also serves as an Executive Sponsor for the Dallas Pan-Asian Professional Network.
"I have a relentless drive and passion for helping others reach their potential—I derive great energy and satisfaction from building leadership and philanthropic capacity in others," Suzuki says. "I am most fulfilled when I can serve as a role model."
A recent achievement she says she's proud of was being invited to join the Board of Directors for the Dallas Women's Foundation, the largest regional women's foundation in the world. What advice would she give to a female consultant just beginning her career? "Do not underestimate your abilities and seize leadership opportunities. Seek out ways to contribute and lead," she says. "Reframe fear of failure as tremendous learning opportunities that will sharpen your skills and increase your resilience."
As for the best advice she's ever received? "Believe in yourself and make deliberate choices. Life is made up of small and big choices," she says. "There is never a last choice because there is always a next choice. Thoughtful, intentional choices are the most important and potent tool you have at your disposal."
The best tactical advice she ever received early in her career was to ask a relevant question or make a relevant comment in every meeting. "That simple advice has kept me engaged, raised my visibility, and has given me confidence to succeed," she says.
What does winning the Women Leaders in Consulting award mean to you?
"This recognition reinforces the importance of leading with purpose and it spurs me forward. I am amazed by EY's vision and strategy of leading with purpose and I feel incredibly blessed to have found a home here."
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