The 2014 Women Leaders in Consulting: Amy Matsuo

That's because, she says, the work is challenging and never the same—something she really enjoys about consulting. "It could be the same subject matter, but at a different client it's a very different project," Matsuo says. "Every project is new and exciting, even if it's subject matter that you've worked with time and time again."

Coming to a consulting career the way she did, Matsuo says she is in a position now where she's sponsoring and helping to shape the career of the people who will someday be leading the firm. "It's very rewarding. I take a lot of pleasure in the success of others," she says.

Matsuo says she likes the analogy in Sheryl Sandberg's book Lean In, which talks about a career as a jungle gym, not a ladder. "I think that's very true, and it's very similar to the advice I'd give," Matsuo says. "You need to recognize that opportunities are not linear, and a career doesn't have to progress in a straight path. Raise your hand and be involved in unique growth opportunities."

Matsuo sure has. She is the National Leader of KPMG's Financial Services Enterprise-wide Compliance and Consumer Regulatory Practice. She also leads the firm's consumer regulatory and enterprise-wide compliance management, program development and reviews for the financial services industry, including risk and control build and testing, risk governance, monitoring and reporting, and third party management oversight and controls.

As far as winning a Women Leaders in Consulting award, Matsuo says the award goes beyond being a woman leader in consulting. It's a recognition of being a leader who is also a female.
"I've been in consulting for almost 20 years, and I take a lot of pride in the fact that I've worked my way up with the same firm," Matsuo says. "So this is a validation of all of that hard work, and the delivery of quality and value to the client. But I've also helped develop my team, and it's a recognition of that, as well."

What's the best advice you've ever received?
"I've been told—and I repeat it to others—that this is a phenomenal job for the right person. You get a chance to be around a group of incredible professionals—you have access to people who are very knowledgeable and who complement your own skills. This profession isn't for everybody. But for the right person, the sky is the limit. Also, you have to voice what it is you need at the appropriate time. I actually worked part-time for a period of time at KPMG. I couldn't have traveled full-time when my children were really young. So I asked for what I needed and the firm allowed me to do it."