The 2019 Global Leaders in Consulting: Katharina Casanova

"The consulting profession provides the opportunity to work with senior leaders of different industries on highly important issues," she says. "I really enjoy and value the chance to deliver value to our clients, the ability to make a difference for their business. A fundamental tenet I always keep in mind: Our client's success is our success."

Casanova joined BearingPoint Switzerland in early 2016. Since then she has been advising Swiss Banks in the End-to-End Digitalization of the Client and Product Life Cycle and Business Process Optimization. 

"Over the last 12-plus months, I've been heavily focused on helping and advising a Swiss global bank on the digitalization and optimization of their E2E-client & product lifecycle processes using innovative technologies," she says. "This includes managing this major project for BearingPoint with over 30 employees located in various countries."

In addition, as the Diversity Lead of the firm's Swiss practice, she's been able to draw more attention and transparency to this important topic within the firm, for example, by holding a "BE talk" with business professionals and subject matter experts. 

"It is humbling and gratifying that the work I do every day has meaningful impact and is considered worthy by both our clients and my firm," she says. "Starting my career as a Relationship Manager in the International Wealth Management area of a Private Bank, I've had the opportunity to gain wide experience in the banking industry, banking processes and what clients need."

Using this know-how, connecting the dots with technology and thinking constructively, it's been possible to build up a significant knowledge base for digitalization within the banking industry, she says. "We are now not just helping our clients, we are helping them to write their story so that they can tell their customers how much they've achieved," Casanova says. "Working in a team with very smart people every day motivates me to exceed clients' expectations. A further motivation is coming up with creative ideas to improve something or build something new as well as analyzing complex situations to draw clear and simple conclusions."

Q&A: What's been the biggest factor to your success?

"I believe that my success is due to the people I surround myself with. People who help me become a better person, directly or indirectly. This brings to mind a quote of Jim Rohn I've given much thought to: 'You are the average of the 5 people you spend most of the time with.' Of course, that's not the only reason for the outcomes, but it is, in my experience, a very important, if not the most important factor."