The 2020 Women Leaders in Technology: Lori Sherer

She says she's also a serial "intra-preneur" and was attracted to join Bain & Company as part of an internal "start-up" with a group of partners who were passionate about embedding advanced analytics in everything the firm does. 

"In a very short time frame, we have innovated with advanced analytics in every function including digital marketing, media optimization, website and mobile app design and personalization, supply chain and logistics, as well as in all of the traditional functions of a company," she says. "It has truly been exciting working with amazing teams to collaborate with our clients to innovate and drive real results."

As a Partner, Sherer leads case teams and collaborates with clients across a number of industries including retail, banking, insurance, telecommunications, media and technology. Her work addresses a variety of topics from strategy and organizational development to building and deploying analytics. She has also worked on projects focused on delivering decision science models for marketing, customer experience enhancement, loyalty, revenue enhancement, customer service, collections and risk management.

Working on the cutting edge of new and disruptive technology is what she enjoys most about the consulting profession, she says. Advanced analytics is changing, disrupting and creating new opportunities in every industry. 

"It has been incredibly rewarding to work with companies to help them deploy analytics across their major business functions and to build their own capability including everything from modernizing their tech stack, building or buying their analytics workbench, hiring and inspiring new sources of talent and helping their analytics team effectively engage and co-create solutions with their critical business stakeholders," Sherer says. "It's been a great experience."

The best advice Sherer says she's ever received is to build strong teams and recognize the unique and different contributions that a diverse team can bring to problem solving. She says she's been very fortunate: In every stage of her career, she has had powerful, smart, talented women as role models. "As women in tech it's good to remind ourselves that we have unique contributions to make and to focus ourselves on the best ways to have impact. I've been focusing on giving back to the next generation of talented women and encouraging them to pursue STEM careers."

Sherer says she is so inspired working in healthcare right now. "The industry is accelerating its analytic and digital innovation generally and specifically as we rally to use analytics to support the industry and providers and patients in the face of the major global health crisis posed by COVID-19," she says. 

What do you consider your greatest personal or professional achievement?

Sherer: "My greatest achievement is raising three wonderful kids as a single mom, while advancing my career and working full time. It is rewarding to watch them turn into productive, responsible and amazing young adults. It's cool to talk to them about topics they care about: the environment, politics, the advancement of women in business and society and many other important issues that as a generation, they will take forward in their own voice—I love seeing the world through their eyes and learning from them."