Jim Adams
NTT Data
Excellence in Financial Services
Consulting was always a target career for Jim Adams, he says. His years in financial services were spent across many "fix-it" roles applying what he later understood was a consultant's approach. "I believed that consulting would provide the greatest opportunity for me to work on the most important industry challenges," he says. "I joined NTT DATA because it felt like the best place to capitalize on my experience and drive impact for clients."
Today, Adams serves as Managing Director, Financial Services for NTT Data, a Top 10 global IT services provider. In his role, he is responsible for business consulting for large financial services clients, primarily focused on transformational and wide-reaching business optimization programs in commercial and consumer lending.
"All of my most satisfying achievements have been team outcomes. With consulting in particular, successes are hard won," Adams says. "My first program with NTT DATA was a difficult, three-and-a-half-year transformation journey that implemented a more efficient operating model and prepared the client for significant future growth, but the feeling of accomplishment at the finish line, sitting around the table with our clients and teammates was incomparable. There are a few of those hard-fought victories that I'll remember forever."
Adams says he's been fortunate to work for great leaders and with exceptional teammates throughout his career. "Work ethic has been critical for me, but it's borne from a deep commitment to the people who have entrusted me with their futures," Adams says. "This is a team sport. Recognizing, building, and motivating great teams has been the difference maker for me."
Adams says he enjoys the satisfaction he gets when he has chosen the most difficult path, worked as hard as possible, and accomplished a goal has been my greatest motivation. "There's nothing quite like knowing that you gave all you had, and you see those results in the positive outcomes of your clients," he says. "I have found consulting to be the ultimate 'what you put in is what you get out' work. Our clients generally entrust us as much as we can prove our worth. It's fun to take the most difficult problems and deliver the most impactful solutions for our clients. We're lucky that our profession affords us these chances."
Referring to Covid-19, Adams says this is obviously a challenging time for everyone and clients will need help navigating challenges and changes brought on by the pandemic. "Circumstances like these are why I feel fortunate to be in consulting. If we do this right, we will be drivers in the successes of our clients and their communities," he says. "We're up for the challenge and I look forward to making a difference."
Q&A: What does winning Consulting's Top 25 Consultants award mean to you?
Adams: It's obviously uniquely rewarding to be recognized by a peer group that you respect so much. However, like any award, this is a team honor masquerading as an individual honor. To me, this represents a job well done for our NTT DATA teams that have given so much for their work and clients. It's a proud moment to be able to stand up and represent our success.
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