Rising Stars of the Profession: Saumya Tayi

Saumya manages and leads some of the highest-profile commercial litigation disputes in the world, often involving billions of dollars. Saumya spent the first four years of her career at PwC, where she obtained her CPA license, after graduating from the Masters in Accounting and Plan II Honors programs at the University of Texas at Austin. Since joining AlixPartners in 2017, Saumya has consistently ranked at the top of her peer group and was promoted early to Senior Vice President in 2019.

Clients have provided feedback that Saumya is a trusted advisor who is extremely responsive, thoughtful, and has excellent interpersonal skills. For example, Saumya successfully led a team that obtained a multiple eight-figure ruling for our client in a M&A dispute, she successfully defended against a $100 million damages claim in which the judge ruled against the plaintiff on damages, and she managed several high profile SEC investigations involving Fortune 500 companies.

Saumya gives back to the community through her service to numerous arts organizations. She is currently a board member for Cry Havoc Theater Company, a choreographer and company member with Indique Dance Company, and a volunteer for Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts.

What do you consider your greatest personal or professional achievement?

I consider my greatest professional achievement to be switching paths within the forensics and disputes consulting space. I spent my first several years in consulting working predominantly on accounting matters and one very large multi-year case. Reflecting on those first few years, I realized I was not getting everything I wanted out of my career. I made a concerted effort to advocate for myself to be put on the types of cases I found interesting so that I could develop the technical skills I wanted to develop. It has been a winding, but rewarding path of learning and growth.

What advice would you give a professional just beginning a career in consulting?

I would encourage a professional just beginning in consulting to find a seek out a good mentor. Specifically, find a mentor that not only encourages you, but also challenges you. Having a mentor that critically analyzes my work, goals, and plans for career development has been one of the most significant influences in my career. It has allowed me to be more strategic in the projects I take on and focus on the goals I want to achieve. It has also encouraged me to have a more critical view of my own work, and I am a more thorough and thoughtful consultant for it.

What have you loved most about your consulting career?

I most enjoy the continuous learning and development that consulting requires. As a former liberal arts student, I believe in the core tenets of 1) a diverse knowledge base and 2) critical thinking. It is extremely rewarding to me that a career in consulting demands both of these. As a consultant in the litigation and forensics space, each new matter our team takes on has a unique set of facts and circumstances, and the work I get to do is never "one size fits all." Every case comes with a host of learning and critical thinking opportunities including developing my knowledge of a given industry, applying technical accounting and finance skills to create complex financial models, working with counsel to think through overarching case strategy, and scrupulously evaluating the opposing party's financial analysis and opinions. This environment of constant fact-finding, teamwork, and strategic thinking energizes and excites me.

What's the best advice—personal or professional—you've ever received?

"Anticipate people's needs and act on that instinct." I received this advice early in my consulting career and find that it is applicable to every aspect of our profession. From a technical work product perspective, this advice encourages me to anticipate follow-up questions my team members and clients will have when I present findings or analyses. If there is a clear and logical next step or client question, I can proactively start working through it. It is always extremely satisfying when I already have the answer to or have already thought about an on-the-fly question someone has. On an interpersonal level, it's helpful to keep this in mind when working with others. My teammates are all focused on delivering exceptional results to our clients in high-stakes situations. As a result, the environment we work in can be stressful and demanding. I try to anticipate the work and personal needs team members have. This allows me to plan workflows to deliver exceptional work products on a timely basis while giving team members as much well-deserved R&R as possible.

What does being honored as a Rising Star mean to you?

I'm very grateful to have been considered and nominated for this award by my firm. I work with very bright, hard-working individuals, and I'm humbled by the recognition.