The 2023 Rising Stars of the Profession: Laura Watson

With a background in Operations Research and Information Engineering, during her tenure on CohnReznick's Commercial Advisory, Technology+ Industry Advisory Team, Laura has primarily focused on how to better harness data and how to utilize technology to improve business processes and drive strategic decision-making in operations and commercial strategy.

She has leveraged this background to support numerous Strategy and Digital Transformation engagements including developing comprehensive Data Governance and Information Management strategies and achieving tactical results. Her experience includes working with many of the leading owners and investment managers in the Real Estate, Hospitality, and Financial Services industries operating diverse portfolios to tackle various digital and growth initiatives. Her portfolio of client work involves strategic selection and sourcing engagements, customer experience strategy and design, technology enablement to support overall IT strategies and roadmaps, and Commercial and IT Due Diligence & 100-Day planning engagements promoting top-line value creation and bottom-line cost reduction for Private Equity and Private Equity backed entities. Laura has also contributed or co-authored key thought leadership pieces on data-focused transformation and emerging operating models in the hospitality industry.

Laura graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Operations Research and Information Engineering from Cornell University with a concentration in Business Administration.

What would you say has been the biggest factor in your success so far?

Mentorship. I have been very fortunate to have developed a few excellent mentor relationships that have provided me with helpful career direction, insights and advice.

What do you enjoy most about your career in the consulting industry?

I enjoy solving new problems every day. Every client I work with has a different set of goals and challenges; therefore, discovering what makes the client unique and then identifying right-fit solutions excites me. In order to fully understand my clients, building relationships is key. I really enjoy establishing new professional and personal relationships with my clients and peers, and continuing to foster and develop those connections throughout my career.

What is your proudest achievement to date?

I am very proud of my work to develop an Information Management and Data Governance strategy and framework, including an actionable implementation plan, for a multinational real estate investment manager with €17B+ AUM. My work enabled the creation of their data model, leveraging the OSCRE framework, and it has been very exciting to see the benefits, such as enhancements to the deal due diligence process and efficiency gains in fund management processes, the organization has realized from the implementation of the Information Management and Data Governance programs.

What's the best advice you've ever been given?

Some of the best career advice I have received is to determine what motivates you and what you like to do then build on that. If you find something that you are passionate about, success will come more naturally.

What does this recognition mean to you?

Being selected for Consulting Magazine's Rising Stars Excellence in Client Service award is a great honor and testimony to the real value I have provided to my clients. As someone who aims to embody the core Pyramid Values of CohnReznick, I am very proud to represent the firm on a global stage to show that our firm delivers high-quality work while staying true to our core company values including respect for others, making a difference and integrity, reliability and trust.