Laura is a manager in the firm’s Global Risk & Sustainability practice. She began her career more than 10 years ago, working in consulting services, internal control, and risk management for different finance, service, and public sector enterprises.
- Describe your position at Axis Corporate.
My core function as a manager at Axis Corporate is to promote projects and help customers in the process of taking strategic decisions around risk-related aspects, as well as the path toward sustainable development and ESG strategies. Staying ahead of the curve and understanding customer requirements are part of my job description and provide privileged insights into many organizations.
- What do you like most about your job?
What I like most is working in a team and developing my skills thanks to the people in it. Learning from each other, supporting one another in the challenges we face every day and, above all, fostering each person’s professional development. I love leaning into our customers, learning what they need, and coming up with novel transformation options that bring value to their risk models and ESG strategies.
I also consider myself a creative person who enjoys designing strategies and new work methods, as well as framing new business initiatives. At the end of a project I feel very satisfied when I see the deliverables from a major job and the added value we have brought the customer.
- What are the key ingredients to being good at what you do?
There are several key ingredients, but I would mention three in particular. The first is organization and planning. I think it is important in the consulting business to keep things in good order and to set priorities and tasks both for project development and day-to-day work where there are multiple factors involved. With good organization you can make contingencies, changes, and tweaks to deadlines part of your job and approach them proactively.
The second is creativity. Over the course of my career I have learned the importance of not settling for what you have. You need to circle back to things and look at them from different angles if you want to create, evolve, and transform.
The final key ingredient is having an overview of projects. I think you absolutely have to climb onto a ladder and look at everything from above in order to understand what you are doing, what your goals are, and how you are going to reach them. Doing this lets you understand your customer’s activity, unpack their business, and align the project goals with your customer’s objectives.
- Why is diversity important in a team?
For a millennial like myself, diversity in a team is a gift. The existence of diversity in a work setting is a byword for flexibility, learning, and culture. It allows you to come at problems from a different angle and provides a wide array of solutions and ways to solve them. Sharing ideas and insights enriches the value proposition and puts you on the path toward innovation and creativity.
- How do you spend your downtime?
Obviously a large part of my free time is spent with family and friends; that is something I learned to value much more after the lockdown and pandemic.
I also love sports and painting, but anyone who knows me well knows that my free time is taken up with traveling and planning trips. Traveling has given me culture and learning opportunities, and more than anything else it has made my dreams come true. I have been lucky enough to visit over 35 countries around the world and get to know amazing people and places. I consider myself very lucky in that respect and hope to always be able to do it and to never stop dreaming.