Emma Laot
Senior Value Creation, Strategy and Transformation Consultant
Hong Kong, China
Agile C-suite advisor with 15+ years of finance and consulting experience, supporting private equity-backed companies, and corporations seeking transformative growth, to accelerate their transformation I partner with senior leaders and the board of directors to help improve the bottom line, reduce risk or build new sustainable growth paths. I provide support anchored in a customer perspective across the entire transformation journey: commercial and operational due diligence, strategy development and stakeholder engagement, and transformation design and execution. I have specialized in operational and financial improvements (e.g. corporate governance and organization, risk management and ESG integration, digital and data science, cost reduction, capital and liquidity optimization, post-merger integration), with a focus on the financial services, insurance and fintech sectors. Before launching my independent consulting practice, I worked in and consulted for top-tier financial organizations across the globe. My experience covers a wide range of situations, ranging from agile proofs-of-concept and rapid turnarounds at middle-market companies to complex high-profile initiatives involving interactions with the board of directors and regulators of large organizations. Dedicated lifelong learner, I have cultivated expertise in digital and data-driven transformation, ESG integration and sustainability, and multicultural team management. I notably experimented with ultra-learning and extreme immersion to learn Mandarin and deepen my understanding of the Chinese culture. I have a Master in Management from HEC Paris and professional certifications from the CFA Institute (CFA, CFA ESG), Harvard (sustainability) and Columbia (data science).
Domain experience
Relevant Total Experience: 18 years
Seniority Level: Senior
Sector Experience:
Administration Alternative Finance Asset Management Bank Platform Software Banks Data and Analytics Distributors Diversified Financials Identity and Security Insurance Land Sub Dividers And Developers Payments Personal Finance and Planning Risk and ComplianceSkills
Skilled in: Corporate Strategy, Project Management Office (PMO), Post Merger Integration (PMI), Commercial Due Diligence, Vendor Due Diligence, Portfolio Services & Add-on M&A, Target financing, Financial Modeling, Corporate Development
Technical Skills: Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Microsoft Office, Tableau, Python
Languages: English, French, Chinese (Mandarin)
Work Experience
Eagle Value Advisors
Founder and Principal Consultant
●01/04/2023
- Now
Partner with senior leaders and the board of directors to help improve the performance of private equity portfolio companies and corporations seeking transformative growth. Provide support anchored in a customer perspective across the entire transformation journey: • Commercial and operational due diligence • Strategy development and stakeholder engagement • Transformation design and execution
Sia Partners
Associate Partner
●01/04/2015
- 01/03/2023
Promoted through positions of increasing scope and responsibility, led the development of key strategic engagements with top-tier clients. Consulted with clients to chart the company’s long-term strategy, translate strategic directions into actionable plans, manage stakeholders, empower teams and accelerate delivery. Examples of engagements: operational and digital turnaround • assessment of value creation opportunities (revenue, capital and liquidity optimization) • cost reduction planning • capital restructuring • sustainability-oriented banking strategy • data management transformation • integration of design thinking, machine learning and smart automation.
Newedge
Chief of Staff / Transformation Lead
●01/02/2009
- 01/07/2014
Drove transformation and optimization initiatives within the largest independent global financial broker, partnering with the C-suite to steer strategic developments. Elevated through positions of increasing scope to continuously advance organizational structure and performance. Examples of initiatives: articulation and communication of the corporate strategy and expected return on proposed investments • improvement of the corporate governance and performance reporting framework • frontline reorganization and compensation reform • legal entity restructuring, post-merger integration and cross-border business transfer • investigation and remediation of a $5B trading fraud incident • operational remediation programs to meet regulatory risk management requirements.
Newedge
Internal Audit Manager
●01/02/2007
- 01/12/2008
Conducted operational due diligence across the organization to identify opportunities to improve operational excellence and developed measures to mitigate front to back risks.
JP Morgan
LBO Financial Analyst
●01/08/2005
- 01/08/2006
Provided key financial services for private equity clients, as part of the leveraged buyout team, shaping financial modeling-based recommendations to optimize the use of leverage and enhance expected returns. Examples of responsibilities: analysis of the business potential and credit capacity of private equity targets • elaboration of custom cash flow, asset valuation and leveraged buyout financial models • management of the IM and Investor Q&A processes for a $0.5B global listed industrials transaction.
Education
HEC Paris
Business Management
●01/09/2001
- 01/06/2005
Licenses / Certificates
CFA Institute
Chartered Financial Analyst
●01/02/2016
CFA Institute
ESG Investing
●01/04/2022
Harvard Business School
Sustainable Strategy
●01/07/2022
Microsoft
Data Science and Artificial Intelligence
●01/10/2019
Columbia University
Data Science for Executives
●01/05/2018
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