Tag Archive for: accenture

Voice of Experience: Amy Tsui Luke, Managing Director, Accenture

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Amy Tsui LukeWelcome to The Glass Hammer’s Celebration of Asian Heritage Month! All month long we will be profiling successful women here in the US who have Asian heritage as well as spotlighting some amazing women in Asia and discussing what it means to work there.

“Find your mentors,” advises Amy Tsui Luke, Managing Director at Accenture.

“They have taught me, shared their networks with me and most importantly, stepped in with encouragement when I doubted myself.” According to Luke, the right mentors can help you find confidence within yourself, open doors that lead to career advancement opportunities and offer advice during critical transition points in your career.

Making a Difference at Work and Beyond

After graduating from Wellesley College, Luke began her career in investment banking before attending Harvard Business School to earn her MBA. Now, as a managing director at Accenture, Luke has the opportunity to do what she loves each day.

Luke has always believed in having a clear and direct voice, even if it means occasionally deviating from the status quo. “Early in my career, I found myself in situations in which I felt I needed to make my points of view known,” says Luke. “I decided that if I wanted to be a leader, I needed to speak my mind and have the strength to make tough decisions.” Displaying courage and confidence have been instrumental in making Luke the influential leader she is today.

Not only does Luke find it gratifying to provide her clients with practical business solutions, she also is very active in her community through Accenture’s corporate citizenship initiative, Skills to Succeed. “Education was the gateway to opportunity for my family,” explains Luke, whose grandfather emigrated from China on a scholarship. “He was skilled in engineering but he didn’t speak English and struggled to communicate and fit in. Despite these challenges, he persevered, acquired skills and created a new trajectory for all of us who followed.”

Her grandfather’s experiences inspired Luke to become the executive sponsor of a recently launched LaGuardia Community College program that helps non-native English speakers who hold an advanced degree in accounting or bookkeeping from their home country find jobs in this field in the US. “We provide these students –who typically range in age from 29 to 41 years old –with both hard and soft skills to enable them to pursue jobs with strong career growth opportunities,” she notes.

Inspiring Professional Women

According to Luke, giving back through mentoring is one of the most rewarding aspects of her role at Accenture. She underscores the importance of creating a diverse network that includes many different types of mentors. “Often, I find that people look for a mentor to be an ideal role model across the many dimensions of their lives – professional, personal, etc. This expectation is unrealistic; I advise people to have a variety of mentors along many dimensions with varying skills – a personal ‘Board of Directors’ so to speak. You never know the type of advice and help you may need in life. ” explains Luke.

“I am always ready to help others, lend a supportive ear or provide words of advice. I try to create an inclusive environment, with my team and with my mentees, so they can feel comfortable to try new things, take chances and even make mistakes. It is this combination of exposure and encouragement that builds resilience and confidence.”

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Voice of Experience: Laila Worrell, New York Metro Office Managing Director, Accenture

Laila Worrell, AccentureBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Laila Worrell, Managing Director of Accenture’s New York Metro Office, says some of the most important advice she’s received is, “when given a choice, choose on the side of generosity.”

She explained, “We all have demands on our time and resources that we must prioritize.  The advice I share often is to remember to err on the side of generosity.  If given the opportunity to support or mentor someone, view it as a privilege.”

Worrell also emphasizes the importance of building strong networks internally and externally. She noted, “Many of us feel too busy with other responsibilities, but it’s important to prioritize building and maintaining your network.  It can be an incredible resource to you throughout your life and career.”

Career Path

Currently Worrell is the leader of the company’s New York Metro Office, where she is responsible for 4,000 people in New York and New Jersey. She serves on the company’s North America leadership team and CEO Advisory Council, and she also leads the company’s work in the private equity sector.  Initially, though, Worrell didn’t anticipate a career in business.  She recalled, “I joined Accenture immediately after completing my undergraduate degree.  I had majored in liberal arts and was passionate about the academic world. I thought I would eventually return to academics.”

“However, I had an incredible experience with Accenture, and I found I was very passionate about business and helping clients solve some of their most complex business problems,” she continued.  She enrolled in Harvard Business School, graduating with her MBA in 1998.  After several years leading strategy and corporate development for a major media company, she had the opportunity to rejoin Accenture, shaping the company’s growth initiatives in the North American market.

Today Worrell works with clients in the financial services industry and is also involved in the company’s initiative around skills and competitiveness. “Accenture is undertaking work to support an initiative to increase the competitiveness of the United States in the global economy, including by leveraging skills as a driver of economic growth.”

This ties into Accenture’s Skills to Succeed global corporate citizenship initiative, she continued. “One of our economy’s key growth levers is our base of skilled resources.  Accenture is committed to helping even more individuals in our communities gain the skills they need to get a job or start a business.”

The topic of competitiveness is relevant to her work with financial services clients as well. “I spend a lot of time with our clients in the financial services sector. We’re going through an unprecedented period of change in financial services. There is an enormous amount of competitive pressure. The question is how can institutions continue to innovate, transform, and compete in a rapidly evolving environment. It’s fascinating working with our clients on these issues.”

Worrell says the part of her career that has been the most rewarding is helping others advance in their own careers. “When I’ve helped people build confidence to fulfill their potential, to see what’s possible, these are the types of achievements I’ve found rewarding, absolutely.”

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