Christine Laurens

Christine Laurens is the Chief Financial Officer and a partner with A.T.Kearney, based in Chicago. As the CFO and a business strategist she is recognized for leading global finance across the Americas, EMEA and Asia-Pacific. With expertise in private and public corporate structures, she successfully navigates business expansion and contraction cycles.

Ms. Laurens combines strong business judgment, vision and a global perspective with a foundation in strategic planning, risk and compliance, change and talent management. In her current role as CFO, she is a member of the Operating Committee and the liaison for the Finance, Audit, and Assurance Committee of the Board of Directors. In addition, she has served as a current or former Director of A.T. Kearney legal entities including the US, Japan, Germany, UK, and United Arab Emirates. Ms. Laurens leads the global Finance, IT, Real Estate, and Procurement groups serving 44 countries.

During her tenure as CFO and VP Global Finance earnings of the Company have doubled thanks to a shift in the business focus from top line to profitable growth. Her global business perspective and unbiased view has made Ms. Laurens a trusted advisor throughout the organization. She led the first strategic planning process across the matrix of geographies and practices. With a measured approach, she balances opportunities against strategy, returns on investments, risk and compliance matters associated with country selection, new ventures, and M&A. Similarly, her assessment and approval of large engagements is based on the risk/reward appetite of the Company. Under her leadership, the finance operation is being transformed through the implementation of a new system enabling RPA (robotic process automation) and off-shoring to a Shared Services Center; concurrently Data Analysis Visualization is being launched. She also strengthened the capital and balance sheet of the firm through share offering and debt, widening banking relationships and improving working capital. In addition, Ms. Laurens directs domestic and international tax matters including OECD requirements.

Ms. Laurens began her career with A.T. Kearney in the Paris office, a then subsidiary of Electronic Data System Inc. She held various positions in finance, including Finance Director for Europe, Middle East and Africa, Southwest Europe Finance Director and France Finance and Administration Director. Before joining A.T. Kearney, Ms. Laurens was the CFO of Keyrus, a technology consultancy listed on the Euronext High Growth Exchange (NASDAQ equivalent). Previously, she served as Managing Director of the French subsidiary of Agency.com, a NASDAQ listed Internet services agency and the CFO of Pictoris before its sale to Agency.com. She started her career with Ernst & Young in Paris as an Audit Manager.

Ms. Laurens, a French national who is trilingual in English, French and Spanish, is a Certified Public Accountant in France. She earned a Master in Management (MBA equivalent) from HEC (École Des Hautes Études Commerciales) in Paris, ranked by the Financial Times as the #1 French and #2 European Business School. She also earned a CEMS Master in International Management from ESADE (Escuela Superior de Administración y Dirección de Empresas) in Barcelona. She continued her professional development with the Expanding Horizons Program co-created by the London Business School Executive Education and AT Kearney, as well as the Harvard Business School Executive Education Leading Professional Services Firms program.

She is actively involved in the Alliance Française of Chicago and Friends of HEC Inc. serving as a board member for both organizations. Ms. Laurens is also a member of the International Woman Forum. She and her husband have two sons and live in Chicago.