Matt Watson joins LACE Partners as Chief Technology Officer

15 June 2018 Consultancy.uk

LACE Partners has appointed Matt Watson as Chief Technology Officer. The former Accenture employee will draw on a career spanning 20 years in technology, having worked extensively in both the consulting industry, and as part of in-house teams at multinational corporations.

As the world of business adapts to the rise of digital technology, the role of Chief Technology Officer at consulting firms has taken on an added level of importance. Digital transformation consulting is a rapidly rising trend in the industry, having surpassed global revenues of $44 billion in 2017, as more and more clients turn to consultants to assist with their organisation’s transformation.

The human resources sector is no different to any other in regards to this trend. According to a recent survey, 71% of the organisations give HR analytics a large priority, and as a result, companies are seeking assistance with the transforming of the role of HR from an administrative and operational function to a more strategic and advisory one, interwoven with new technology and methodologies.

Matt Watson, Chief Technology Officer, LACE Partners

UK-based consultancy LACE Partners specialises in Human Resources transformation work, partnering with clients to tackle people, HR and change challenges, via sustainable business change programmes, and tech adoption and services. Among the firm’s client base are major global brands including commercial real estate services company Cushman & Wakefield, planes and trains manufacturers Bombardier, and Zurich-headquartered financial services group Credit Suisse. As the firm adapts to a growing role of technology in the demands from its clients, LACE has appointed a new Chief Technology Officer (CTO).

In-bound technology authority Matt Watson brings more than two decades of experience to the role, as LACE pursues its goal of becoming a market leading and innovative change and transformation company in the HR field. Watson has experience in technology from both consulting and in-house perspectives, having also working in teams of large multinational corporations, most notably in the retail, telecommunications and financial services fields. Over that time, Watson has built a reputation for shaping and delivering full life-cycle technology and business change programs as well as building effective teams to ensure successful change in businesses.

Watson spent seven years with multifaceted IT consultancy Accenture, where he became a Manager before leaving in 2006 to join supermarket giant Tesco. There, he latterly worked as Programme Manager in the company’s Group IT, before becoming Head of ERP delivery at ANZ in 2011. A year later, Watson took on a new position as General Manager, Corporate IT at Telstra, remaining with the telecoms group for five years in Melbourne, Australia, before returning to the UK to take up his new position at LACE. He is also a Non-Executive Director for European Operations with Starmaster Space Technologies, a group which specialises in space information technology solutions and space education training & certification for the Australian Space Industry.

In his new role as CTO at LACE, Watson will report to CEO Aaron Alburey, and will focus on driving growth for the company in the technology field. He will be responsible for LACE’s technology business, which includes LACE’s alliances, internal technology and technical sales.

Commenting on his appointment, Matt Watson said, “I am delighted to be joining LACE at such an exciting and important time for the company. I have a passion for technology and the role it can play in an organisation’s success. Working with the exceptional LACE team, I intend to deliver the very best technology solutions to our clients so they can make a positive difference to their people’s lives at work”.

Aaron Alburey added, “We guide businesses as they undergo the challenging task of adopting new, innovative technology. In this current, sometimes bewildering climate of technology change, it has never been so important for us to deliver the right technology solutions for our clients that empower people. With Matt’s knowledge and skills in this field we will be able to provide our customers with bespoke long-term systems and ways of working that are right for their organisation.”

Related: Kevin Green joins LACE Partners in strategic advisor role.

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