Laura Higgins is a seasoned financial services executive with broad experience driving global, large-scale programs across technology, procurement, vendor management and client relationship management. Currently, she heads JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s supplier relationship management. Prior to joining JPMorgan Chase, Higgins held several leadership positions in supply chain and global technology with Deutsche Bank.
Under Higgins’ leadership, JPMorgan Chase implemented a firm-wide transformational strategic supplier program that that ensures the company’s relationships with suppliers are mutually beneficial and yield significant value. She reflects on that program with a sense of accomplishment. “I was handed a blank sheet of paper and asked to build a new business from the ground up. This involved defining our mission and value proposition, selling the concept and securing stakeholder buy in, securing funding, and building a brand-new team from scratch. In year one, we saw some quick wins and gained incredible momentum. We are now in year two, with a well-established business recognized for adding measurable value to the JPMorgan Chase platform. I am extremely proud of what our team accomplished in a relatively short time,” she states.
Leading a global team, Higgins helped deliver strategic technology platforms re-engineering key business processes, including CRM and global equities research publishing. She has built global teams spanning the United States, Europe, Asia and India, using strategic outsourcing partnerships.
Asked about leadership, Higgins replies, “Whenever I speak to women on my team or other women I mentor, I talk about how every day I wake up and I try to do my best – for myself, my family, my team, JPMorgan Chase and my community. It’s hard work and there are sacrifices, but success does follow,” she stresses.
She continues, “Don’t be afraid to ask for help. And don’t self-select out. You can do both if you want to. I wouldn’t be where I am today without amazing mentors to advise and guide me, and who told me I didn’t have to make a choice. I stuck it out and had the courage to ask for what I needed to be successful. You must deliver first, but after that, you are well positioned to be proactive in managing your career,” she concludes.