Private equity giant Carlyle this week named Lúcia Soares as its next Chief Information Officer and Head of Technology Transformation. In the role, she’ll work to drive operational efficiencies, create new growth opportunities and deliver technology-led innovation across the $381 billion investment firm.
On her agenda: building an enterprise-wide technology strategy that includes business process transformation, automation and data innovation. She will also work with Carlyle’s security chief to drive a firmwide cybersecurity approach.
ADVERTISEMENT
Soares is based in Menlo Park, California. She reports to COO Christopher Finn and is a member of Carlyle’s leadership team, working closely with the CEO, CFO and others.
“My focus will be to answer the question, how can technology deliver outsized value and differentiation for the firm,” Soares said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal’s CIO Journal. “I see technology doing this in two main ways. First, using technology as a driver of efficiency and automation to scale our growth. Second, using technology as an innovation lever to deliver unique products and experiences for our employees, investors and stakeholders.”
Soares has served as Chief Information Officer of Global Portfolio Solutions at Carlyle since 2021, advising CIOs across the firm’s global portfolio on technology strategies to grow and optimize their respective businesses. Over the past two years, she drove roughly $250 million in revenue growth and cost savings. She will continue to advise Carlyle’s portfolio companies in her new role.
Prior to joining Carlyle in 2019, Soares held a variety of technology, transformation and innovation roles, including 15 years in a number of executive positions at Johnson & Johnson.
“Lúcia is a transformational leader who has contributed groundbreaking value creation work for our companies and investors around the world,” Carlyle Chief Executive Officer, Harvey Schwartz, said in a statement. “I am confident in her ability to expand our technology transformation strategy and create operational efficiencies that will play a central role driving growth over the long term.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Soares’ appointment follows a number of executive changes at Carlyle this year. Schwartz, formerly President and co-Chief Operating Officer at Goldman Sachs, was named CEO in February. The firm also tapped 16-year Carlyle financial services leader John Redett to be Chief Financial Officer and Head of Corporate Strategy, effective October 1.
Read the full article here