Laura Newinski is Deputy Chair and Chief Operating Officer of KPMG LLP. In this role, she chairs the U.S. Management Committee and is responsible for the development of the U.S. firm’s strategy and execution of its priorities. She is a member of the U.S. firm’s Board of Directors. Laura also serves as Deputy Chair for the Americas region and is a member of both the Americas Board of Directors and Management Committee. Furthermore, Laura is a member of both KPMG’s Global Board and Executive Committee.
During her 32-year career, she has had extensive experience serving multinational Fortune 500 companies. Laura is recognized for her insight on operational, tax, and performance development strategies, commitment to quality and integrity, and focus on building strong, diverse and inclusive teams.
A member of the U.S. Management Committee since 2015, Laura most recently served as Vice Chair of Operations and was responsible for technology, including digital transformation, data strategy, technology operations and security, as well as financial matters encompassing forecasting, planning, and monitoring the firm’s financial performance. In addition, she oversaw KPMG operations areas such as pension investments, real estate, office operations, and internal audit.
As a result of her leadership and focus on operational excellence, KPMG made substantial progress toward digitalization, which is achieving substantial improvements in productivity, cost-efficiency, and client service delivery. She co-led the planning and development of KPMG Lakehouse, the firm’s state-of-the-art training facility and cultural home, and one of the firm’s most significant and impactful investments.
Laura joined KPMG in the Minneapolis office in 1988 and was named to the partnership in 1997.
Other previous leadership roles at the firm included serving as the National Managing Partner of Tax for KPMG, West Regional Managing Partner for KPMG’s Tax practice, and the Tax partner-in-charge for KPMG’s offices in Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska.
She has focused largely on serving publicly-held and private companies in the financial services and food and beverage sectors. Laura is the former chair of the KPMG Network of Women business resource group and a frequent speaker on cultivating an inclusive culture.
Laura serves on the boards of Junior Achievement USA and the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphony. She is a former member of the University of Iowa Tippie Advisory Board, board member for Catholic Charities and Chair of the Board of Vail Place, a nonprofit organization that provides community-based mental health recovery services. She is a member and past president of the University of Iowa’s Professional Accounting Council. Laura was named the University of Iowa Accounting “Alum of the Year” (2013), among the Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal’s “40 under 40” (2005), and a “Woman Worth Watching” (2011) by Profiles in Diversity Journal. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Minnesota Society of Certified Public Accountants.
She holds a B.B.A. degree in accounting from the University of Iowa and a M.B.T. degree from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. She is a licensed CPA in New York and Minnesota and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Minnesota Society of Certified Public Accountants.
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MBT, University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management
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BBA, Accounting, University of Iowa
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Licensed CPA, Minnesota, New York