Consulting Magazine - December 2015

OF THE WOMEN LEADERS
IN CONSULTING
CARINA MARKEL

PARTNER / PWC / CLIENT SERVICE AWARD

Carina Markel is the first per- son in her family to immigrate to the United States from the
Philippines. Having come to Ohio for
college 29 years ago, she stayed to start
and build her career. “As a result, I have
gained work experiences that are only
possible in the world’s largest econ-
omy, and have built a career that allows
me to give these same opportunities to
my daughter and future family gener-
ations,” she says. “Though I’ve lived
and worked globally, I am delighted
to have come full circle back to the
Midwest to serve clients.”
And Markel does just that as a
Chicago-based Deals Partner where
she helps clients successfully exe-
cute complex deals, primarily spin-
offs, divestitures, initial public of-
ferings, publicly traded partnerships
and mergers & acquisitions.

In 25 years with the firm, Markel
has amassed a wealth of global deal
experience. From her work in ad-
vising senior client executives on
transaction priorities while managing
execution and risk mitigation, to her
PwC National Office and SEC expe-
rience consulting on complex finan-
cial reporting issues, she understands
matters impacting her clients.

“With the clear objective to become a Deals advisor, I sought varied experiences and credentials that would enable me to see the bigger picture, the implications, and the nuances of key decisions that clients make during the deal process,” Markel says. “These allowed me a front row seat to understand the impacts on operations, management and leadership, and develop what I wanted to create for my team and my firm. I gained exposure to various types of transactions— including IPOs, spin-offs, Master Limited Partnerships, and divestitures.

Together, those choices and ex-
periences enabled Markel to provide
an uncommon and comprehensive
perspective to her clients. “I enjoy
the entire process, leading a collabo-
rative team effort, connecting people
and opportunities, finding new ways
to bring value to my clients,” she
says. “I like to wear many hats. As
a professional, I like the opportuni-
ty to take risks, to try new things, to
reinvent and rebrand to remain rele-
vant and innovative.”
As a market strategist, she says
she enjoys conceiving ways to
reach the marketplace, services that
meet my clients’ needs, and more
comprehensive approaches that im-
prove process, experience and out-
comes for all stakeholders.

Finally, as an advisor, Markel “is dedicated to developing long-term relationships with my clients that continue well after a deal is complete,” she says. “My greatest satisfaction comes from my bringing people from disparate backgrounds and specialties together by matching strengths to client needs, and in the end, find that we have created a better outcome together.”

Carina Markel says: “I see this as a call to taking on more challenges.

It’s gratifying to be recognized for doing work you love. But there’s more work to be done. Looking forward, I am hopeful that it will open the door for greater opportunities to influence and mentor others. I believe there are opportunities for me to give back and have greater impact beyond my current roles on deals, on the PwC Greater Chicago Market Diversity Council and the Asian Affinity Group. I want to continue to take an even more active leadership role in shaping my firm, helping my clients thrive and providing developmental opportunities for others in the consulting field.”