Lawrence Ward

About Lawrence Ward

I am an enterprise analytics leader who builds scalable analytics systems that connect operational performance to measurable business outcomes — improving forecasting reliability, cost discipline, and decision velocity.My work sits at the intersection of strategy and execution. I design operating models that unify fragmented data, standardize KPIs, and embed predictive analytics directly into business routines. I remain closely involved in driver-based modeling, KPI architecture, and early-stage dashboard development to ensure solutions are practical, capital-efficient, and grounded in operational realities.Most recently, I led enterprise analytics modernization across multi-billion-dollar operations, reducing manual reporting dependency by ~40%, improving cost predictability by 15–20%, and reducing workflow rework by 30%+ through predictive and performance-based analytics embedded into daily operations.With a foundation in both operational leadership and financial planning, I focus on analytics that clarify cost drivers, stabilize performance variability, and support disciplined resource allocation — not reporting for its own sake.I am particularly drawn to growth-oriented and transformation mandates where analytics must be both strategically aligned and execution-ready.Core Focus Areas• Enterprise Analytics & Operating Model Design• Performance & Predictive Analytics• Driver-Based Forecasting & Attribution• KPI Architecture & Dashboard Development• Operational Efficiency & Cost Intelligence

Experience

1. Head of Financial Analytics

   Kestra Holdings

   Jan 2026 — Present · Austin, TX, US

Education

• Georgia Institute of Technology

  Master of Science - MS, Analytics

• Georgia Institute of Technology

  Master of Science - MS, Electrical and Computer Engineering

• Columbia Business School

  Master of Business Administration - MBA, Finance