Lester Kao
Financial, Strategic, and Collaborative Delivery Advisor to Infrastructure Owners and Public Organizations | Husband & Dad
- Role
- Director, Infrastructure Advisory, Project Finance and Consulting at CohnReznick
- Location
- Los Angeles, CA, US
- LinkedIn followers
- 500 followers
About Lester Kao
I help infrastructure owners strategize, fund, procure, and accelerate delivery of complex capital programs—while mitigating risk and setting projects up for long-term success.With 13+ years of experience across project finance, procurement, capital program management, and performance improvement, I advise public and private sector clients throughout North America. My focus: enabling successful outcomes for high-stakes mega-projects in transportation, logistics, water, energy, decarbonization, social infrastructure, and collaborative delivery/P3.I bring a unique blend of finance, strategy, and operational expertise—supporting clients with deal structuring, operating model design, risk governance, and procurement innovation to ensure capital projects are scoped, funded, and executed for maximum impact.Selected engagements- Value-for-money and delivery strategy for an Olympics-linked transit tunnel- Financial due diligence for a $1B+ real estate portfolio acquisition- Operating model transformation for a statewide capital program agency- Business case and financial planning for a major transport CIP- PMO risk governance and controls for a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure program- P3 campus planning for a leading university- Strategic nearshoring analysis for a global manufacturing clientI thrive on helping teams navigate complexity, align funding with delivery, and build resilient infrastructure systems that deliver lasting public value.
Experience
Director, Infrastructure Advisory, Project Finance and Consulting
Aug 2023 — Present · Los Angeles, CA, US
Education
Harvard University
Master of Public Policy (MPP), Business and Government (Public Finance Focus)
2011 — 2013
The Johns Hopkins University
B.A., Economics
2007 — 2011
Skills
- Financial Modeling
- Microsoft Word
- Transportation
- Microsoft Office
- Project Finance
- Data Analysis
- Leadership
- Microsoft Powerpoint
- Econometrics
- Strategy
- Management Consulting
- Stata
- Consulting
- Project Management
- Analytical Skills
- Powerpoint
- Microsoft Excel
- Benefit Cost Analysis
- Research
- Software Implementation
- Financial Analysis
- Public-Private Partnerships
- Statistics
Find verified contacts for anyone on LinkedIn
Unifers gives sales teams verified emails and direct dials, enriched profiles, and outreach that lands in the inbox.
Free plan included · No credit card required
This profile is compiled from publicly available professional sources. Unifers is not affiliated with or endorsed by LinkedIn. Request removal of this profile.