Gene Reznik succeeds Omar Abbosh as Accenture's chief strategy officer
Strategy and technology consulting giant Accenture has appointed company veteran Gene Reznik to the position of chief strategy officer. In over 20 years with the firm, Reznik has led high-level strategy and technology-related initiatives across the globe. He replaces Omar Abbosh, who held the role since 2015.
Accenture has appointed firm veteran Gene Reznik as the global consultancy’s chief strategy officer. Reznik has been with Accenture for over 20 years, and is currently senior managing director in the firm’s Technology Ecosystem & Ventures practice.
In his new role as CSO, Reznik will be responsible for guiding Accenture’s strategy and investments, including new ventures and acquisitions. He will also head Accenture Security, the firm’s cybersecurity branch, as well as the company’s industry and research programs. Reznik will also be a member of the firm’s Global Management Committee.
He will take on the pivotal role starting September 1, 2018. In his current role as senior managing director of Technology Ecosystem & Ventures, Reznik is responsible for strategy, partnerships, and relationship management with venture capital firms and startups. He is also tasked with driving Accenture’s innovation agenda. As such, Reznik comes especially well-equipped to manage the consulting firm’s digital-focused strategy.
Previously, Reznik was group technology officer of Accenture’s Communications, Media & Technology (CMT) operating group. In the role, he led the technology agenda for the group across the globe, developing strategy, partnerships, and emerging technology areas. Before that, Reznik led the CMT group in Asia Pacific. He has also held other Accenture leadership positions, including global managing director of the Communications industry group and head of the CMT global strategy practice.
“I am delighted that Gene will become our new chief strategy officer,” said chairman and CEO Pierre Nanterme. “He has been with Accenture for more than 20 years, and brings to his new role tremendous knowledge of our business and operations, including international experience, as well as unique insight into the global marketplace, competitive landscape and technology ecosystem. I look forward to working with Gene – and with our entire leadership team – as we continue to execute our growth strategy.”
Reznik has led numerous engagements with high-profile clients, and has helped develop the innovative firm’s thought leadership in the areas of strategy and technology. He joined the firm in 1994, reaching partner in 2003. He holds a bachelor’s in electrical engineering from Northwestern University and an MBA from the University of Chicago.
Reznik will succeed Omar Abbosh, who was Accenture’s CSO since 2015. Before leading Accenture’s overall strategy, Abbosh was managing director, Resources, for UK & Ireland. In the role, he led the strategy, acquisitions, and operations of Accenture’s Resources operations – which included Accenture Smart Grid Services and Energy Consumer Services. He joined Accenture in 1989 and became a partner in 1998. Abbosh will become group chief executive of Communications, Media & Technology on Sept. 1.
The strategy of a strategy (and tech) consulting firm
In recent years, Accenture has been focused on being a digital-first firm – providing comprehensive and leading-edge digital transformation services to its clients while also being a heavily digitalized firm in its own operations. The firm’s leadership expects to realize the greatest future growth from the five areas of Interactive, Mobile, Analytics, Cloud, and Security. To stay ahead of the curve, clients increasingly need support with mobile app development and connected platforms, the application of AI to operations, cloud-based services, and the robust cybersecurity needed to protect all their digital facets. Accenture, predictably, wants to be their first choice for all of the above.
As such, Accenture has been snapping up competent firms to bolster its strength in these digital areas, while also building up its Accenture Interactive digital marketing agency into one of the largest firms in the advertising industry – one it wasn’t even a part of a decade ago. In the last year, Accenture has acquired Irish creative agency Rothco, Germany computer graphics agency Mackevision, US digital marketing agency MXM, and Chinese digital marketing agency HO Communications.
