A key member of Russell Reynolds Associates’ Family Enterprise Practice, she has led the charge in defining the succession offering for founder-led or multi-generation family businesses. She brings discretion, objectivity, and expertise to this sensitive succession context. She also works in an M&A context with investors, PE firms, holding companies, and boards when they need an evaluation of leadership talent in prospective or acquired portfolio companies. Pre-deal, Dr. Chawla meets with the leader and/or the team to assess their ability to deliver on the investment thesis. Post-acquisition, she supports the CEO and team to adapt to the demands of their new shareholders/investors. While she has key specialities in the private capital, family enterprise, and financial services industries, she is proud to also serve clients in other industries (e.g., mining, oil and gas, manufacturing). Dr. Chawla has been consulting for over two decades. Prior to joining RRA, she was a Partner at Kilberry Leadership Advisors, a firm of management psychologists who worked exclusively at the top of the house with corporate, family office, and private equity clients. She has also worked for global consulting firms (Manpower, RHR International, DDI, and PWC). Dr. Chawla was awarded an MA and Ph.D. in industrial-organizational (I/O) psychology from the University of Guelph in Guelph, Canada, and a BA in psychology from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. She has published articles in journals such as the Leadership and Organizational Development Journal and Applied Human Resource Management and conducted presentations with the CHRO Summit and CHRP on succession, coaching and high-potential development.