Company: EY Industry: Financial services CEO: Mark A Weinberger Employees: 220,000 Headquarters: London, England
LESLIE PATTERSON PARTNER EY
ACCOUNTABLE STRATEGIC GROWTH LEADER A s the Southeast Talent Leader, Leslie Patterson oversees the development and career needs of 3,500 EY professionals across 15 offices, as well as a portion of the firm’s Caribbean practice.
Patterson also serves as the Growth Markets Leader for Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee, where she is responsible for building awareness of EY’s services and programs in relation to entrepreneurship, familyowned and private businesses, private equity and venture capital backed companies, and IPO and strategic transactions. Her colleagues say she is a driven and focused leader who has successfully worked to build a more diverse and a more inclusive workplace at the firm. Her keen business insights and variety of experiences at EY have wellpositioned Patterson to hold dual roles with the firm. Patterson is a partner and has been with EY for 23 years, where she launched her career as a CPA in the 76
firm’s Assurance practice. Over the years, she has served as the Americas Director of the Office of Diversity Strategy and Development, and has been a successful national recruiter, focusing primarily on the firm’s minority campus and experienced hire recruitment efforts. She is a member of EY’s Americas Talent Executive Committee and has served on multiple Global and Americas Task Forces. Among her numerous professional and community initiatives, she serves as a board member on Hampton University’s Board of Trustees, the Atlanta Police Foundation Board, the Trinity School Board of Trustees, and Vanderbilt University’s MaCC Advisory Board.
University and an MBA from the Goizueta Business School at Emory University. Words she lives by: “Respect is earned; honesty is appreciated; trust is gained, and loyalty is returned.” She attributes finding a healthy work-life balance to flexibility, which allows for a smooth flow with three sons, a husband, and a demanding career. “Flexibility not only helps manage my office and home schedules, but it also assists me in being a better leader who understands the need to accept and to rapidly adapt in our changing industry,” Patterson said.
She believes learning from success is important, but learning from failure is vital to succeeding. Patterson shares She is also a member of the Georgia “It’s imperative to remember one’s State Society of CPAs, Leadership actions and/or reactions during trying Atlanta, American Institute of times can determine the impressions Certified Public Accountants, of others and can serve as teaching or National Association of Black mentoring moments. There is always Accountants (Life Member) and the something to learn from or to pass American Accounting Association. on to others to aid in one’s own or Patterson holds a Bachelor of Science another’s success.” PDJ in accounting from Hampton
PROFILES IN DIVERSITY JOURNAL • Summer 2016