Rachel O'Connor

Partner

Rachel is a Partner at Watson, supporting boards and executive teams on a range of governance and leadership issues to help strengthen organizations and shape their impact on people, communities and the economy. Rachel’s clients appreciate her ability to deliver results while building strong trust and relationships. Clients often call when they have a complex issue that needs to be distilled into a clear systemic picture and an actionable path forward.

What I've learned

"Asking great questions is a powerful skill."

Favourite saying

“Governance is a team sport”

Reason for doing this work

"I enjoy the deep partnerships we have with clients and the opportunity to bring something to them while learning from them in turn"

Experience and Credentials

  • Joined Watson in August 2018
  • Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering (BEng)
  • Masters of Mechanical Engineering (MEng)
  • Masters of Business Administration (MBA)
  • ICD.D from the Institute of Corporate Directors
  • Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR)
  • In addition to her work leading people and practices in consulting, she brings experience as a P&L leader in both established and growing organizations, and experience as an operations, technology and HR leader.
  • Served on boards and advisory boards for a range of organizations and currently sits on the boards of CODE.ngo and Habitat for Humanity Canada. She also sits on adjudication panels and advisory committees for varied organizations.
  • A regular speaker at conferences and events, Rachel has served as faculty for the ICD Directors Education Program and The Directors College.

Rachel O'Connor Insights

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Rachel O'Connor May 14, 2024
Navigating Board Composition in Election-Appointment Environments

Board composition is a key part of governance effectiveness. What happens when you aren’t in control of it for

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Rachel O'Connor Jan 31, 2024
Priorities for Resilience

This is the fourth and final article in our four-part Resilience Series, From Nice Word to Powerful Action: The Board’

Rachel O'Connor Jan 29, 2024
The Resilient Director

This is the third in our four-part Resilience Series, From Nice Word to Powerful Action: The Board’s Role in