New industries, new innovations—women pioneers are everywhere. For this inspiring series, we’re asked our partner companies to submit one woman “Pathfinder” to represent their work, their products, their industry, or their values. (And often, all of the above.)
Meet Malka Katzin, Executive Director of Digital Workplace, Knowledge Tech & Product Enablement, at Boston Consulting Group (BCG). Read on to discover how she’s integrating AI into BCG’s workflow.
What path are you forging?
I am a woman leader in tech. I am focused on making sure that our employees are enabled with products and tools that allow them to do their jobs effectively and efficiently...and that spark a bit of joy in their daily lives. For the last 18+ months, I have spent much of my time enabling BCG's internal GenAI transformation. I am committed to harnessing the power of GenAI to save our teams' time, improve the quality of our insights, and enhance our employee value proposition. Though this work is powered by technology, our success will be defined by the quality of our upskilling, enablement, and other change management efforts. Ultimately, my role is to be an impactful change agent.
What inspired you to pursue this field?
I am a great example of my firm's motto: "One BCG, Many Paths." I have held about five different roles at BCG, from consulting to HR to Knowledge to Tech. I am fortunate to have had line managers who were willing to give me opportunities to stretch and prove myself in new roles. They took risks, believing that my core skills would serve me well, and that I'd be able to learn fast. I also took risks, always saying yes to opportunities that came my way—even when they took me down unexpected career paths. If there was a role that gave me a chance to learn, I jumped at it.
What’s a cool project or program you’ve developed as a result of your work in this area?
BCG was one of the first firms to roll out ChatGPT Enterprise to our entire firm, back in October 2023. From the start we knew that as powerful as the technology was, our success hinged on getting our teams to restructure how they work. We tackled this from multiple angles—email nudge campaigns focused on cohort-specific use cases, black belts empowered to coach their colleagues, revamped training programs for all new staff and a GenAI Olympics to inspire and amplify creativity. At this point, nearly 3/4 of our staff are active users and they are working faster, better and with more joy than before.
What resources or people have been influential in your success in your field?
Over the last 15 years, I have had four line managers who each influenced my journey and supported my growth. One was a visionary leader who pushed me to think big—both in the outcomes that I aimed to deliver and in the scope of my own ambitions. Another was a master at execution who showed me how to expand my scope of responsibilities and still keep delivering with excellence. Our CIO gave me confidence that I could be a leader in tech...despite my lack of engineering skills! A Partner in our Tech Practice Area created opportunities for me to showcase my impact to our firm's most senior leadership. Notably, each of these sponsors have been men...and I am certain that without their advocacy for me behind closed doors, I would not be where I am today.
What advice would you give to aspiring professionals looking to break into and make an impact in emerging industries or technologies or at their company?
My advice echoes some of my own experiences that I've shared thus far. Say yes to opportunities when they come your way, even if they aren't necessarily the ones you expected or planned for. Be curious and eager to learn. Choose to work at a company that lets you experiment and grow. Cultivate sponsors who are committed to your success. Lean into work that lights up your days.
