2024 Grocery Industry Icons & Innovators

Currently, as Senior Partner & Managing Director at BCG (Boston Consulting Group), Lara advises Fortune 500 and multibillion dollar company boards and C-suites on their key challenges and opportunities.  Koslow has led customer transformation programs, created customer growth and experience strategies, led and executed capability builds in personalization and marketing, built new digital and omni-channel customer journeys, redesigned multiple loyalty programs, and returned iconic brands to profitability post crisis. She has also served as an expert advisor to private equity firms on both the buy and sell side of deals. One of her marquee projects was working for the Presidential Task Force to the Automotive Industry (US Treasury Department) where she ran the commercial team; performed due diligence on all marketing, brand, pricing, and sales topics; and developed go-to-market turnaround plans for GM and Chrysler. Commonly referred to as the Auto Bailout, the work won 6+ awards, including Manufacturing Deal of the Year and Chapter 11 Reorganization of the year.

Lara has deep expertise in growth and commercial topics including customer strategy; customer journeys & experience; customer insight driven experience; customer research and insight generation; growth & marketing strategy; marketing efficiency & effectiveness; personalization; digital marketing; return on marketing investment; brand strategy & architecture; brand & product innovation; loyalty program redesign; and go-to-market. She recently led a customer transformation program at a global resort that included the creation of a customer 360 with 260+ features, the development of 6 machine learning models, automation of 170 manual steps, execution of in-market personalization (email, app, online, customer service) and digital marketing campaigns, and hiring/training of the team. The work resulted in $150M+ in annual incremental revenue.

Lara leads one of BCG’s global business segments with total revenues of ~$250M, a global leadership team of 30, and 500 staff.  In this role as Global Leader of Customer Demand & Innovation, which includes BCG’s global center of excellence for customer research, the Center for Customer Insight (CCI), and BCG’s AI Lighthouse platform, she is accountable for growing client revenues, creating new services/IP, and managing the talent pipeline.  She has driven breakout growth for the business globally, increasing revenues 132% or by 2.3x in less than 5 years (2018-22). Today, Lara is leading an AI/Gen AI transformation of the team. Lara formerly led the Center for Customer Insight (CCI) directly, where she managed daily operations for the center and a team of 75.  Lara also previously led the global marketing business with total revenues at that time of ~$200M, a global leadership team of 25, and over 350 staff. 

Prior to BCG, Koslow worked for Public Storage, which is an S&P 500 and FT Global 500 company and REIT that acquires, develops, owns, and operates ~2,200 self-storage retail locations globally.  There she held multiple roles including Chief of Staff to the CEO, Director of Business Development, and Director of Finance and Strategy.  Koslow also previously worked in marketing, sales and public relations at The Gettys Group, a hotel design and development firm that serves the world’s leading brands, including Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, and The Peninsula Group, and worked in marketing and sales at MORNINGSTAR.

Koslow is sought after by media outlets and has been quoted or featured by The Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Bloomberg, NPR, NBC, and CNBC.  She has authored over 30 articles and published multiple global proprietary consumer research studies that provide consumer spending, behavior, and sentiment insights. She has won over 20 awards for her work at BCG, including a Relationship Excellence Award and multiple Northeast Awards for top performance and apprenticeship.

Lara received her MBA in strategic marketing and business development/M&A finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.  She holds a BS in communications from Northwestern University, where she graduated with honors and advanced standing - completing the four-year undergraduate program in three years.  Koslow is a former professional ballet dancer, has been the lead in two professional plays, and was the host for a news TV pilot. Today, she still enjoys the arts – as well as a great book, a fast car, or a close football game.