The Business Journals: Thought Leadership Series

In this conversation, Carolyn Jones, market president and publisher of the Boston Business Journal, talks with Anissa Craig, Managing Director, Banking, at KPMG. Craig dives into cost optimization and cost transformation for financial services organizations. She distinguishes retooling versus re-engineering for true transformation, discusses building lasting cost accountability through a culture of ownership, and taking advantage of AI solutions as high-impact levers.“It’s no surprise that, given the uncertain landscape, organizations are being forced to take a hard look at their costs,” Craig says. “Folks are really focusing on how they are maximizing their value, going beyond simply cutting costs, but examining what it takes to be effective in a sustainable way.”

In this podcast, Umar Farooq, executive vice president of healthcare services at Premera, discusses why healthcare affordability is a growing concern for employers. He also delves into Premera’s role in shaping the future of healthcare costs.“There is significant uncertainty in the benefits around healthcare costs, and that is what we’re solving for with our local employers, our local providers, and really addressing those underlying cost drivers that we’re seeing,” Farooq said.