PATRICIA A. MILLIGAN
Posted On: Jul. 29, 2007 12:00 AM CST
Chief Markets Officer
Mercer Human Resource Consulting L.L.C.
New York
As New York-based chief markets officer for Mercer Human Resource Consulting L.L.C., Patricia Milligan is responsible for global client management, sales and marketing, and innovation and product development. Before joining Mercer two years ago, Ms. Milligan was head of worldwide markets for Mellon Financial Corp.’s HR consulting and services unit. She also served as managing director of strategic planning, sales and marketing for Towers Perrin. In her 25 years of HR consulting and outsourcing, Ms. Milligan also has developed flexible benefits and rewards programs.
Early aspirations: "I always loved to solve complex problems, puzzles—I thought of being an architect but would miss the people side. So consulting was a natural fit for me—new, interesting organizations, changing work and complex problems."
Best professional advice: "Be willing to take risk, to put yourself in new roles and new situations that make you uncomfortable. Move forward and stretch, even if it makes you uncomfortable."
Advice to young women: "Learn about the business from the outside in. Get involved with a broad group of clients and colleagues and keep broadening your skills and areas of focus."