"Value creators, not utilization drivers." — Laura O'Leary on how AI is supercharging resource managers

In this episode of Resource Revolution, the focus is on the evolution of resource management – from paper schedules and Post-it notes to AI-powered decision making.

Host Christine Robinson is joined by Laura O'Leary, Global Head of Resource Management at APCO Worldwide and Global Managing Director of Trilligent. Having held resource management leadership roles across three of the Big Four and other leading international consulting firms, Laura has experienced every stage of that journey.

From why she believes the profession's biggest opportunity is still ahead to how AI will supercharge the role of resource managers, Laura shares a practical and optimistic perspective on where resource management is heading next. She also reflects on the lessons she's learned leading global teams, why understanding the wider business is key to becoming truly strategic, and how resource management can become a launchpad for senior leadership careers.

Whether you're leading a resource management function, exploring AI, or thinking about the next stage of your career, this conversation offers practical insights into how the role is evolving and the opportunities that lie ahead.

Tune in to the full conversation below or continue reading for Laura's insights into the future of resource management.

“The optimizers are about to become optimized.”

The conversation opens with a question about what excites Laura most about the future of resource management. Her answer isn't AI.

It's opportunity.

Professional services firms are under increasing pressure to improve both top-line growth and bottom-line performance. Laura believes that creates a unique opportunity for resource management leaders to step forward and have a greater influence on the business than ever before.

“Resource leaders have an opportunity to really step in and meet those leaders in the moment and provide the strategic advice and bottom-line impact they're there to deliver.” - Laura O'Leary

Layer AI on top of that and the opportunity becomes even bigger.

Reflecting on how far the profession has come, Laura remembers a very different world. Graduates signing in at her desk each morning to say they had capacity. Paper schedules. An almost entirely analog way of working.

Today, she believes resource management is entering another defining moment.

“I think the optimizers are about to become optimized... Our job is going to become supercharged, and the impact that we can make will be supercharged and enabled by AI.” - Laura O'Leary

“You wanted a crystal ball. Here it is.”

How do you know when resource management has become business critical?

For Laura, it's not when a new process is introduced or a new system goes live. It's the moment leaders see a forecast they can trust.

“From that point on, the forecast becomes a daily feature of discussions and it's used to make all sorts of useful decisions about hiring and skills shortages.” - Laura O'Leary

That moment changes far more than resource planning.

Forecasting becomes part of everyday business conversations. It shapes hiring decisions, highlights future skills shortages, and gives leaders greater confidence to plan ahead rather than react to demand. It's also the point where resource management starts influencing decisions beyond scheduling.

“Understand the business of the business.”

One theme runs consistently throughout the conversation. Resource managers can't influence the business unless they first understand how the business works.

“First and foremost, you've got to know what your company is selling, who it's selling to, pricing structures, recovery rates, and budgeting. Resourcing and commercial understanding have to go together.” - Laura O'Leary

For Laura, commercial awareness and resource management are inseparable. To become a strategic resource management leader, you have to understand the challenges your business is trying to solve. That means understanding clients, pricing, margins, and what drives the bottom line. It's the commercial context resource managers need to help leaders make better decisions.

“Don't make bad decisions faster.”

AI may dominate today's conversations, but Laura is equally clear about where firms should focus first.

Data.

“AI is only going to be as useful as the data that it's eating up. Ultimately what we don't want to be doing is making bad decisions faster because we've got bad data in the system.” - Laura O'Leary

Laura explains that the biggest challenges facing professional services firms isn't adopting AI. It's building the data quality, governance, and discipline that allow AI to deliver meaningful value. Without that foundation, firms risk accelerating poor decision making rather than improving it.

It's a timely reminder that AI isn't simply a technology initiative. It's an operational one. Every person who creates, updates, or maintains data plays a role in how successful AI will ultimately become.

“Value creators, not utilization drivers.”

Resource management has long been measured by utilization. But that's only part of the story.

“I try and think of resource managers as value creators rather than just utilization drivers because there are so many other things that we can affect which drop to the bottom line.” - Laura O'Leary

It's a subtle distinction, but an important one.

Utilization remains a critical measure of success. However, the value resource managers create extends far beyond utilization alone. They shape hiring decisions, support workforce planning, improve employee experience, and influence the commercial decisions that drive firm performance.

Those contributions may not always appear on a utilization report, but they have a measurable impact on the bottom line. That's where resource management moves beyond coordination and into true business partnering.

“The right opportunity for the right person.”

Laura describes resource management as the "connective tissue between client work and employee experience."

“I would really get a kick out of making sure that I aligned the right opportunity to the right person... I hope to play a small part in making that happen for them.” - Laura O'Leary

Throughout the conversation, Laura returns to the idea that resource management is ultimately about creating value for both the business and its people.

Looking back, what she finds most rewarding isn't implementing a new process or introducing new technology. It's seeing the people she once helped resource go on to become leaders in their own right. For her, that's the real impact of great resource management.

As she puts it: "That's what it's all about, isn't it?"