Sharon Dhall’s remarkable professional journey, rooted in over 25 years of experience, showcases her proficiency in technology, operations, and strategic business transformation. Now serving as CIO at Kroll, she reflects on her journey with a deep sense of accomplishment.
Growing up in Troy, New York, Sharon, a first-generation American and daughter of Burmese Sikh physicians, developed a unique perspective on learning and adaptability. Sharon’s educational journey spans Emma Willard High School, Syracuse University’s undergraduate iSchool, an MBA from the University of Connecticut, and a focus on Organizational Psychology from Columbia Teachers College.
Her professional journey is filled with high-stakes, high-reward experiences. Early in her career, she managed an outsourced platform for a financial environment—a project that tested her resilience when a critical platform outage occurred in production. She recalls, “This experience taught me how to react under pressure, communicate effectively, and do right by both organizations and customers involved.”
Transitioning from JPMorgan Chase, where she navigated a workforce of 250,000, to TIAA, a firm with 35,000 employees, Sharon led crucial business transformation initiatives. In this role, she not only implemented enterprise resource planning systems but also spearheaded mission-critical changes that aligned operational capabilities with strategic goals.
From her stint as a sales representative for Johnson & Johnson to her time as a consultant for a Big Six firm, her non-traditional career moves have given her a well-rounded view of business operations. She has also held significant positions as an IT CFO, COO, Six Sigma and business transformation leader, each adding to her arsenal of skills and insights.
One of the most defining periods of her career was during her tenure at JPMorgan, where she served as CIO of Auto and Student Lending and later took on the role of Investment Banking Technology COO/CFO. Managing substantial tech expenditures, Sharon gained a nuanced understanding of how technology levers impact financial outcomes—knowledge that remains crucial as she leads Kroll’s technological strategy today.
Underpinning all her achievements is a commitment to continuous learning. As an adept female professional, Sharon has stayed ahead of the curve by mastering programming languages like C++, Unix, and Java and adopting methodologies from waterfall model development to SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework). Her forward-thinking approach has been particularly relevant with the rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning, areas she continues to explore as they shape the future of technology. As Kroll’s CIO, Sharon is not just steering the company’s technological direction but is also paving the way for future tech leaders.
In Her Role as CIO at Kroll
Leveraging her expertise in technology, data, and people resources, she’s positioning the firm to drive growth at breakneck speed. She’s crafting innovative solutions that empower Kroll’s employees to deliver exceptional services. And she’s doing all of this amidst a period of incredible transformation—for the firm and the industry at large. What’s her secret? She is a master of collaboration. Recognized as one of the “Top 10 Most Empowering Women Leaders Redefining Business,” Sharon’s transformative impact is undeniable. Working hand-in-glove with teams across the globe, Sharon is relentlessly focused on aligning technology, talent, and data to fuel Kroll’s growth engine. And this spirit of collaboration extends well beyond Kroll — Sharon’s relationships with vendors and product teams are true strategic partnerships; an extended team of cross-functional experts all working towards the same goal. In bringing this circle together, Sharon is helping to redefine Kroll’s growth trajectory, capitalizing on AI and automation to achieve its growth ambitions.
Striking Work-Life Balance
Sharon has learned she tends to overcommit but has found strength in her community. Her family and friends understand her professional demands and provide unwavering support.
She emphasizes the importance of avoiding burnout. She’s realized she can’t do everything alone and has learned to delegate when necessary.
She’s constantly improving her time management skills and is fortunate to have a supportive team that helps her maintain a healthy work-life balance. She prides herself on having a great team at work while also saying her team at home is just as important. Her indomitable spirit transmutes adversity into optimistic prospects.
A Woman of Tech and Heart Behind Kroll’s Technological Leadership
While Sharon is known for her technological prowess, her colleagues appreciate her kindness just as much as her expertise. From mastering new languages to exploring cutting-edge tech, she is a fearless explorer in every sense. What fuels her? It’s her children, husband, parents, brother and his family, along with close friends. And her humility? It’s refreshing. Sharon finds immense joy in watching others succeed, from her junior colleagues reaching new heights to peers thriving in their roles. Her current CEO, a force for positive change at Kroll, continually inspires Sharon to push boundaries and strive for excellence.
A Harbinger of Innovation at Kroll: A Leap Beyond the Norm
The CIO notes that the intersection of innovation and technology can be a delicate balancing act, but Kroll embraces this challenge as a springboard for growth. Their nimble size, coupled with a relentless pursuit of improvement, allows them to stay ahead of the curve and stimulate innovation across the board.
Collaborating with partners and clients and acquiring new ventures, Kroll has developed strong alliances with tech titans like Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, and Google. They actively seek talent from universities and local communities, recognizing that innovation can come from unexpected sources. They harness the power of entrepreneurialism and brainstorming sessions, fostering a culture of rapid learning and iterative experimentation. This approach enables them to explore new avenues, leverage existing partnerships, and swiftly pivot when an innovation fails to deliver tangible value for their team or business.
Forerunning Initiatives at Kroll: Championing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Tech
“I’m a big supporter of diversity in all forms, not just gender, race, community, and socioeconomic levels, but of all sorts,” Sharon expresses. “I believe diversity challenges us to think outside the box, making solutions better.”
Regarding diversity, her approach is about creating genuine opportunities that benefit the entire organization. From the outset, Sharon has been instrumental in embedding a culture of diversity and inclusion at Kroll.
Her first major initiative was the creation of the Women in Technology (WIT) resource group, designed to amplify women’s voices and promote their advancement. Not only did she spearhead this initiative, but she also actively supported the promotion of key women to drive the forum’s success, facilitating valuable connections with external technology experts for collaborative growth.
Sharon’s commitment extends to mentorship and ensuring equitable opportunities at all levels. She is actively involved in industry conversations and sessions, advocating for visibility and support for all employees. Her proactive approach includes nominating senior women for leadership roles within the network, addressing a significant gap, and enhancing the forum’s influence.
Additionally, Sharon has opened dialogues on critical issues affecting various groups, including women, single parents, and those managing work-life balance. By addressing topics like fertility and childcare, she has created a supportive environment where these challenges are openly discussed and addressed.
Strategic Approach to Technology and Finance at Kroll
Sharon has a unique blend of CFO, COO, and CIO experience she brings to her role at Kroll that sets her apart. Her tenure at industry giants like GE Capital, TIAA and JPMorgan Chase has equipped her with a deep understanding of financial levers, technology strategy, and cost optimization. It’s also given her a firsthand look at some of the barriers to innovation and how agility, risk taking and failing fast are truly essential in order for companies to achieve meaningful growth. It’s what attracted Sharon to Kroll in the first place. Large enough to be relevant yet small and nimble enough to act on new opportunities as they surface, Kroll offered the perfect blend of excellence and innovation to meet Sharon’s tech-inspired, entrepreneurial drive. Two years in, she’s just getting started. Sharon’s methodical contrivance is rooted in driving efficiency and maximizing bottom-line impact. Her experience in both large-scale and niche product development has given her a nuanced understanding of efficiency levers, which she adapts to Kroll’s evolving needs.
Despite varying budget scales, Sharon’s core principles—process, standards, solutions, and resource management—have remained consistent. At Kroll, she has expertly tailored these principles to align with the company’s unique growth stage. She stresses the importance of strategic partnerships, location optimization, and skills-based resource management. For example, her decision to pursue SAFe certification at TIAA equipped her to navigate the integration of legacy and contemporary practices at Kroll, tailoring strategies to fit the company’s unique environment.
Her resilience in managing technology and business transformations has sharpened her adaptability, enabling her to consistently drive meaningful results. This flexibility, paired with her financial acumen, allows Sharon to continuously refine strategies like location planning and cost optimization to align with Kroll’s broader objectives.
As Sharon tells it, her role as IT CFO for JPMC Investment Bank has shaped her view of technology as a strategic asset rather than a mere cost. By merging her financial expertise with a keen understanding of technology, Sharon has crafted a blueprint for efficient fiscal management at Kroll. Her approach centers on optimizing costs, driving innovation, and positioning technology as a catalyst for business growth.
Strategy for Keeping Kroll at the Forefront of Cybersecurity
Working closely with Kroll’s Chief Security Officer, Sharon is relentlessly focused on cybersecurity and ensuring that the company’s approach to data protection, privacy, and regulatory compliance is at the forefront of the organization. Fortunately, for Sharon, prioritizing cyber is not a hard sell. A leader in cybersecurity services, Kroll is among the largest global incident response providers in the world, with experts working 24/7 to help clients protect, detect and respond against digital and physical attacks. This in-house bench of extraordinary, unconventional experts (from former CIA and FBI agents to high-ranking officials at the DOJ, GCHQ, Europol and more) is a unique competitive advantage, and one that Sharon does not take for granted. In addition to real-time threat intelligence, Kroll’s cyber business is a beacon of innovation, constantly adopting new technology to get ahead of an increasingly complex digital world. And for Sharon, it’s safeguarding businesses and reputations in an increasingly convoluted cyber world.
Sharon on The Importance of Education in Tech Leadership
The experienced technology virtuoso underscores education’s crucial role in nurturing the forthcoming cohort of tech leaders. In her words, “I’m a strong advocate for education in all its forms—formal education at universities or high schools, learning from mentors or experts in the field, and even self-education through industry resources like CIO Magazine, CDO Magazine, The Economist and Gartner.”
Sharon believes such abundant resources today have greatly benefited her career and team, providing continuous learning opportunities. She notes that younger tech leaders have an advantage due to easy access to information, which helps them identify their weaknesses and find expert help.
Sharon sees the power of self-learning but also the value of a structured education. Her involvement in several education boards reflects her commitment to its value for herself, her family, and those eager to learn and adapt. She asserts that education is indispensable for anyone aspiring to significantly impact the technology sector.
Leveraging Board Experience to Enrich Professional Impact
Her engagement with educational and non-profit boards has given her profound insights into organizational structure, time management, and agenda setting. These lessons are applied to her role at Kroll, where Sharon employs a methodical approach to annual planning and project execution. Her experiences have honed her ingenuity, allowing her to navigate funding with creativity and cultivate meaningful partnerships despite constrained resources. This viewpoint significantly shapes her contributions at Kroll, especially in programs such as Kroll Cares, Women in Tech, push for hackathons, and recruiting. Sharon’s involvement on the board amplifies her capacity to spearhead meaningful initiatives.
Strategic Priorities for Kroll’s Future
Kroll’s CIO shares her excitement about the company’s ongoing transformation and her role in it. Their priorities include data, new platforms, and meeting client and employee needs. She underlines Kroll’s commitment to leveraging technology to enhance its financial and risk advisory services, incorporating AI, automation, and digital interactions.
She envisions aligning technology roadmaps with business objectives, prioritizing digital transformation, data optimization, and seamless user experiences. She aims to streamline processes, facilitate positive digital interactions, and drive overall business growth by equipping employees with advanced tools.
Her focus extends to supporting various aspects of the enterprise, including Business Divisions of Financial and Risk Advisory and, most importantly, employees, clients, and sponsors through targeted technological initiatives.
Specific priorities include:
- Evolving enterprise platforms for Sales, Marketing, Legal, Compliance, Finance, and Human Resources.
- Enhancing business capabilities through workflow tools, automation, and AI.
- Supporting Business Product Teams with technology-driven commercial services.
- Upgrading technology infrastructure to support the entire Kroll ecosystem.
- Improving employee experiences with advanced technology assets, including mobile devices and laptops.
- Fostering innovation and automation in collaboration with various technology teams.
- Partnering to grow technology talent across the firm.
- Driving Operational Excellence across shared services partnering with the Firm’s COO.
Sharon credits her current team at Kroll as the enablers to deliver on these priorities. She is grateful and humbled to work with them to drive this positive impact. “We have fun and sometimes need to take a step back and congratulate each other on how much we have accomplished despite how much more to go.”
Advice for Women Aspiring to Leadership
For Sharon, leadership isn’t about titles—it’s about influence. While she still adheres to this ‘heads down, work hard and do good type of person’ motto, she’s learned to look beyond her desk, recognizing the power of her network and her own potential.
Sharon has often pondered how her name has surfaced for leadership positions, frequently without her direct knowledge. She credits much of her success to the quiet champions who have advocated for her throughout her career. These unsung heroes—previous bosses and mentors—have provided invaluable support. They have remained influential throughout her career, even across multiple companies and career transitions.
Sharon advises, “Make sure you have your team, your board of directors, with you on this journey. Your team could be your parents, a sibling, a friend, a direct report, a colleague, a teacher, an ex-boss, or a current boss. Use them to help you define where you want to go, and then leverage them as sounding boards all along the way. Often times, we know the right answer; it’s the lack of confidence or conviction to move forward that gets in the way. This is where your own team is critical. Without question, I would not have the career I have today without the support of amazing teams—in the office and at home. They are there to listen and help validate (without judgement),” Sharon is thankful to have a great team at Kroll and highlights the work team is just as important as the home team.
Sharon suggests women contemplating senior positions to invest in themselves. Instead of relying on luck or others, she advises focusing on personal growth and building a strong network. “Get out and seek what you want; some people don’t know until you speak up.”
