Joanna Lau
Joanna T. Lau is a seasoned entrepreneur and board member with extensive experience in the areas of IPO, M&A, cybersecurity, and risk management. She has over 20 years of board experience, having served on public, private, and non-profit boards. Joanna founded Lau Acquisition Corp in 1990, an Executive Consulting and Investment Company, and served as CEO until December 2022. The company has completed multiple M&A transactions and was the first to introduce Facial Recognition technology into the driver's license, secure document, and access control. Joanna has a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities in this rapidly growing sector.
Joanna is highly regarded for her expertise in Corporate Governance and Risk Management, as demonstrated by her current roles as Chair of the Technology Committee at DBI and Chair of the Audit Committee at RPT Realty. She has also served on the boards of InfoSoft, FSI International, ITT Education Services, and TD Bank. Joanna brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to ensure that companies adhere to the highest standards of financial and operational transparency.
In addition to her business endeavors, Joanna has dedicated a significant portion of her time to non-profit boards, including the Nellie Mae Education Foundation, JFK Library Foundation, and the National Defense Industrial Association. She is currently a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Governor of the College of Charleston and founded the Women for Women Summit in 2020, a program at the Business School of College of Charleston dedicated to empowering women with resources and tools.
Joanna has earned numerous awards and recognition, including the Army Contractor Excellence Award for the work on Desert Storm, the Nunn-Perry Award for Mentor Protégé program, and the R.J. Collier Trophy for the Global Hawk Program. She was named one of the Top 100 Private Companies by Boston Business Journal and has received several business and civic awards, including the Ernest & Young’s National Turn Around Entrepreneur of the Year and the Mass High-Tech All-Star Award. She was also bestowed an MBE (member of the British Empire) by the late Queen Elizabeth II for her work with the Marshall Scholarship in the US.
Joanna is a Cybersecurity Certified member of the National Association of Corporate Directors and a member of the World President Organization (YPO/WPO). She holds a BS in Computer Sciences and Applied Mathematics from SUNY of Stony Brook, an MS in Computer Engineering from Old Dominion University, and an MBA from Boston University. She also holds Honorary Doctorate Degrees in Commercial Sciences from Bryant University, Bentley University, and Suffolk University.