Ethan Franklin is a Senior Managing Director at Ankura Consulting, based in the Chicago office. With more than 25 years of experience, Ethan has focused the past two decades of his professional work on labor and operations strategies.
Ethan has successfully developed and implemented innovative labor strategies resulting in over $450 million in annual cost savings for over 100 companies. His labor strategies not only improve business results but also dramatically increase employee morale by deliberately incorporating the needs of the workforce. His experience encompasses a diverse range of industries including manufacturing, food and beverage, automotive, chemical, electronics, pharmaceuticals, power, call centers, banking and insurance, distribution, telecommunications, mining, government and healthcare.
Prior to joining Ankura, Ethan was a founding partner of Core Practice LLC, a leading international labor strategy firm. He was responsible for the successful delivery of all services at the firm. Ethan led teams to analyze, identify, and deliver labor and operational cost savings. Working with clients’ employees, he uncovered opportunities to increase employee morale and reduce turnover. As general counsel for the firm, he also managed contract negotiations.
Before that, Ethan served as vice president of delivery for the Workforce Management Practice at Blue Pumpkin Software, now Verint. He recruited, trained, and directed a team of over 20 consultants to deliver successful cost-saving projects. His ability to engage employees while driving cost-saving initiatives is recognized throughout the industry.
Ethan has extensive experience in both union and nonunion environments. He has prepared numerous management teams for union negotiations, providing them with the required knowledge to understand all potential alternatives as well as their financial implications.
Ethan believes that a company’s labor process must be as strategic and well-planned as its manufacturing, supply chain or customer service processes. In addition, he knows that people are the most critical part of the labor process, as they will determine whether the entire enterprise will succeed in the long term.
Ethan’s professional experience includes: