Welcome to “Inside j. awan & partners”, our monthly feature spotlighting the voices driving strategic impact across our firm. From operations and advisory to innovation and technology, we bring you closer to the people shaping our culture and capabilities.

This month, we speak with Yusra Moghul, Group PMO (Programme Management Office) at j. awan & partners and its regtech arm, azakaw. Her story is one of precision, empathy and systems thinking — qualities that have transformed the way we deliver, scale and lead. With a background in cross-border operations and five years at the firm, Yusra has grown from project manager to becoming the architect of a high-performing, cross-functional PMO with a global reach. 

“My leadership style? Gracefully firm. My approach? Empathy meets engineering. My impact? Measured in milestones and mindsets.” 

The PMO as a Place Where Structure Meets Possibility

For Yusra, programme management is not about checklists or templates — it is about people, purpose and progress. 

“The PMO is where clarity meets chaos, and I have always been drawn to that intersection.” 

She thrives on transforming complexity into structure, connecting moving parts across departments and turning abstract goals into tangible outcomes. It is a space that demands both empathy and edge: empathy to understand people and edge to keep projects moving, decisions aligned and teams accountable. 

“I don’t just enjoy the planning — I love the momentum. The challenge of scaling with intention. The satisfaction of watching systems empower people to thrive.” 

For Yusra, the PMO is more than a function — it’s a mindset. It allows her to think big, act with precision and deliver value across every layer of the business. 

What Success Looks Like in a Global Consultancy 

Operating across multiple jurisdictions, j. awan & partners delivers within complex regulatory and cultural landscapes. For Yusra, success is not defined by isolated outputs but by the ability to scale sustainably. 

“Sustainable scalability is our goal. It’s about building frameworks that work across borders, adapt to change and are intuitive for teams to adopt.” 

As Group PMO, Yusra has led the transformation of the PMO into a cross-functional, digitally enabled hub, integrating core systems such as CRM, HRIS and financial tools to create cohesion across business operations — shifting the PMO from a passive tracker to an active enabler. 

“When teams collaborate seamlessly, when systems connect effortlessly and when clients experience consistency at every touchpoint — that’s when you know the PMO is truly working.” 

In high-growth consultancy, success lies in designing systems that are not only robust but also agile enough to support scale, compliance and innovation simultaneously. For Yusra, this means continuously aligning people, processes and platforms to enable excellence across the business. 

People, Processes, and a Culture of Accountability 

One of Yusra’s most rewarding achievements? Building the PMO team from the ground up. 

“We intentionally recruited beyond project management — bringing in strengths from operations, compliance, finance and technology. That blend made us agile and resilient.” 

By prioritising role clarity and shared ownership, the PMO created a culture where collaboration isn’t optional — it’s expected. 

“We sit across departments, drive retrospectives, align tech with service and bring people into decision-making. That’s how we build a one-firm mindset.” 

Delivery Excellence Isn’t a Buzzword 

In a hybrid advisory-tech firm, delivery excellence means foreseeing complexity and staying one step ahead. Excellence is not a one-time effort — it’s a standard embedded into every process, every platform and every project. 

“It’s about balancing adaptability with accountability. We design engagement models that are proactive, not reactive.” 

For Yusra, delivery excellence is rooted in clarity, foresight and execution. From defining success criteria at the proposal stage to embedding visibility into integrated systems, her team builds with intentionality, ensuring client expectations are not only met but consistently exceeded. 

“We are not just delivering on time — we are building systems that make success repeatable.” 

Innovation That Meets the Regulator’s Eye 

In a firm operating at the intersection of advisory, compliance and technology, innovation must be intentional and auditable.  

“Innovation must be auditable. That’s how you create change that lasts.” 

The PMO plays a critical role in bridging creativity with control. By embedding modularity, automation and platforms like azakaw into delivery workflows, Yusra’s team pilots ideas in structured phases; testing, refining and scaling in ways that support both agility and accountability. 

“We give new ideas a structured home — test, refine, roll out. We’re not guessing — we’re building with intent.” 

Whether reimagining onboarding processes or automating invoicing, innovation within the PMO is managed through controlled experimentation. Every initiative is designed to meet client needs while aligning with evolving regulatory expectations — ensuring that progress is scalable, repeatable and resilient under scrutiny. 

Building for the Future: Governance, Data and Value 

At j. awan & partners, governance is about clarity, consistency and building a culture of ownership. 

“Teams don’t resist accountability when they trust the system. And trust comes from structure.” 

Introducing tools like RACI models, approval matrices and SLAs to embed accountability across departments. But more importantly, she is focused on creating a mindset where teams take ownership of outcomes, not just tasks. 

Her team is also building dashboards and metrics-based assurance tools to identify risks, strengthen delivery quality and drive cross-functional alignment throughout the client lifecycle. 

“The PMO’s growing role in structuring, protecting, and activating data is laying the groundwork for insight-led decisions across the group.” 

By combining governance with data strategy, the PMO is becoming a key driver of resilience and strategic value. 

Final Thoughts: Vision, Empathy and the Human Side of Delivery 

For Yusra, leading the PMO is not about control — it’s about enabling clarity in complexity and building systems that empower people to deliver with purpose. 

“Lead with empathy, act with intent and always challenge for better — that’s how you build trust and drive transformation.” 

She sees the PMO as a strategic partner — one that bridges creativity and compliance, ambition and discipline, vision and execution. In a high-growth, multi-jurisdictional environment, the Programme Management Office becomes the anchor — translating change into structure and strategy into results. 

“The more complexity we face, the more valuable clarity becomes. That’s the role of the Programme Management Office — and the responsibility I lead with every day.” 

Curious about how we work behind the scenes? 

At j. awan & partners, the way we operate is as intentional as the advice we deliver. 

If you’d like to learn more about how we think, structure and scale impact — we’d love to hear from you.

Contact our Talent Solutions team to start the conversation.