Last Updated on Jul 7, 2026 by Bernadette Galang
Peter Carrier Reflects on a Career of Leadership, Resilience, and Opportunity
A career retrospective on leadership lessons, adversity, and the value of steady mentorship.
After more than four decades leading KPMG’s New York law practice, Peter Carrier is ready to reflect on what made that time so exceptional—and the critical lessons he’s ready to share with the next generation of leaders.
The transformational power of a great boss
You can’t talk about the value of support in an extended career without starting with leadership. “The defining feature of my career was the people I worked with and more specifically, the leaders who mentored me over the years. When I started at KPMG, it was a six-partner law practice, and one partner, Don Abrahamson, was the boss of all bosses. Don was an extraordinary mentor and leader, and while that certainly benefited me, he also developed some of the other very talented lawyers on our team, including, most notably, my longtime friend and counsel to the CEO, Jack Demchak.
“I learned so many lessons from Don, but two stand out above the others.”
Inimitable wisdom
“Don once shared a saying that every lawyer should have on their resume: ‘If it ain’t broke, you’re not looking hard enough.’ The heart of that message is to never be complacent and always be looking for ways to improve.”
A passionate commitment to clients
“Don told me, and everyone on our team, ‘Your job is to figure out what the client’s problem is, and then you have to solve it.’ And it’s not just a one-and-done thing, you have to keep up with the client and their business to anticipate what those next problems might be.”
Thirteen cheers for 13 years
Peter’s career at KPMG was an expansive and fulfilling journey, lasting more than 40 years. While his roles evolved, his commitment to excellence never wavered. “I primarily served as managing partner of our New York law practice, and periodically I took on additional leadership responsibilities.” In 2014, he was named KPMG Chair of the Americas Legal Practice, a role he maintained until moving into retirement.
Three different worlds: “During my time here, I saw KPMG’s legal practice evolve drastically. We started as a smaller, more specialized operation, then became an integral part of the firm’s U.S., and finally had a significant presence across the Americas. It was an incredible transformation to be part of, and I’m proud that I had a front-row seat to it.”
Restrained support: “Some people ask me about the challenges I faced moving into a leadership role. Honestly, the biggest challenge wasn’t the position itself; it was how little support we initially had. We had to be scrappy and resourceful to get things done, which was an excellent training ground for leadership.”
An eye-opening opportunity—but a big responsibility
Looking back, Peter reflects on one of the more transformative projects of his career. It all started in 2005 when a New York law client asked KPMG to conduct an intellectual property valuation of a large pharmaceutical portfolio. What made this request stand out was that a division of a major international bank—a handful of employees in a third-floor office—would soon become the first sovereign wealth fund of the United States. Their founder wanted to leverage the valuation for negotiations, and here Peter was, making it happen.
“To say I was excited was an understatement. I was thrilled to be working on a major project for an emerging institution that would become a crucial player in the global economy. It was exciting to be part of something so momentous.” But excitement soon met with a dose of reality. “When we finally got a chance to present our work, I realized we were in over our heads. The room was filled with the best in the business—MBAs and economists with a deep understanding of macroeconomics, real estate valuations, and commodity prices. There I was, a lawyer, required to present complex mathematical models. It was intimidating, to say the least.”
Yet that experience also gave Peter his own blueprint for leadership lessons, especially in moments of self-doubt. “As someone who came from a modest background and the first in his family to attend college, I had moments where I questioned if I belonged. It was a powerful lesson in resilience and self-confidence, and of course, it was shared with my team to hear that if I could do it, they could too.”
Trained to thrive in the tough moments
The story didn’t end with that tense presentation; it took an entirely different turn years later during a kidney transplant clinical trial in which Peter was a participant. “The trial involved a novel procedure that hadn’t been done before with commercial transplants. It was either a cure or a disaster—you had a 50-50 chance of surviving the operation or not. But my thinking was simple: if I end up at the right hospital and with the right team, why not take the chance?”
Luckily, everything went smoothly, and he credits his training for how well he handled a grueling recovery. “When I came into KPMG, I was a young specialist in estate tax and planning; I only knew how to do that. But working on large, complex deals for Jack [Demchak] and the rest of the team in the financial services group in New York, I had a tremendous opportunity to learn how to focus, delegate, and motivate teams. I credit those lessons for everything I learned over the next four decades, and thank God I never had to put those lessons to the test. But when my transplant trial came along, I thought back to all those tough times learning to navigate situations where the outcome was not certain. Those lessons taught me how to stay calm in adversity and rely on your strengths to come through.”
The sweet job of advising innovative companies
It’s no secret: Peter is a die-hard supporter of the United States and innovation. From the beginning of his career, he has championed entrepreneurs and spearheaded initiatives to help innovative companies thrive. “One of the most satisfying aspects of my career was serving as managing partner and creating environments where lawyers worked directly with clients. This allowed us to impact the validity of negotiated deals positively.”
Part of this effort included launching the KPMG SixThirty startup accelerator in 2014, designed to help early-stage software, finance, and technology companies connect with the broader KPMG ecosystem. The entire accelerator space has grown exponentially since then—from just over 40 programs worldwide when SixThirty launched to more than 1,000 today.
There was no question the push behind emerging companies was going to be a trend, but Peter knew something more was fueling him than finding the right solution to complex contracts. “When I was a law student, I never imagined that one day I would be working directly with entrepreneurs and contributing to their success. It’s been a powerful experience to see their energy and dedication first-hand. It’s like being a mother or father who eventually sees their child succeed.”
Going forward
Peter Carrier stepped back from management in 2023, but that doesn’t mean he’s done contributing. I’m certainly going to miss being involved in the day-to-day operations, but I’m still going to be a passionate supporter. I’ll continue to advise and contribute to other important initiatives. At 85, I’m certainly slowing down but not retiring yet.”
What’s next: Carry forward strong mentorship, stay open to hard lessons, and build teams that can adapt when the work gets demanding.