Lau is president and CEO of Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc., Hawaii's largest public company, which is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE-HE). She is one of only 20 female chief executives at the helm of a Fortune 1,000 company, and the only woman heading a publicly-traded electric utility in the United States.

Lau is also a director of another of Hawaii's large public companies, Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. (NYSE-ALEX) which is the primary maritime shipper to Hawaii and Guam.

In addition to her board work with Alliance member the Consuelo Foundation, Lau is active as a trustee of the Hawaii Business Roundtable, the Hawaii Bankers Association, Punahou School (from which President Obama graduated), and the Maunalani Foundation.