The Hispanic/Latino Client Service Staff (HLCSS) network was founded in 2006 with the mission of facilitating networking and mentoring relationships for consultants across all tenure levels, cultivating and recruiting exceptional Hispanic and Latino talent, and building a network of external connections and expertise across Hispanic markets, sectors, and knowledge bases.
Together with Alejandro Diaz, the HLCSS network is led by Alexandre Gouvea.
Alexandre started his McKinsey career in the São Paolo office over 19 years ago, transferred for a short time to Toronto, returned to Sao Paolo, and then settled in Chicago in 2006.
Alex’s leadership involvement with the HLCSS community was a natural outgrowth of his own personal experience as a “transferee,” and as a way to continue fulfilling his passion for people development that he had cultivated over the years.
“Although I was a senior partner who had been with McKinsey many years before moving to a US office, in many ways, after my move, I felt the emotional experiences that a new business analyst or an associate might feel. I think folks who come from Latin America to the US, or folks who may already be from the US but come from a Hispanic background, value having the emotional connection and the network of colleagues with similar backgrounds. It made sense to me to want to help other colleagues who felt the same way.”
The Hispanic/Latino community’s presence and impact is huge in North America, and, together with Alejandro Diaz, Alex sees his role as facilitating the HLCSS group in mobilizing towards a shared vision of how the community can make an impact both within and outside the firm.
This includes:
- Providing a platform and space for people within the HLCSS community to step up and take initiative wherever they have passion
- Ensuring that the community’s goals are part of the firm’s agenda
- Creating an ambience where people are proactively reaching out to others to offer and seek coaching and mentorship
The network has gained incredible traction over the years, and those who join McKinsey will have a tremendous opportunity to become involved at the ground level in this exciting initiative.
If you have questions about the HLCSS community at McKinsey, feel free to contact us at hlcss@mckinsey.com.