Arjen

Careers

Making a difference

I realized the type of impact that McKinsey can have when I was working on a study setting up a health insurance organization in one of the poorest countries in the world. For the first part of the study, I was an associate on our team, working on the big-picture problems: defining what health coverage would mean; working with a legal team to define the law; and creating an overall backbone of the health insurer. Then, we stepped away for six months, allowing the client to create the organization. We came back, and this time I was the project leader. I oversaw the implementation of the organization itself, the practical work that implemented the procedures, the finances and the training for the people on the ground.

Unusual surroundings

I find it very difficult to do the same thing week in and week out, and I've always preferred to work in irregular environments. That's something that McKinsey delivers; the chance to work in completely new and unknown environments. This point was proven when I found myself working with a large, 1,000 plus year-old Benedictine Monastery. The organization had found itself in financial trouble, and asked McKinsey for help. Working with the Abbot, who is a truly exceptional, intelligent person, I was able to look at their problems in a very open-minded manner, and helped them organize their finances and access cash for immediate repairs. The monastery also ran a boarding school, and we were able to restructure its financial setup, and refresh its marketing to help the school regain its strong reputation. The whole experience gave me a lot of satisfaction, and it was incredible to see how I could take the McKinsey ways of thinking and apply them to an environment that was un-business like but facing the same challenges as our corporate clients.

Giving back

I connected with the Gay and Lesbian at McKinsey community (GLAM) after I joined, and I immediately liked that it was an informal group, where the roles of its members didn't have any impact on the way they interact. I didn't join GLAM just for my own benefit, though; I felt it was important to create a more visible gay presence at McKinsey in order to help other people. I knew that some of my colleagues must have been struggling with the same issues I'd gone through. I'd already been through that phase, where I had to become open about my private life to my colleagues, and I wanted people who were going through that to have a point of contact. I found that several people came to me and were able to get help in dealing with all of the changes in their lives.

What I do in my free time

I'm passionate about sports and I like things that go fast, so I enjoy activities like running, cycling, and skiing. I also enjoy spending time with my dog, and taking care of our house and garden.