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Originally from a mining town in the middle of the Amazon rain forest called Carajás, Brazil, I have always been driven by a passion for mining and traveling. I studied mining engineering at Universidad Federal de Minas Gerais and then left home to work and earn my mining engineering masters at McGill University in Montreal. I went on to work on different mining projects, serving clients in Latin America, Africa, Europe and Australia.
One day, as I was enjoying the breeze on the beach in the Gold Coast, I got a call from McKinsey inviting me to join one of their fast–growing offices in Latin America. This was a great opportunity because mining is one of the leading industries in the region. With McKinsey, I could join my expertise with knowledge from brilliant colleagues from a variety of backgrounds.
I took my backpack, crossed the Pacific Ocean to Santiago and was welcomed by the majestic Andes mountains.The first McKinsey client I served was about 4200m above sea level, on top of the peaks. We were transforming a large mine’s operations to increase its efficiency. We focused on helping the team prioritize and implement best practices, focusing on the technical side and the mindsets and skills of the team. I was so involved, my feelings got tied to the outcomes of the project. Before I knew it, I was cheering and celebrating every milestone, eagerly watching the reactions of my clients. When I saw their passion for exploring new ideas and making their operations a leading example in the industry, I knew my work was complete.