This project gave us the opportunity to be both strategic and tactical. As we assembled our team, we integrated industry expertise with local presence.
Because the client needed all of its existing personnel to manage its successful operations at home, it began the engagement with no employees in Malaysia. We provided resources to fill the gaps, and as the employee base grew from one to more than 300 employees, we worked with the client, day in and day out, to help build the bank.
We brought in team members from across our organization with backgrounds in banking, financial services, and specific business functions. For example, Robert provided the business technology and operations expertise to help build the technology and operations infrastructure. Ei-Mynn led the product development, market testing of all unique and different components of the strategy, and development of the comprehensive marketing and public relations plans. One project colleague is an expert in Malaysia; others in bank cards; still others in sales.
Ozgur, an associate principal at the time and now a partner, was responsible for directing the overall team, and he made sure the client in the Middle East was updated on the team’s progress.
Arjay, the engagement manager in Malaysia, had two personal goals for the engagement:
- To work closely with the client to ensure we did the best work possible (e.g., present strong recommendations focused on the client’s success).
- To help individual team members when they needed help—and to stay out of the way when they didn’t.