Yael

Partner

My background is a little unusual. I had been a music and English major, but ultimately graduated with a bachelor’s in neuroscience. I am also a classical pianist.

Making my own McKinsey
Because of my creative background, I steered my program to media-related engagements from the start. I focus a lot on helping companies develop digital strategies, and on refining the processes for creating content. So I marry my passion for the creative parts with a deep understanding of how these industries work from a very senior management point of view. What drives the CEOs of media companies? What keeps them awake? And in parallel with my work at McKinsey, I have pursued outside creative projects—mostly in film. The firm has been extremely flexible in letting me put all these pieces together. At McKinsey, you can take time off, take a sabbatical, work externships—McKinsey truly believes that you will be a more compelling person, a more effective consultant, if you fulfill those desires.

Delivering on the values
I like to think that I am an example how McKinsey delivers on its values about investing in its people and giving them choices. I also remember the first time I saw our values at work when it comes to doing what’s best for the client. I was an associate, working with a partner who declined a piece of work because we were not going to have enough impact. There were internal conflicts on the client side and ultimately we felt we would be used for political purposes—no one would actually champion what we came up with. So we didn’t do it. I was amazed—and really proud.