Why I decided to apply
After travelling around the world for four years as a professional athlete and winning an Olympic silver medal, I was looking for a new but equally challenging adventure. McKinsey was the perfect place, with appealing projects and very interesting people.
My first thought when I started at McKinsey
I was blown away by the people that work at McKinsey. Not so much by their academic skills (although they are outstanding), but by the fact that everyone is passionate about one thing or another, be it sports, music, or something completely different.
Proudest moment
During my first project, I organized a workshop where I applied what I learned as an athlete to a business setting. Together with the client, we discussed typical excuses used by athletes versus typical excuses used in business, and how to deal with them.
Favorite movie
The Shawshank Redemption
My toughest day
After working almost nonstop for 2 weeks on a project abroad, I received a phone call on my way to the hotel. The client had just decided that they wanted a different approach. We had to change our entire strategy before the end of the next day. Our team pushed hard and made it happen. I must admit that I did switch off my cell phone the next evening.
Favorite restaurant in the Netherlands
Restaurant de Curtis is a tiny Italian restaurant in the Jordaan area where the waiters serve amazing Italian food and speak English with a strong Italian accent.
Is working at McKinsey as challenging and rewarding as you thought it would be?
The challenges are bigger—I never thought I’d be given so much responsibility from the very first moment. Having said that, the rewards are bigger, too!