Before joining McKinsey I spent four years as a lawyer at a prominent City law firm in London and Tokyo. I worked in project finance, derivatives and structured products for two years before specialising in corporate mergers and acquisitions. I had the opportunity to work on some groundbreaking M&A and equity capital market transactions in the UK and internationally. It was an ideal launch pad for a global career in business.
Business breadth and depth
I loved my time at the law firm, but I was looking for a career that would give me real breadth and depth of exposure to global business. I wanted to understand what makes businesses tick and what drives success and failure across industries, functions and geographies. I couldn’t think of a better place than McKinsey to get that sort of grounding.
Exceptional client service
When I joined McKinsey as what we call an “experienced hire,” I found my legal background helped me understand how to relate to senior clients and what it takes to deliver truly exceptional client service. It also helps me structure complex concepts and thoughts and communicate them clearly.
In one project I advised a global consumer goods company on a strategy for engaging with key stakeholders. What was remarkable was the wealth of knowledge we were able to draw on from McKinsey experts, who were not only deeply experienced, but also extraordinarily responsive and willing to coach us. It could have taken years to find a solution, but having such a supportive culture enabled us to get to an initial answer in two months.
Developing my role
McKinsey doesn’t have a “wait your turn” mentality; if you show you’re capable, you can accelerate your development. I joined as a junior associate because I didn’t have an MBA and became an associate after nine months and an engagement manager a year later. Now I influence how a project is structured, lead the problem solving and take responsibility for creating an environment that gets the best out of everyone in the team, senior and junior. Seeing the big picture, forming relationships with senior clients, helping team members develop and still being close to the detail is an exciting combination.
New perspectives
Some of the most memorable moments at McKinsey arise during discussions with clients on the issues that concern them most. When our analysis translates into a rich discussion where they see the problem from a perspective they hadn’t considered before, it’s tremendously rewarding.
As my role develops, so does the quality of my relationships with clients. When I get an unsolicited call from a client seeking my views on a new problem simply because he or she values my input, it isn’t just gratifying from a personal point of view, it helps me make a deeper contribution and take a step closer to becoming a trusted adviser.