Alejandro found his way back to McKinsey in his home country of Colombia. He’s making a big difference by counseling senior leaders of organizations shaping the economy in Latin America through his role at McKinsey. Read more about his journey and, if you want to make a difference in your country of origin, apply for Global Connect in Washington, DC by May 19.
My path to McKinsey
My original plan was to be an engineer. After graduating with a degree in process engineering from EAFIT in Colombia, I sought out experience abroad to complement my technical skills and make me more marketable. I decided to earn my master’s in advanced chemical engineering and business administration at Cambridge in the UK.
I heard about McKinsey while in graduate school. Consulting was a very popular choice for my classmates. I was curious and spent time getting to know people at McKinsey, Bain and BCG. I was really impressed by the stories McKinsey colleagues shared. They worked in all sorts of industries, functions and geographies. They were figuring out solutions to complex and interesting problems, such as increasing revenues for a European bank by changing the incentive structure and designing a city in a Middle Eastern country.
Business analyst days in London
I ultimately joined McKinsey’s London office as a business analyst. I worked with some of the nicest and brightest people I’ve ever met. I was hooked on consulting, but at that time, the business analyst program lasted for two years. Then, business analysts were encouraged to get additional industry experience or an advanced degree (MBA, JD, PhD) before returning to the firm as an associate.
Finding my way back to McKinsey in Medellin
Since I already had an advanced degree, I decided to work in industry for a couple years to get experience I could bring back to the firm. I joined a mining company as a project manager, attracting foreign investment. Then, I then worked as a project manager at an investment bank. I also returned to Colombia to be close to my family.
When McKinsey opened an office in Medellin, I was thrilled. I returned to the firm about a year ago.
Making a difference
The Medellin office is amazing. Its small size helped us build a close-knit community. Once again, I’m working with incredible people on exciting challenges across industries. For example, one of my most rewarding experiences has been serving a mining company on organizational design. I was a junior engagement manager, which means I was taking on more responsibility overseeing the McKinsey associates and business analysts, counselling clients, and managing interactions with McKinsey leaders. I worked hard to earn the trust and confidence of the senior leadership team by spending time learning about them and their company, then fully tailoring our conclusions to their context. I truly enjoy my role of being a go-to person for my clients whether it is exchanging ideas with them, offering suggestions or analyzing their toughest problems.
More about Alejandro
Alejandro is a junior engagement manager based in Medellin. He is happily married and has a young son who is obsessed with Spider-man. An amateur barista, he seeks out good coffee wherever he goes.