Finding my calling at McKinsey
I joined McKinsey a year ago after finishing a BS and MS in civil engineering, which I began with the intent to specialize in sustainable infrastructure. My interest in the topic led me to engage beyond the required credit hours. For instance, during my master’s, I was a research assistant, and I developed a novel mathematical algorithm to model pollution dispersion and improve policy-making tools.
Had I continued on that trajectory, I would have remained in a technical position specializing in sustainability. However, as I completed internships, talked with my professors, and did some soul-searching, I realized that becoming a sustainability engineering expert was not what I really wanted. Instead, I hoped to directly influence a wide range of organizations to act more sustainably using lots of decision-making tools, beyond the technical ones. McKinsey seemed the best place to achieve such goals, so I applied.
The power of diverse thinking
I leveraged my background in civil engineering and sustainability at McKinsey during a recent client development effort. We developed a proposal for an organization that wanted to assess post-lockdown urban mobility scenarios and the impact each of these could have.
I had a background in the topic, so I thought I would learn very little, but I found that to be completely false. The team was made up of people without a technical background, subject matter experts, and profiles in between. Each of us had our own point of view, and my colleagues brought up ideas I wouldn’t have thought of. We discussed a wide variety of issues – from the environmental impact of different mobility scenarios, to their economic impact, and of course, their human and social impact. Our final proposal incorporated many different viewpoints. This experience reaffirmed my choice of joining McKinsey, illustrating how I could better tackle a problem with which I was familiar with a set of completely new tools and points-of-view.
Change that matters and constant growth
More broadly speaking, there are many things that make McKinsey a special place to work. First, working on problems that really matter and knowing my work can make a difference. Second, the constant learning – each client engagement is a different experience, and I’m in a perpetual state of growth. Last, the people. I’ve made many lifelong friends while working here. McKinsey hires people with different backgrounds to collaborate, which means I’m exposed to new perspectives I can incorporate into my own thinking.
Sustainability on the home front
I am a member of the Iberia Green Team, which encompasses our Madrid, Lisbon and Barcelona offices. We are a small group focused on improving our sustainability at all levels: at the office, at the client site, and even for colleagues who are working from home.
We have already implemented a lot of initiatives in the office, such as switching to a renewable energy provider, eliminating coffee capsules from the office, and delivering biweekly tips to our colleagues to give them concrete ways to live more sustainably. Currently, we are working on exciting initiatives like promoting rail-based travel, improving the recycling infrastructure in the office, and creating a sustainability newsletter (email newsletter, of course).
I have had a personal interest in sustainability for a long time. I do not eat meat; I recycle diligently; I purchase mostly locally-sourced products; and I don’t own a car. Sustainability is a lens through which I can examine everything I do, so I’m always reflecting on how to become greener in every aspect of my life. It’s a fascinating journey.
Finding balance in nature
In my free time, I enjoy hiking with friends and doing yoga outdoors. Connecting to nature is very important, and reminds me of the importance of protecting our environment. In my free time, I’m involved with environmental engineering non-profits. For instance, I spent a summer in Peru developing a low-cost water quality monitoring system for rural communities in the Andes. As soon as COVID allows it, I’m looking forward to contributing in this manner again.