Procurement perspectives

I joined McKinsey as an experienced hire. I’d heard the firm’s name many times before I applied – always associated with impact and distinction. I admired McKinsey’s consultants ability to walk into complex business situations and quickly understand the clients, their challenges, and their strengths. They seemed exceptionally able to formulate a sustainable, meaningful solution that could change the trajectory of the organization. I wanted to learn the skills to do this myself – from the source.

The best part of the Operations practice is the international connectivity we enjoy. I’m based in Denmark. The Copenhagen office is extremely close–knit, and I’m well–connected to my fellow Operations colleagues across Europe. Engagements take me from capital cities to small technical clusters most consultants and tourists never experience. The breadth of projects is also really energizing; I’m working throughout the value chain and across industries and functions.

Kelly Inline
Kelly Inline

One of the most interesting projects I’ve done was helping a large, 13–company conglomerate restructure it’s global procurement footprint. My team and I traveled around the world to assess the procurement functions and worked with our clients to design a new organization from the bottom up. The different geographies, numerous stakeholders and internal politics of the client were extremely challenging, but working with so many different people to drive change through a massive multinational company was very rewarding.

Initially I thought joining McKinsey was a little daunting. I was worried about the travel, hours and working with a new client on every project. Now I love it. I’ve adapted and I’m building such a strong toolbox of skills and robust support network that my weeks go by efficiently and smoothly. I rarely work on weekends so I disconnect, unwind and turn off my brain, which helps.

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About Kelly

Kelly joined McKinsey’s Operations practice as a specialist in purchasing & supply chain management just under a year ago, after working for about four years as a strategic sourcing manager at Maersk. He brought with him experience in developing and executing procurement strategy for CAPEX and OPEX projects in the oil & gas industry. He is originally from Canada and holds an MSc in Management and Marketing from Copenhagen Business School. In his free time, you won’t find him in Copenhagen. He’s a traveler– he’s lived in five countries during the last twelve years and spends every holiday abroad.

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