A project in Tokyo

By Purvi

Purvi joined our London office after completing her MBA at INSEAD's France campus. Prior to INSEAD, she worked for several years across India and Southeast Asia for a global pharmaceutical company. At McKinsey, she continues her work in pharma and healthcare with projects in the UK and continental Europe. Purvi is passionate about women in leadership, both at McKinsey and in society in general. She was selected as one of 80 women in STEM for Homeward Bound, a sustainability leadership program, and joinied them on an expedition to Antarctica in winter 2018.

Client Work Travel

October 1, 2018Hi everyone –

Well, although it’s October, it seems like summer is here to stay to London. I had some really interesting experiences this summer working with a Japanese client in Tokyo on topics related to sustainability and climate change. All in all, I spent four weeks in Tokyo.

Although I have previously worked in Asia, I’d never been to Japan before. As I boarded the plane, I felt both excitement and apprehension. So many aspects of the project felt daunting. How would I engage with the client with absolutely no proficiency in the Japanese language? What is the culture like in our Tokyo office? I also had life questions—what would I eat in Japan as an vegetarian?!

A vegetarian meal in Japan. My photo at the top of the page is from Shirakwa-go in rural Japan

One week into the project, I was convinced I had made the right decision. The topic of our work was something that is highly relevant in the world today, with erratic weather changes and increased pollution levels. I learnt about the practices around recycling waste in Japan. In addition, working in another country where I don’t speak the language was a reminder of our differences and commonalities. I saw for myself the “one firm” philosophy—although I was on the other side of the world. And finally, I did find plenty of vegetarian food in Tokyo!

Until next time,
Purvi