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Marek

Capabilities and Insights SpecialistWroclaw Client Capabilities Hub

Marek

Capabilities and Insights SpecialistWroclaw Client Capabilities Hub

Joining the firm was one of the best professional decisions I have made—it is virtually impossible to get bored, and each year has brought new challenges!

WHY I CHOSE MY CAREER PATH

I studied chemistry and physics at the University of Warsaw and spent a couple of years as a researcher at Reckitt Benckiser in a chemical lab. In 2011, I joined our Client Capabilities Network in Wroclaw, as part of the research and insights team.

As I progressed in my career at the firm, gaining new knowledge and experiences, I moved from being the go-to person for responding to research requests from colleagues to proactively creating tools and insights for our clients. Since starting nearly a decade ago, I have covered a wide range of topics including analyzing cost factors of product design, long-term product management, and diagnosing and supporting major transformations of a client's R&D units.

Looking back, joining the firm was one of the best professional decisions I have made—it is virtually impossible to get bored, and each year has brought new challenges!

WHAT KEEPS ME AT MCKINSEY

I can be sure that numerous opportunities for the different types of work I can explore will appear almost every day at McKinsey. The hardest thing for me is choosing where I want to deepen my knowledge and expertise.

For example, after working alongside experts doing product analyses in a teardown lab, including the disassembly of coffee machines, computer peripherals, food packaging, and small medical devices, an opportunity came up for me to establish and lead a new teardown lab in our Wroclaw office.

After several discussions with my managers and colleagues—and determining the next steps in my professional journey—I decided to take this opportunity and try something new and outside of my comfort zone.

Not only have I been fully supported by my colleagues, but I’ve also had a great deal of freedom to “make my own McKinsey” by proposing new, interesting, and rewarding directions for the Wroclaw teardown lab. I was involved in creating the physical infrastructure of the lab and deciding the types of products we would tear down. I have also been involved in numerous discussions with clients and firm leadership, where we gathered feedback on ways to ensure we continue to evolve the lab’s offerings.

A SENSE OF BELONGING

Along my McKinsey journey, I have a found a group of colleagues who share my passion, which is my faith. My colleagues and I have weekly prayer calls and a lunchtime Bible study group. We also share regular devotionals and testimonies among the community. The sense of belonging and mutual support is a great source of strength and energy, especially in difficult moments.

MAINTAINING A WORK-LIFE BALANCE

My work is so interesting that at times, I have found it hard to stop what I am engaged in and leave the office. With the support of my leadership and colleagues, I have set boundaries, which enabled me to find a balance that works for my life.

Nowadays, I often recharge by leaving the city and spending some time in the woods or mountains—it is relatively easy to do so from Wroclaw. Sometimes, with a group of colleagues, we participate in long-distance orienteering races in the mountains, where we walk 50 kilometers in about 15 hours.

I also enjoy spending time after work with my wife and my sons. My faith is incredibly important to me, so I also ensure that it remains a guiding pillar in my life.