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Luca

Partner

I get to work closely with senior clients and support them in making pivotal decisions that will change the direction of their companies and the markets they are in.

Choosing McKinsey

After completing my PhD and focusing on a narrow topic for more than 3 years, I wanted to broaden my experience and complement my technical background with business acumen. McKinsey was the best opportunity to do this.

Expectations for McKinsey

I was expecting McKinsey to be a challenging, dynamic, and fun place to work. I actually found so much more than that. I have endless opportunities to work closely with senior clients and support them in making pivotal decisions that will change the direction of their companies and the markets they are in. And I have fantastic colleagues; everyone is so motivated and inspiring.

Rewarding and meaningful experiences

Though I find every day rewarding, there have been a few very special moments for me. One occurred while I was working as a junior associate supporting a high-tech company on a full turn-around. After updating the company’s CEO on some of our findings, I remember him calling me that evening to ask for more details about one analysis that he wanted to show the board. I also remember having a very engaging conversation with the company’s CFO about the granularity of my findings. Ultimately, the project was a great success, and we managed to double the profitability of the company in less than a year.

Developing professionally

One of my favorite aspects of working at the firm is the ability to decide how I set and balance my priorities. I can decide which topics I want to work on and which clients I want to serve and where. When I first joined, I was passionate about telecom. So I spent my first 2 years on projects for leading telco operators in Italy, Germany, Canada, Belgium, the United States, and Japan. Three years ago my family grew; my priorities shifted, and it became important for me to stay close to my wife and two kids. Since then, I have been working for local clients in Scandinavia, broadening my interests while having the opportunity to spend quality time with my kids every day. McKinsey has supported me at all times over the last 5 years by allowing me to travel when and where I wanted, take time off, and be on parental leave with my kids when I felt that was important, and transfer from Stockholm to the Oslo office, when my wife and I decided to move closer to family.

Advice for applying to McKinsey

Get in touch with somebody who already works here. You can find a lot of useful information on our website, but nothing can replace a chat with someone who is already doing what you want to do.

Education

Royal Institute of Technology
PhD, communication systems

University of Ferrara
MSc, telecommunications engineering
BSc, telecommunications engineering