Why Bain?
Bain attracted me for a variety of reasons, but the thing that
stood out the most was the emphasis Bain placed on interesting work
opportunities like externships, leave of absences and transfers. I
love to travel and experience different cultures, so the
international transfers were particularly appealing. Now, after two
years as an AC, I'm off to live and work in South Africa for six
months.
My passion at Bain and outside of the
office
I have a passion for problem solving, which is something Bain
completely fosters. It is a fascinating experience to sit down with
your case team and work on of your client's toughest problems. I
also enjoy watching the evolution of a case from an ambiguous
problem to a concrete solution that is going to make a
difference.
Outside the office, one of my big passions is biking. I did a 200km
ride for charity this year and the office was amazing support. From
donating to the cause to joining me in training rides or offering
cycling tips, my co-workers were instrumental in helping me
succeed.
My favorite (recent) case
I arrived at Bain in the fall of 2008 in the midst of the global
financial crisis. My first case was doing intellectual property
research for Bain about the future of the financial services
industry. The work was extremely timely and a great education about
FS. It also allowed me to interact with some of the most senior FS
partners in the Bain system. The work culminated in an article in
American Banker
My personal results story
Earlier this year, I was working on a strategy case for a mutual
fund manufacturer. We really delved into the business, and provided
them with invaluable insight on the future of the mutual fund
industry. What I found especially interesting was sticking around
for phase II and III of the case where we implemented many of the
recommendations we made. At one point, my analysis on an
underperforming subsidiary was the motivation the client needed to
finally divest the subsidiary - something they had been talking
about for years, but had never been able to reach a consensus
on.
A final thought
The past two years at Bain have probably been my steepest learning
curve since learning how to read as a child, and yet with my
supportive co-workers and interesting cases, it has been a
challenge I have thoroughly enjoyed!
