Share your journey to Bain.
I joined Bain in the U.K. after starting my consulting career at another firm in London, drawn by the opportunity to work at a truly global organization while continuing to do impactful client work.
However, what ultimately set Bain apart was its culture. Hearing former colleagues speak so positively about the collaborative, supportive environment made the move feel like a natural next step.
“Build Your Own Bain” means creating a thriving career on your own terms. How have you been able to “Build Your Own Bain?”
“Build Your Own Bain” has felt very real to me through the flexibility the firm offers to make the role work for each individual. In 2024, I took the opportunity to take extended leave, which I used to travel and work on my languages (now being in Montreal, this turned out to be very useful!). Having the space to back and reset is incredibly valuable in the fast-paced and demanding environment of consulting, and it’s something that has allowed me to return to work more focused, motivated, and engaged.
Living and working beyond London had also long been something I wanted to explore. When the opportunity arose to help open the Montreal office, it felt like a natural extension of that goal and a chance to continue growing professionally while experiencing a new country and working in a francophone (French-speaking) environment.
Share some of your favorite work (personal or professional) you’ve done while at Bain.
Without doubt, it was being part of our Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Private Equity (PE) ringfence, partnering with clients to understand how they are thinking about future-proofing their organizations and / or investments against challenges such as climate change. This included discussions on topics like supply chain resilience in the face of increasingly severe weather events and the implications for sourcing strategies. The work was especially rewarding because it combined rigorous analysis with highly relevant, long-term decision-making.
Beyond the work itself, I’ve been lucky to work with some truly phenomenal teams, building relationships that have grown into genuine, lifelong friendships (including a few who are now among my bridesmaids!).
How does working in Montreal shape your experience at Bain — professionally or personally?
Working in Montreal offers the best of both worlds: the close-knit feel of a small office combined with the scale and reputation of a global firm. There’s a real sense of community within the office that naturally extends beyond work, whether that’s shared activities (like cross-country skiing followed by poutine), celebrations, or simply how closely people look out for one another. Being part of a smaller office means you get to know your teammates and the wider office very quickly, which creates a genuine family-like atmosphere. Having previously experienced larger offices, the contrast is quite striking; you feel that you are able to build deep connections from day one.
How do language and culture show up in your work with clients and teams?
The Montreal office is a fun, dynamic mix of languages and cultures, a true franglais (French-English) environment, and that diversity shows up every day in our work. On my first day, I supported a pitch for a local Quebec-based client in French. The following week, I worked with one of our international teams across Bain’s global network, and we closed out the week celebrating a team member’s home country national holidays. I find the blend of perspectives makes for an incredibly rich and engaging working environment, one that is both inclusive and energizing to be part of.
