To me, our non-hierarchical approach to getting the best ideas out of a talented group truly defines the firm and makes me love coming to work.
My background
I grew up moving around Europe. I lived in Sweden, Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Belgium. Being Dutch I decided to move to Delft to study aerospace engineering and enjoyed everything that student life had to offer. Some highlights were: taking a year off to run my student association, doing a consulting assignment for a leading provider of geo-intelligence in southeast Asia, spending time offshore on the North Sea with one of Berlin’s iconic brands, and writing my Master’s thesis for the flag carrier airline of Kenya in Nairobi.
Why McKinsey
I spent some time figuring out my ideal place to work. My two most important criteria were working with exceptional people and being able to develop professionally and personally, and I found both at McKinsey. The culture supports a relentless drive to get better and help those around you get better.
When I joined the firm, I was most surprised by the extensive knowledge, resources, and support that are available to you as a consultant.
Memorable work experiences
One of my most memorable work experiences was my first client project, the goal was to bring analytics solutions to a public sector client. I remember the pride I felt when our lead client praised my contributions and ability to connect with people. Staying curious, having fun, and finding time to connect with people were key takeaways from this experience. I am still in touch with my teammates from this project, who are now based across the globe.
Uncovering skills and developing others
I’ve come to appreciate my ability to connect with people in a relatively short timeframe, which I didn’t consider a skill until I saw its impact in my first client project. I have learned to become very efficient when working on tight timelines, a skill my first few managers really helped me develop.
Problem solving at McKinsey
I enjoy the many opportunities to problem-solve every day. You sit down with people of all levels—from senior partners to analysts—and we all bring our best thinking to crack the issue at hand. Our non-hierarchical approach to getting the best ideas out of a talented group truly defines the firm and makes me love coming to work.
Making the world a better place
If you want to create impact on the world but don’t know where or how to start, there are people at McKinsey with great ideas and initiatives, and they welcome your help. For example, I have enjoyed supporting a social venture that helps migrants find and maintain meaningful employment.
Work-life balance
Outside of work, I love spending time with my son. I am passionate about watersports and grab any chance I get to go kitesurfing or sailing. Recently, during a leave I spent two months sailing the Mediterranean with my girlfriend. My other obsession is building things—in particular, furniture—so twice a year I set a goal or identify a project and spend a few weeks in the workshop.
For me finding the right balance is about having clear priorities, managing expectations, and being flexible. Knowing what is important to me at work and in my personal life has helped me prioritize. Being able to articulate this to team members in a timely fashion has helped me find and maintain a good balance.
Education
INSEAD
MBA
Delft University of Technology
MSc, aerospace engineering