I joined McKinsey as a consultant in 2013 and worked in the Prague consulting office until 2018, with a one-year break to focus on my MBA studies at INSEAD in Singapore.
Later, following a short parental leave, I moved to a role of an external relations manager, leading the Prague offices’ external relations activities. This included building media relations, publishing local reports, organizing external events with partners, and other activities related to clients, alumni, and the business community. Then, I moved to a new role on the Optimize team, which is a diverse group of global colleagues who focus on delivering inspiring and efficient solutions in areas like real estate, events, and travel.
About a year ago, I joined the global Real Estate team. We manage about 180 McKinsey locations globally. When our offices need to move, expand, or be re-designed, our team of real estate portfolio managers, workplace experts, project managers, and local teams work together to deliver workplaces that are in line with McKinsey real estate standards and provide the best possible experience for our local colleagues.
My role at the firm
My previous role as a consultant was client-facing. Now, as a workplace expert, I work with partners and colleagues within our firm to define an optimal space strategy and size for each new office.
A typical project starts with a strategy and planning phase, during which we establish headcount projections, attendance expectations, and specific needs for each office. From there, we move to the transaction management phase, when our portfolio managers analyze the financial implications of stay versus move scenarios and manage lease agreements with landlords.
During the design stage, I provide initial workplace briefs and work with architects and designers who develop a new, distinctive layout, look, and feel for the office. Lastly, our project managers oversee the execution of the new office fit-out, which includes newly designed furniture and setup, to ensure our projects are delivered on time, on budget, and to the highest quality.
I am also involved in several internal projects, where I collect global workplace insights and build our fact base so we can make recommendations to support the new way of working inside our firm.
What I find exciting about my role
Real estate has been a big passion of mine, so I have kept my eyes open for opportunities that could lead me there, both personally and professionally.
I love that my work combines analytical and business perspective together with the creative process and design magic. Implementing real estate projects takes time, but nothing worthwhile ever happens quickly and easily. And it is extremely rewarding to help create inviting spaces that enable my colleagues to work at their best and connect with one another. To see a project come alive from an Excel model or a PowerPoint presentation to become a real physical place, where people like to come to work and connect, that is the real (estate) magic!
Beyond that, I work with amazing, smart, and kind people, shaping McKinsey offices in many exciting locations across the globe.
More about me
Outside of work, I love to spend time with my family. We enjoy traveling to beach locations—because life is always better at the beach. Additionally, I love to pamper and grow my plants – my little jungle inside and outside our apartment. I also like taking long walks with our dog Maui, practicing yoga, reading books, and listening to podcasts about investing beyond real estate.