Before joining McKinsey, I earned a dual degree in economics and political science at I earned a dual degree in economics and political science at the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM).
During my studies I worked about 20 hours a week at a think tank focused on economic development. That experience opened my eyes to many of the harsh realities of life in Mexico. The think tank was working with Unicef, and I got to travel to Chiapas and Oaxaca, two of the poorest regions in the country.
When I graduated, I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do. When I went to McKinsey’s presentation at my university, I immediately thought, this is it!
Beyond the description of the incredible projects and the learning opportunities, I remember the energy of the presenters. I was overwhelmed by how passionate they were about their work and how everyone joked and had a genuinely good time with one another.
One story that stood out was about how McKinsey was designing a government cash–transfer program for rural areas. At the end of the presentation, I went to talk to Pablo about this engagement. To this date, he is a great friend and mentor of mine. He showed me how, with McKinsey, I can make the difference that I want to make in Mexico.
One of my favourite things about the firm is the flexibility it provides. At McKinsey, we believe in making your own McKinsey, which means finding ways to make McKinsey work for you. For me, this has been particularly important over the past year. During my MBA, my boyfriend (who is also at McKinsey) and I lived in separate cities. When I graduated, I wanted to spend time near him. I moved to New York, started my MBA and worked for a fintech start-up for five months.
Now, I am back in Mexico full–time, and my teams have been fully supportive of me working remotely on Fridays so I can visit my boyfriend. More than their support, I really value that they trust me to do my job and do it well. They know I am committed to our clients and the project, so I have the freedom to balance my life the way I need to.
My favourite thing about the Mexico City office are the monthly dinners we organize. As a business analyst, and now as an associate, I really enjoy getting together with my friends, discussing their projects, getting advice on how to handle certain situations or a new role, etc. I love organizing Super Social Fridays, retreats, and the end of year parties. One particularly fun one was a dance contest. A month before the party, we started thematic dance classes on Fridays: disco, salsa, you name it. We even started our own topic on McKinsey’s internal “Twitter”, #MXDance! The best part of the contest was that even the partners participated.
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About Maria
When I was little, I wanted to be an archaeologist… Indiana Jones, actually. That obviously didn’t happen, but I still love traveling, discovering new cultures and getting lost in a city I am just discovering. I love eating and traveling. If I wasn’t a consultant, I would be a party planner, as I spend lots of my free time organizing dinners, parties and social events for my friends inside and outside of the firm.