I have received the teamwork and camaraderie I craved. I get to work with and learn from the most lovely, talented, respected people around.
I credit an old friend for helping me find McKinsey.
My roots are in academia. I graduated from Peking University with a bachelor’s in science and completed my graduate research work at the MPI für Polymerforschung before earning my doctorate from the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz in Germany.
After years of postdoctoral-academic research in Germany, I was eager to join an organization that could offer more connectivity, communication, and collaboration. I clearly remember the moment I decided I needed a change. I had just finished an experiment in the lab, it was 2:00 a.m., and I was completely alone. It had snowed heavily, and I stepped out of the building, closed my eyes, took a breath of the icy air, and a voice in my head said: “Find a job with more human contact.”
So, I picked up the phone and called a friend—a high school role model—who had joined a consulting firm called McKinsey. He was successful in mathematics, and it surprised me someone with a PhD in math was in an industry I thought only hired people with business backgrounds. When we spoke, he told me all about the exciting work the firm was doing, and I was convinced a career in consulting was right for me.
I have been with McKinsey for 12 years now, and I am currently a senior knowledge expert in our Shanghai Client Capabilities Hub. I am happy to say that I now enjoy the teamwork and camaraderie I craved. I work and learn from the most lovely, talented, respected people.
Choosing consulting over industry
When I stepped away from academia, McKinsey wasn’t the only option I was considering. I was also thinking of joining the research-and-development team at a chemical company. However, it dawned on me the work would likely be like the lab research I had been doing.
I wanted to gain new skills and knowledge, and McKinsey offered me that opportunity. I expected to learn everything I could and move on within two or three years, but after 12 years, I feel like I have so much more learning to do.
McKinsey is like a big university. I can learn whatever I want because I can always find the right support material, training, coaching, or people to guide me. But the mentorship is what sets the firm apart. Firm leaders share their experiences, vision, and mindset, while fostering a meritocracy and caring atmosphere.
My role at McKinsey
I serve as an expert for our clients in the chemical industry. I provide a solid base of knowledge, insights, and perspectives to drive smarter decisions. In addition to collaborating with my colleagues, I also get to work hand in hand with clients as we discuss their challenges and problem solve.
For example, I helped a leading specialty-chemical company build a business-to-business ecommerce channel in Asia. It was a new topic for the client, team, and me, and the client’s product portfolio was complicated. The company had over ten business units, its products were highly fragmented, and it had low synergy levels in its distribution channels.
Our goal was to figure out how to deal with hundreds of products and determine the best way to sell them online. In six weeks, we were able to provide a clear strategy and execute it, and the client increased its sales quickly by reaching hundreds of new customers.
Another key role I play is elevating McKinsey’s reputation in the chemical industry, so I attend many conferences and forums share our expertise and knowledge. I’ve been invited to several events to discuss McKinsey’s most up-to-date views on industrial trends and functional topics, such as operation improvement and digitalization.
I was invited to speak about supply-chain management during the COVID-19 pandemic at the 2020 China Petroleum & Chemical International Conference. And industrial associations, such as the China Construction Materials Association, have invited me to lecture on how to improve operations and sourcing capacity.
These experiences allow me to spread McKinsey’s view and vision to businesses in China and empower them to understand how they compare to other global leaders, while highlighting how our firm can help them overcome challenges.
More about Xiaosong
I am a member of the chemicals and agriculture group at McKinsey because it offers me access to brilliant minds in the industry. I can turn to other members when I have questions and request their insights on how to solve client problems.
I live with my wife in Shanghai, and we have a six-year-old son. My family has also been welcomed in by my colleagues. My wife loves skiing with the McKinsey skiing club, an informal group of avid skiers in the firm, and my son’s favorite activity is to come to the office and draw pictures on our whiteboards.