The McKinsey journey is never the same for any two people.

A global opportunity

I was a graduate of the Chinese education system in the 90s prior to the country fully opening up. Before joining McKinsey I had never been on a plane nor had I been further than a two-hour train ride from home. As an aspiring young graduate, I dreamt of seeing the world and this was what led me to apply to McKinsey. During my years as a consultant, I travelled all over Asia as well as Australia, Europe and North America and had the privilege of being based in China, London and Kuala Lumpur. My colleagues and the clients we served were truly global in their footprint and aspirations.

Celebrating the Practice's success

In 2013, I rejoined the firm as manager of the Asia Banking Practice based out of Kuala Lumpur. Celebrating the growth of the Practice and the success of our people has been a rewarding experience—just last year we helped a client launch a greenfield digital bank in India that extended financial services to a vast rural population, marrying technology innovation with financial inclusion. Also last year, we elected three women partners—say something positive about what they represent or what work they do…or their goals.

The three development needs

The constant emphasis on developing professionally continues to evolve throughout my years in the firm. They went from ‘speak up because you have great ideas’ when I was a business analyst, ‘deal with the British differently than you would with the Chinese’ when I moved to London after my MBA, to ‘be more entrepreneurial’ since I rejoined the firm. These feedback sessions and emphasis on professional development continue to enrich me as a professional and an individual. One of the greatest assets of the Firm is the absolute belief in everyone’s potential.

The New McKinsey

Rejoining the firm, I thought it would be an easy transition given my experience as a consultant. The first three months proved to be challenging as the firm had evolved since my time away. No longer focused on traditional consulting, the firm now offers services and solutions such as the New Delivery Models and New Ventures, allowing us to serve our clients in more holistic ways. The firm’s proposition to clients are now broader and deeper than ever. Secondly, in my new role, I gained exposure to people from various professions and partnerships. I remember meeting a consultant from Disneyland who joined our client proposal meeting! The network one gets to build within the firm is more multidimensional than ever before.

McKinsey is a journey and enablement

Many young adults with a Chinese education background excel at beating societal expectations and are heavily focused on getting into the best branded institutions. Take a step back to think about your own dreams and aspirations and perhaps how McKinsey can help make that dream happen. The McKinsey journey is never the same for any two people—speak to as many people as you can to understand how different the journey looks and what it takes for you to succeed. We promise that we are all more than happy to help!

Education

INSEAD
MBA

Shanghai Jiao Tong University
BTech, engineering