Women at Strategy& Netherlands

What is your background and what made you choose Strategy& (Amsterdam)?
I studied computer and  communication engineering. However, I have always been drawn to the world of consulting since my university days. That's why I decided to join Strategy& in 2009, initially based in the Beirut/MENA office. Since then, I have spent the majority of my career at Strategy&. When my husband and I planned to move to The Netherlands, I was fortunate enough to transfer with the firm to the Amsterdam office.

What is your greatest experience at Strategy& so far?
I have had the privilege of working on impactful projects across MENA, Asia, and Europe during my time at Strategy&. Additionally, the firm sponsored my MBA at INSEAD, which was a tremendous opportunity for personal and professional growth. Moreover, I had the chance to take on an internal role, where I helped set up and co-lead the Middle East Activation Hub. Lastly, the opportunity to transfer from the MENA office to The Netherlands has been a significant milestone in my career. So, in a nutshell, my greatest experience with Strategy& has been the firm's unwavering support and enabling me to thrive both personally and professionally.

What do you love most about working at Strategy&?
The thing I love most about working at Strategy& is the people, my colleagues. I often refer to them as my second family. Throughout the years, partners, mentors, peers, support teams, and team members have all played a significant role in driving me to become the best version of myself. Moreover, we have a lot of fun on the job, which makes the work environment even more enjoyable.

In what way has Strategy& empowered you as a female leader?
I currently feel incredibly empowered as a female leader at Strategy&. The firm has been incredibly supportive in enabling me to continue doing the job I love while also being a committed mother. They have offered me coaching opportunities, implemented processes to check-in on my well-being, been mindful when asking me to travel, and provided flexibility to work from home as needed. They also respect my daily mommy time. Balancing work and motherhood is not easy, but knowing that the firm is committed to supporting me encourages me every day to continue on this path.

What is your word of advice to women looking to join Strategy&?
My advice to women looking to join Strategy& is to not view consulting as just a steppingstone or a temporary career path. Many young women at the firm often wonder if they can have a long-term career in consulting, especially when family life becomes a priority. I had the same doubts when I started 10 years ago. However, times are changing, and we are hopefully leading the way for younger women. I would encourage them not to assume that it won't work, but instead collaborate with us to make it a possibility. Don't shy away from sharing your thoughts and communicating your needs. Change starts with each of us.

What is your word of advice to future mothers at the firm?
My advice to future mothers at the firm is to remember that you are not alone in this journey. When things are hard and they will be (being a mother is hard enough by itself), remember that it’s okay to ask for help and reach out to colleagues in the firm. You will be amazed at the amount of support you will receive.. Together, we can navigate the challenges and create a supportive environment for working mothers.

What is your greatest experience at Strategy& so far?
I have been with the firm for quite some time, and the whole experience has been great. Obviously, there have been ups and downs: doing great projects, hosting the skit night and getting promoted mixed with hard work, difficult clients, and quite some insecurities. Regardless of the difficulties, I have always felt a tremendous opportunity to grow, space to speak my mind, and moments to enjoy my colleagues’ humor and companionship. I love that I have been a part of this team for such a long time, and honestly cannot imagine another place to be.

In what way has Strategy& empowered you as a female leader?
Strategy& has provided me the opportunity to figure out what I believe leadership is about, and the space to craft this basic understanding into an almost tangible output. I am aware that I do not need to ‘do’ leadership in any specific way but my own. Next to this, I get support to further develop and feel I am in a safe environment to experiment.

What is your word of advice to women looking to join Strategy&?
I personally felt all sorts of reservations as a new joiner: what will people think of me, can I ask this specific question or would that come across silly, how should or shouldn’t I dress – etcetera. Now I know there is so much space to be yourself and ask questions. So my advice would be: try not to be too afraid or self-conscious in the beginning. You are welcome, and you can trust everyone is there to learn from and support one another – not stressing so much about the little things will leave a lot of space to have fun.

What is your word of advice to future mothers at the firm?
I am mother to two young boys – they are amazing, and I love them to pieces. That being said, I also love my job. Combining motherhood and working at Strategy& is demanding, making it easy to compromise on my own needs to be able to juggle responsibilities. I believe that to keep your sanity, it is important to think ahead: under which circumstances do I want to do this job, and what is required to attain these circumstances? Clearly setting these boundaries in my own mind makes it easier to protect them – and find out everyone is much more supportive than you might assume.

What do you love most about working at Strategy&?
I believe a unique trait of the work as strategy consultant is the diversity of problems, sectors and type of organizations you encounter. As an associate at Strategy&, you start as a generalist and can be staffed on all types of projects in our practices from Financial Services, to Energy, to Public Sector to Retail and Consumer (and more). This diversity keeps me constantly interested and challenged in every new project I take on. Working on different projects allows me to work with and learn from a diverse group of colleagues and clients.

How would you describe the culture at Strategy&?
What stands out to me is the open and flat culture in our office. From day one you are considered part of the team, which means you are encouraged to speak up and share your thoughts in team discussions. There is also a big focus on development, where colleagues are keen to help each other learn and grow into new roles. Besides the working culture, there are a lot of social activities where we like to go for sports and cultural activities or drinks together after work. Considering many colleagues as friends probably summarizes our culture best!

What has been your greatest experience at Strategy& so far?
One of my greatest experiences at Strategy& so far was when I had the opportunity to go on a secondment to the Strategy& Madrid office in September 2022. For six months I have been working in Madrid, while one of our Spanish colleagues worked in Amsterdam. I had the chance to work closely with international colleagues, and expand my network. Beyond the professional aspect, the secondment also allowed me to explore Madrid and Spain (and of course escaping the Dutch winter), which was a fantastic experience. To secretly add a second-best experience, it is worth mentioning that working on a project in the Dutch Caribbean for a couple of weeks was a great and unique experience as well!

What do you love most about working at Strategy&?
Constant learning and seeing the real-world impact of my work is one of the things I love most about working at Strategy&. After finishing university, I worked as an economist in the public sector in London for four years – I really enjoyed the opportunity this gave me to be able to work on important and complex societal issues but was ready for a change of setting. An opening in the Economic and Climate team in Strategy& provided me with the opportunity to continue working on the type of problems I enjoy most, but in both a new country and sector. So far, I’ve worked on projects ranging from a macro-level economic analysis of a Caribbean island’s public finances post-Covid to a micro-level assessment of the suitability of Dutch electricity grid regulation in the context of energy transition. Each project I’ve worked on has taught me something new and given me a different perspective on the world around me – an amazing perk of the job.

How would you describe the culture at Strategy&?
Being in a new country, I was unsure what to expect from the culture at Strategy& Amsterdam. The range of backgrounds and experience of colleagues in the Strategy& office creates a diverse and supportive culture. While the work is fast paced, a great deal of effort is put into making sure there is time to relax and have fun with colleagues whether on expeditions away, regular Friday drinks or a trip to a museum or the theater. As well as the close-knit team culture between colleagues, attention is also given to understanding everyone as individuals. Mentors are there to understand the specific development and growth needs of each person individually, which is then responded to with formal training opportunities and the informal on-the-job learning.

What has been your greatest experience at Strategy& so far?
One of my favorite experiences so far was connecting with the inspiring (and badass) women from across the Strategy& Amsterdam office over a delicious Syrian meal at the home of one of our female directors. Working with so many inspiring colleagues is always a joy, but being able to work closely with and learn from so many fantastic female role models that work at Strategy& is really special. The event was organized by one of the many networks (formal and informal) that are in place at Strategy&, ranging from your cohort grouping to the Diversity & Inclusion team. These groups enrich the office culture and mean that no matter what your background you feel part of a tight-knit, supportive and inclusive community from day one.

What is your background and what made you choose Strategy& Amsterdam?
I joined Strategy& after working in economic policy and completing a PhD in econometrics. My background in these fields allowed me to develop strong analytical capabilities and fuelled my passion for societally relevant topics. While my previous jobs provided intellectual challenge, I felt a desire to work more closely in a team, tackle broader questions, and operate at a faster pace. One of the main reasons I chose Strategy& Amsterdam is because of the impactful work we do. We focus a lot on societally relevant work, which resonates deeply with my interests. Over the past two years, I have had the privilege of helping governments and firms address key challenges such as preparing for the energy transition, ensuring resilience of the financial system, and improving the quality of education. The combination of analytical rigor, teamwork, and the ability to make a positive impact on society made Strategy& the ideal choice for me.

How would you describe the culture at Strategy&?
The culture at Strategy& is one of the main reasons why I was attracted to the firm. Throughout the interview process, I had the opportunity to meet and interact with the people at Strategy&, and I was impressed by their genuine interest in me as a person. The interviews had a fun and relaxed atmosphere, which made me feel comfortable and excited about the prospect of joining the team. After joining Strategy&, I found that the culture lived up to my expectations. The people at Strategy& are curious, diverse, and talented individuals who genuinely care about each other and look out for one another. In addition to working together, Strategy& also emphasizes the importance of having fun and building relationships outside of work. The firm organizes various office activities such as trips, dinners, and concerts, which provide opportunities for bonding and creating memorable moments together.

What do you love most about working at Strategy&?
Besides of course the societal impact and office culture, what I love most about my job is the emphasis on learning and personal development. At Strategy&, I am surrounded by colleagues who are motivated to bring out the best in me and help me succeed. Whether it's my peers, juniors, seniors on my team, or my mentors, there is always someone I can learn from. My PhD provided me with valuable skills such as project management, problem structuring, and hard analytical skills, but there were many consulting skills I did not possess. On the job, I’ve learnt how to create visually appealing slides, convey messages effectively to diverse audiences and draw conclusions based on limited information and time. You constantly learn new skills and every time when you feel you have mastered something, an extra piece of responsibility gets thrown your way. Nevertheless, with my colleagues on the team and mentors as a safety net - I feel it’s the perfect environment to learn and grow both professionally and personally.

What is your background and what made you choose Strategy& (A’dam)?
I have a background in complex systems engineering and management, with a specialization in energy systems. While I didn't initially plan to become a strategy consultant during my studies, I had clear preferences for my first job. I was looking for a dynamic environment, surrounded by intrinsically motivated people, where I could experience rapid personal growth.

When I made the decision to pursue a career in strategy consulting, many people recommended Strategy& to me because of the strong presence in the energy sector and the people who work there. Therefore, I arranged coffee chats with employees and immediately felt the open and welcoming atmosphere. It became clear to me that Strategy& was the perfect fit. It checked all the boxes - a robust energy practice, smart and kind people, and a place where I could thrive both professionally and personally.

What is your greatest experience at Strategy& so far?
One experience that truly stands out for me is the Strategy& soccer cup in Madrid. This event brings together all Strategy& offices from around the globe for an international soccer tournament (or padel/yoga, depending on your preference). Teams from countries like Italy, Sweden, Turkey, and the USA all participate. We, as the Amsterdam office, had the opportunity to represent the Dutch team.

Meeting colleagues from different corners of the world in such a relaxed setting was an absolute highlight. It created a fantastic bonding experience with colleagues from all over the world. I am very excited for the next soccer cup in Italy. After their victory, it’s their turn to host, and we are determined to train (for real this time) and improve our performance both on- and off the field.

What do you love most about working at Strategy&?
There are many aspects of working at Strategy& that I appreciate. The fast-paced environment, the motivated colleagues, and the emphasis on personal development. However, what I love most is the way that colleagues naturally become friends. And these friendships go beyond the office. In fact, I already booked a summer kite trip with some colleagues to catch up, even during our time off! But jokes aside, I really appreciate these friendships and that is what makes Strategy& more than just a job.

In what way has Strategy& empowered you as a female leader?
Strategy& has empowered me as a female leader through our internal female events. These events create an empowering atmosphere where we support and uplift each other. One event that stood out was the TedTalks x Women event that we attended with 25 consultants. It was very inspiring to learn from stories from such real girl bosses. These kind of events not only provide you with valuable knowledge but also serve as a reminder of the potential and impact we can have as female leaders. I am grateful for these opportunities and excited to continue growing within Strategy&.