Nadhim
Q: What brought you to Strategy&, and what have you been up to so far?
A: Unlike many of my peers, I didn’t plan for a career in consulting. My passion was for product design. People close to me warned me that it could be a difficult path after university, given Oman's relatively small creative industry, but that only fueled my ambition to support the nation's economic diversification to create more professional pathways. I realized that I needed to develop my business acumen and understanding of our regional industries/economies to be impactful. I wanted to learn fast, which led me to consulting.
During the interview process with Strategy&, I met many of the firm's leaders and I could quickly tell that the culture is inclusive and the opportunities I would be exposed to are truly diverse. This sealed the deal for me. Since joining, I've worked on projects in tourism, telecom, aerospace and defense, real estate, and entertainment and culture. The path I'm on now is catalyzing my personal growth and preparing me to tackle immense challenges.
Q: You recently welcomed a baby into your family. Congrats! How did you feel about coming back to work after your paternity leave?
A: Thank you! I can’t lie, it was not an easy transition. My son has become my priority and not being with him all the time in the early days was difficult. However, the flexible work arrangements that were offered to me were very helpful. I had three weeks of paternity leave [note: this policy has since been updated to allow eight weeks]. After that, I had the opportunity to choose from several flexible work arrangements. I decided to work with the Strategy& think tank: the Ideation Center.
Q: Can you tell us a bit more about your time with the Ideation Center?
A: It exceeded my expectations. I worked with the Behavioral Science team for about two months, which gave me a completely different perspective. We worked on solving social issues for a client through experimental behavioral interventions, which was a new experience for me. I learned many new things that I’ll take forward to future projects. I chose the Ideation Center to help balance my work and personal life, but there have been several additional benefits. I was exposed to a side of the firm that I might have not seen otherwise, which led to many new friendships.
Q: What do you love most about working at Strategy&?
A: People always make a strong first impression on me, and at Strategy&, the people have been positive from the outset. It's important to be around colleagues that you can become friends with, especially in our line of work. Beyond that, I commend the firm's dynamic nature. Since I've joined, the professional opportunities have expanded and diversified, policies and benefits have evolved to stay at the forefront of the industry, and social activities have grown to enhance life outside of work. There's always room to improve, and the firm is continuously taking measures to ensure that its people are valued and heard.
Q: What do you enjoy doing when you're not working?
A: Spending time with my family is number one. Besides that, I’ll do anything to get me moving after sitting most of the week (e.g., volleyball, golf, padel). When the weather's nicer during Oman's winter, my friends and I go dune bashing, camping, and cliff jumping.
“It's important to be around colleagues that you can become friends with, especially in our line of work.”
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