Rachel Wigmore, Oliver Wyman

Analyst Rachel Wigmore works for Oliver Wyman. She studied natural sciences at the University of Cambridge.

Why consulting?

I completed a fantastic summer internship with Oliver Wyman and was offered a full-time job. I was attracted to consulting because of the broad scope of opportunity – I liked the fact that I’d be able to learn about different industries from true experts before specialising.

What sort of projects do you work on?

My first project was in retail, working for one of the UK’s top supermarkets which was transforming its brand proposition. My team and I worked with the trading team to develop their strategy, drawing on many different data sources from market trends and customer preferences to internal financial data. It was a steep learning curve but the best training.

What is your focus right now?

I am currently helping a large European energy company implement a new risk management approach. We work closely with the managers who run the business day to day. I’ve led workshops and run analysis to develop a negotiations strategy with the different suppliers and later reviewed their proposals. My most important meetings are with the project executive board to explain what we are doing and get their agreement.

Is there life beyond work?

Of course! From Monday to Thursday I am based in Austria, where I usually work from 8.30 am to 7.30 pm. If there are big meetings to prepare for, days can be longer, but I always feel my hard work is appreciated. Friday is a shorter day based in London, and we round off the week with ‘happy hour’ drinks in the office. There are often office social events – like a pub quiz, crazy golf or karaoke.

Outside work, I continue to sail dinghies, so weekends are often spent outdoors. I also sing in a choir with rehearsals every Thursday, and regular concerts. Life is pretty busy!

What do you like most about consulting?

I love the variety of projects. When you are coming to the end of one project it’s exciting to discover what you’ll be doing next – it will probably be worlds apart from the last project! I love being able to work in and experience a whole range of sectors – communications, energy, retail, aviation, manufacturing – without closing doors straight away.

What’s been the biggest challenge so far?

The hardest aspect is starting work with a client when you are not an expert in their industry. If I don’t know something I’ve found it’s always best to be upfront about it, and there’s always plenty of support from many more experienced colleagues.

What’s been your proudest moment so far?

I presented a module of work that I had been preparing for a month, when I was fairly new to my current project, to the steering team of senior executives. Although I was sure that my analysis was correct, agreeing the actions required isn’t always smooth. However, the steering team loved the work and we are implementing the recommendations now – a major change for the business.

Have you changed since starting work?

I used to find it nerve-racking to speak in front of people, both at university and while I was a summer intern, but it no longer fazes me. I’ve learned how to get to grips with a complex problem quickly, and I also feel more comfortable defending my analysis and point of view in front of really experienced people. I’ve learned how to get to grips with a complex problem quickly.