Krati Tripathi

McKinsey Office: London

Hometown: Difficult to answer! I’m an Indian who grew up in Lagos, Nigeria. My family still lives there, so it’s what I call ‘home’.

MBA Program: INSEAD

Undergraduate School, Major: VIT University, Computer Science and Engineering

Focus of Current Engagement: Yet to be staffed; Just joined the Digital practice as an Associate

Why did you choose McKinsey? McKinsey’s purpose – to create positive, enduring change in the world – deeply resonates with me. I was inspired by the significant role that the Firm has played and continues to play in solving the most challenging, diverse global problems. I wanted to learn, contribute to making a sustainable impact and collaborate with some of the most talented people while doing so.

What did you love about the business school you attended? I loved the diversity at INSEAD. It was a truly enriching experience to be able to interact with and learn alongside the most diverse group of batchmates – in terms of nationality, personality, background, experiences, thoughts, and cultures. It gave me a ton of perspective and a truly diverse, global network to count on.

What lesson or skill did you learn from training (formal or informal) at McKinsey and how has it helped in your role? The pyramid principle or top-down communication structure is not very natural to me since I love storytelling, but honing the skill during onboarding training and then consistently applying it to relevant situations has been quite effective in keeping up with time-crunched executives.

Tell us about an “only at McKinsey” moment you’ve had so far. I’m just a few weeks into my McKinsey career so I’ll share a McKinsey moment from my interview process. I was pleasantly surprised by the interviewer bios my McKinsey recruiter shared with me before my interviews – they mentioned the reasons why my interviewers joined McKinsey, their favourite projects, hobbies, and a fun fact about them. This humanized the interviewers and gave me a chance to find common interests and topics to connect with them on.

Tell us something you’ve learned about yourself or something that brought you closer to teammates or clients during the COVID-19 pandemic? I’ve learned that it’s okay to slow down and recharge myself by spending time doing things that replenish my soul and give me joy, rather than constantly chasing the idea of ‘success’.

What advice would you give someone interviewing at McKinsey? I would advise them to really spend time reflecting on their personal stories, try to recollect them in as vivid detail as possible and be prepared to narrate them in a structured manner, in addition to doing case-prep. McKinsey really wants to get to know you through the interviews and your stories are crucial to that end.

Who has had the biggest impact on you at McKinsey and how has she/he helped you? Lena Koolmann conducted some of our onboarding sessions and I was awed by both her persona and her work profile. The experience reiterated the importance of having women in leadership roles, gave me someone to look up to, and she set a great example of bringing your whole self to work, which I hope to emulate in my journey ahead.

My most meaningful achievement (professional or personal) and how it made a difference is…During my undergrad in India, I mentored 3 girls from the 7th grade as a part of the NGO Make A Difference (MAD), which works towards ensuring equitable outcomes for children in orphanages and shelters pan-India. Our team organized weekly sessions over a year to help them discover and build their strengths and expose them to a variety of professions and possibilities. The growth and self-belief they developed over this time was my most meaningful achievement. I learnt that nothing is more fulfilling and pivotal to socio-economic progress than empowering children, especially girls, to dream, and to equip them with the skills to pursue those dreams.

A fun fact about me is… I grew up in Lagos, Nigeria.

DON’T MISS: MEET THE MCKINSEY MBA CLASS OF 2020