Bob Winslow 

Location: London

Hometown: Kirkwhelpington, UK

MBA program: Cambridge Judge Business School

Undergraduate school, major: University of Cambridge, Architecture

Focus of current case: Enterprise Architecture IP

What word best describes Bain and why?
Fun. The combination fascinating, challenging work with a supportive culture lived throughout the firm makes for an incredibly rewarding professional life.

Why did you choose to work at Bain? 
The fit became apparent for me at the interview stage for three reasons. First, I was impressed by the efforts Bain made to ensure equal footing for candidates from all background. Five of six interviews were CV blind to reduce unconscious bias and focus on identifying talent, regardless of background. Second, I really enjoyed the interviews. The cases were exciting, and chatting with the interviewers at the end was a real highlight. Third, the recruiting team went out of their way post-offer to help me with any questions about Bain. Altogether, Bain stood out in process equity and people.

What did you love about the business school you attended? 
Three Cs: the cohort, the content and the countryside. The CJBS cohort were supportive and fun, creating a great culture for learning and networking. Content was broad: the biggest challenge was navigating the clash grid of so many interesting electives. With heavy recency bias, Advanced Strategy with Allègre Hadida and Private Equity with Aleksander Grzeszczak in the final term were highlights. Finally, being in a world-class city with countryside a short stroll away was a luxury I hope to recapture in future. Running along the river Cam to Grantchester was the perfect way to decompress from the travails of MBA life.

What’s the most valuable thing you’ve learned so far at Bain? 
Coming from a non-consulting background pre-MBA, I’m learning so much. My current case is particularly interesting – working on internal IP means getting intimately acquainted with the Bain approach. Tactically speaking, I have to mention Windows and Office shortcuts – as an erstwhile Mac user, the learning curve was steep! More broadly, seeing how Bain’s culture fuels high quality work is fascinating. While company culture is often claimed, it genuinely permeates everything Bain does.

Which manager or peer has had the biggest impact on you at Bain, and how has he or she made you a better consultant?
My manager on my first case, Toby Simpson, exemplified everything that is great about Bain’s focus on professional development. Alongside in-depth formal training programmes, a focus on ‘apprenticeship culture’ means on-the-job learning is critical. Toby found exactly the right balance between proactive support and letting me learn in real time. Our weekly PD chats provided an opportunity to step back and reflect on progress against development aims.

I also have to mention my mentor Napat Thavisin. Napat’s advice on navigating interviews and Bain itself has been invaluable. I also appreciate the work he does connecting the BGLAD London community: the events are great fun and an excellent way to connect with people across the company.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to work for Bain? 
First: great choice. Bain is an incredible place to learn and grow. Second: plan early, collect information, understand your route into the firm. Talk to Bainies and learn from their experience. Third: get tactical and focus on how to position yourself best for each element of the recruiting process: application, case interview, fit interview. Finally: enjoy the process!

What has been your most meaningful career achievement and how did it make a difference?
I’m proud of my time at my pre-MBA employer, a festival ticketing start-up. I joined pre-funding and helped the company grow to 500+ events in 5 years. As operations lead, I oversaw customer service, client service, and fulfilment, including physical ticket dispatch. Delivering these functions from scratch to operate robustly – but with restricted resources – was critical to enable rapid scaling.

A fun fact about me people would be surprised to know is…
I’ve been on a mission to visit every US state, starting when I worked as a windsurf instructor in Maine in my early 20s. My most recent adventure was a five-day canoe trip in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters canoe area wilderness with my husband – highly recommended, but take bug spray!

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