Fredy Afif

Bain & Company Brussels   

Hometown: Abu Dhabi, UAE

MBA program: London Business School

Undergraduate school, major: University of Ottawa, Chemical Engineering

Focus of current case: Turnaround of a consumer goods company that was recently acquired by a private equity firm.

Why did you choose to work at Bain? I chose to work at Bain because of its collaborative and supportive culture, its focus on results delivery, and the flexible career development opportunities it offers. I was also very attracted by its home office model, which fosters close relationships within home offices while providing a dedicated staffing manager to ensure you get the right cases and maximize your professional development.

What did you love about the business school you attended? Definitely the diversity of the student body. We came from all over the world, with completely different educational and career backgrounds. I learned so much from my classmates, many of whom have become lifelong friends.

What’s the most valuable thing you’ve learned so far at Bain? How to prioritize at work. When it comes to solving our client’s problems, there can be many paths to a solution, with an incredible amount of informational overload clouding the way. Bain takes the approach of staying focused on solving important issues that will deliver the most value for the clients. This is a skill that I am still learning.

Which manager or peer has had the biggest impact on you at Bain, and how has he or she made you a better consultant? Charles, the case team leader on my first project. He has been a great coach and has invested so much of his time and energy in helping me develop and become a better consultant. He pushed me to grow and get out of my comfort zone, while patiently providing me with the space and tools to do so.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to work for Bain? Get to know as many people at Bain as you can, in order to learn about the work we do, the way we approach problems, and our unique and great culture. Prepare well for the case interviews, be relaxed and confident. Also make sure to enjoy the interviews!

A fun fact about me people would be surprised to know is…I am color blind, which explains why my PowerPoint slides sometimes have funny colors on them!