Beyond the Bio

A great customer experience creates loyal consumers, and loyal consumers proudly promote the businesses they love. Darci Darnell, a Partner in our Chicago office and the leader of our Global Customer Strategy and Marketing practice, has extensive knowledge on how to create outstanding customer experiences. On this episode, Keith talks to Darci about how her globetrotting career gave her the experience needed to lead a practice, and how Bain's consulting, advanced analytics, data science and marketing roles all come together to drive client success and sustainable growth. Beyond the Bio listeners, we want your feedback. You’re invited to share your thoughts with us in our listeners' survey. It will take less than 3 minutes to complete and will help us shape the direction of future episodes. Head over to atbain.co/btbsurvey to share your feedback.

We’ve known our host, Keith Bevans, to lead insightful conversations with some remarkable guests throughout the years, but this episode is slightly different. Keith is sitting in the guest seat and answering questions from consultant and Beyond the Bio producer, Daniel Yellin, to share some insight into the why of Beyond the Bio, dive a little deeper into a few topics we’ve covered on DEI, mergers & acquisitions, mental health in the workplace, and our work in ESG, and share some insight into what’s to come for the firm’s business, capabilities, and recruiting efforts in 2023. Beyond the Bio listeners, we want your feedback. You’re invited to share your thoughts with us in our listeners' survey. It will take less than 3 minutes to complete and will help us shape the direction of future episodes. Head over to atbain.co/btbsurvey to share your feedback.

Robert Cercós and Juan Pablo (JP) Garcia, founders of Spike SpA - a leading provider of advanced analytics and machine learning solutions - joined the Bain family after Spike was acquired by the firm earlier this year. As part of Bain adding more client-demanding capabilities to our toolkit, Robert and JP bring a new expertise to the firm that not only provides resources for our clients but opportunities for advanced analytics and machine learning experts to work on impactful projects and solve the world’s most challenging problems. Listen to this duo’s journey from engineers to entrepreneurs and how their friendship led them into consultancy.

Lauren Kelley, CEO of OPEXEngine, a member-based benchmarking community for software and SaaS companies that joined Bain in 2021, found a gap in how companies measure data and chose to do something about it. Lauren joins us to share not only her journey to entrepreneurship and what’s driven her throughout her career, but how OPEXEngine is meeting the needs and answering the hard questions companies are asking around performance and what led to its recent acquisition as part of Bain’s aim to build a larger suite of capabilities to support our clients.

Neil Shah, Executive Vice President of Global Mergers & Acquisitions, studied government at Harvard. After graduating, Neil joined Bain as Associate Consultant for a few years before pursuing a J.D. from Harvard Law School. Boomeranging back to Bain after a few career opportunities in banking and policies, Neil now leads our global mergers and acquisitions (M&A) that help meet capability demands that support our clients. Listen to Neil’s journeys to Bain, how his government background supports his impact at the firm, and gain some insight into our recent M&As that are helping grow our capabilities in advanced analytics, marketing, innovation & design, and more.

Arpan Sheth, Bain’s Global Capability Leader of our digital delivery platform, Vector, is all about embracing open doors. Following his father's footsteps and becoming an engineer, Arpan shifted to consulting after hearing inspiring stories from people he knew in business. Throughout his time at Bain, Arpan has combined his engineering and business expertise to help build and grow our practices in India, lead our Innovation and Design capability, and support mergers and acquisitions of digital capabilities in Vector. Listen to Arpan share his journey to Bain and how he expanded our practices in APAC as well as give insight into our fast-growing digital platform, Vector. Additionally, learn how Bain is integrating engineers, data scientists, marketers, and innovators into how we’re supporting our clients.

After many years at Bain helping start our Retail practice, Erika Serow left to become the US CEO of Sweaty Betty before returning to the firm as our Chief Marketing Officer. Erika’s leadership career stems from her desire to be an operator and run a retail business, but over time found that she truly enjoys working with smart and skillful people for a brand that she believes in. On this episode, Erika shares her journey to Bain, what made her choose the firm as a place to build her career, and how her passions led her to become our Chief Marketing Officer.

Julie Coffman, our Chief Diversity Officer, leader of our Global DEI practice, and Keith Bevans’s first manager who helped mentor the leader and host we know today, joins us to talk about her extensive career at Bain and how she’s currently leading the firm’s DEI initiatives. As part of our 5-part environmental, social and governance (ESG) series, Julie shares insight into the social part of this capability. Listen to how we not only support our clients’ diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts, but how we’re leading by example through our internal commitments and annual DEI reports. In this episode we discuss: The 3 chapters of Julie's extensive Bain career What sparked Julie to shift her career to supporting our DEI initiatives A deep dive into our initiatives and how we're supporting our people and clients We'd love to hear from you! If you liked this episode or have any feedback to share, let us know by completing the form on atbain.com/btbfeedback.

Sasha Duchnowski, a partner in our Chicago office, joins us as part of our 5-part environmental, social and governance (ESG) series to dive into some of the work we’ve done as our commitment to social impact. We discuss our work with The Nature Conservancy and the Republic of the Marshall Islands on an innovative approach to delivering sustainable cans of tuna, and how this work had led to better fishing environments for employees, retailers gaining supply chain traceability and visibility, and consumers being able to trust the products they’re buying. In this episode we discuss: Why Sasha decided to pursue consulting His journey to Bain His work with The Nature Conservancy We'd love to hear from you! If you liked this episode or have any feedback to share, let us know by completing the form on atbain.com/btbfeedback.

Bain's environmental, social, and governance (ESG) capabilities focus on helping our clients make real impact in sustainability, equity, and inclusion for all. Having a passion for this work, François Faelli, our Global Managing Partner of ESG, joins us for a five-part series to share how we're centering these efforts across the globe. On this episode, François not only shares his journey to Bain, but takes us through his moving journey of becoming the firm's first Global Managing Partner of ESG and the current priorities of embedding ESG into 100% of our client projects. In this episode we discuss: How François got his passion for ESG How he became the firm's first Worldwide Managing Partner of ESG The firm's ESG priorities for our clients We'd love to hear from you! If you liked this episode or have any feedback to share, let us know by completing the form on atbain.com/btbfeedback.

Domenico Azzarello, EMEA Regional Managing Partner based in Paris, was introduced and pre-destined to an international life in consulting thanks to his consultant parents. Born in Milan, his career has spanned the globe with stops in various cities including Chicago, San Francisco, and Paris where he now leads our fast-growing business in the European, Middle Eastern, and African regions. On this episode, Domenico shares his consulting journey, including how he advanced within the industry to join Bain as an established consultant, and how he helped develop our Telecommunications practice. He also sheds light on EMEA’s business priorities as we continue to grow in this region. In this episode we discuss: Domenico’s early introduction to consulting His part in growing Bain’s Telecom practice His time leading the Paris office How he became EMEA Regional Managing Partner EMEA’s business priorities How EMEA is incorporating ESG into their business We'd love to hear from you. If you liked this episode or have any feedback to share, let us know by completing the form on atbain.com/btbfeedback.

Whitney White, Bain alum and founder of Take Back Your Time – a coaching program that helps executives live up to their full potential - uses her entrepreneurial spirit to help executives learn how to work sustainably while having the life they desire. Having a deep passion for helping others, listen to Whitney share her journey to Bain, why she decided to jump into becoming an entrepreneur instead of going to business school, and how she became the business owner she is today. In this episode we discuss: How Whitney joined Bain after studying Anthropology at Davidson College Why Whitney chose to jump into entrepreneurship instead of going to business school after leaving Bain The origin story of Take Back Your Time Why working sustainably is so important to long-term success We'd love to hear from you. If you liked this episode or have any feedback to share, let us know by completing the form on atbain.com/btbfeedback.

Andy Dunn, Bain Alum, founding CEO of Bonobos, and author of Burn Rate: Launching a Startup and Losing My Mind, is on a mission to normalize discussing mental health in the workplace. On this episode, we’re joined by previous guest, Mackenzie Morrison, as we chat through how the workforce can break stigmas around mental health as well as normalize conversations around it to create supportive environments.

In the demanding consulting world, health and wellness can sometimes be overlooked when we’re diving deep into work. Knowing this first-hand, Mackenzie Morrison, Director of Global Professional Development in our Chicago office, helps Bainies learn how to have successful yet sustainable careers at the firm through inspirational leadership. On this episode, Mackenzie shares how the firm is supporting all Bainies through our health and wellness program, B.E.S.T.

Andrew Schwedel, a partner in our New York office and leader of our Macro Trends Group, knows the importance of organizations reevaluating and changing how they think about work in a post-pandemic workforce. The pandemic has not only shifted perspectives on what people want out of their jobs, but also what they want out of their lives and if they’re able to work sustainably. On this episode, we explore how Bain is thinking about new ways of working along with how to learn what type of worker you are and what working styles may look like from different perspectives.

Prasad Narasimhan Sulur, a partner in our Boston office, came from a family of medical professionals in India who encouraged him to pursue the same career path, however, he had other plans. On this episode, Prasad shares how his idea to study engineering led him to the U.S. and Bain, where he now leads our technology and cloud practice and our Americas Asians at Bain affinity group.

Brittany Matthews, a partner in our Chicago office, knows the importance of supportive and collaborative spaces for Black communities in the workforce, especially for our Black leaders. Launching the Black Leaders Forum (BLF) in 2020, Brittany and Black executives from various industries come together throughout the year to provide that space with their colleagues and friends. In this episode, Brittany shares how her journey to Bain inspired the creation of BLF and why spaces like it are so important.

Alex Noether, an expert partner in our New York office, is passionate about our Blacks at Bain network, his tattoos, and addressing unconscious bias in the workplace. In this encore episode of Beyond the Bio, Alex and Keith discuss the concepts of unconscious bias and the ways Bain is building and scaling best practices to ensure our processes are equitable for everyone.

Adrienne King, executive VP of Bain’s Americas Talent Management, and Modupe Akinola, Bain alum and associate professor of management at Columbia Business School, built the framework for Bain to recruit and retain our Blacks at Bain community (BABs). On this encore episode of Beyond the Bio, they share their journey of pioneering and implementing ExperienceBain, a pre-MBA program for Black recruits attending business school, as well as organizing an annual conference for our Black community and developing our firm’s infrastructure to support underrepresented individuals.

Rebecca Burack, a partner in our Boston office, transitioned from an industrial engineering career to consulting after learning about Bain through her manager who was pursuing a career at the firm. Once joining Bain, Rebecca did everything to avoid private equity cases, but as she accelerated within her career, she learned why it's important to jump on these cases early to succeed in the consulting world. Now as a leader in our private equity group (PEG), Rebecca shares the origins of private equity consulting, the importance of PEG and how consultants can navigate within this practice for career success.

Christophe De Vusser, a partner in our Brussels office and the head of our EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) private equity practice, joined Bain after leaving his purchasing and strategic sourcing career at Proctor and Gamble (P&G). Seeking more opportunity that Bain could offer, Christophe found himself enjoying work in the private equity practice, strongly focusing on environmental, social and governance work (ESG). Christophe shares why investors are being more thoughtful about ESG and how Bain is a leader in incorporating sustainability within the private equity space.

Kelly Boone Swaintek, a partner in our Austin office, transitioned to a career in consulting after serving in the U.S. Army. Knowing firsthand the challenges veterans face reentering civilian life and the workforce, Kelly has made it her mission to support veteran Bainies transition from one career to the next as well as advocate recruiting them and their talents to Bain.

Anita Cohen and Andrew Kunkel, partners in our Chicago office, didn’t plan on specializing in private equity, but once they were exposed to the world of fast-paced cases and non-standard approaches to problem-solving, they fell in love with the work. Anita and Andrew share their journeys into private equity and PEG, our private equity group, and explain why Bain is the leader in this industry.

João Soares, a partner in our London office and the global head of BGLAD, Bain’s LGBTQ network, shares how he not only transformed his career, but Bain’s approach on creating inclusive communities. *This episode was recorded in June 2021 during PRIDE month.

Kiki Yang, a partner in our Hong Kong office and the leader of our Asia-Pacific Private Equity practice, shares how Bain has provided flexible opportunities and support for her to create a sustainable and successful career after pivoting from investment banking to consulting.

Pete Forsberg, Chief Operating Officer of our digital marketing agency, FRWD (pronounced “forward”), discusses his journey into disruptive technology and bringing his experience at Uber back to Bain through the FRWD acquisition in 2018 to lead operations in the digital marketing space.

Guest host Sharad Apte, a senior partner and head of APAC recruiting, speaks with Kate Liu, a senior manager in our Shanghai office, to discuss her journey from getting her PhD in applied economics to eventually becoming a consultant at Bain. They dive deeper into her fascinating PhD dissertation on using pitching in baseball as a way to gain insights on global warming, why consulting is a particularly good route for advanced degree candidates, and her exciting casework within Bain’s private equity, consumer product, and digital delivery practices

Guest host Sharad Apte, a senior partner and head of APAC recruiting, speaks with Willy Chang, an associate partner based in Southeast Asia, to discuss his fascinating career path from academia to consulting. They dive deeper into his PhD on quantum computing at Harvard, how he ended up in consulting, his work at Bain in private equity and digital delivery practices, and his most recent role publishing an internet economy report with Google and Temasek.

Guest host Sharad Apte, a senior partner and head of APAC recruiting, speaks with Annabel Chew, a manager in our Singapore office, to discuss her journey from getting her PhD in materials science to eventually becoming a consultant at Bain. They dive deeper into her love of science from a young age, how she handled Bain’s recruiting and interview process, her exciting casework, and how her PhD helped her with Bain’s ‘answer first’ approach.

Todd Sangster, an expert associate partner in our San Francisco office, and Erin Ney, an expert senior manager in our Boston office, spent part of their careers immersed in science and healthcare – Todd with a PhD in genetics and Erin as an MD and practicing physician. Before becoming experts in our healthcare practice, they spent time working across different industries and clients as general management hires at Bain. They discuss their backgrounds in science and medicine, their paths to and within Bain, and how experts at Bain add extraordinary value to both our clients and our case teams.

Michael Schallehn, a partner in our Silicon Valley office, and Jackie Flanagan, an associate partner in our Washington, D.C. office, both joined Bain after completing PhDs – Michael in materials science and Jackie in biophysics. They discuss their journeys away from academia and into consulting, how their backgrounds have contributed to their long-term success at Bain, and how our Advanced Degree recruiting and program efforts have evolved to bring in record-high numbers of Advanced Degree hires and provide tailored support for their professional development.

In our last installment of our Black History Month mini-series, we’re joined by Bain partners, Jon Barfield in our NY office, and Darren Jackson in our LA office, both members and leaders within our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) practice and Blacks at Bain community. They discuss our investment in sustainable change through actions like launching a DEI practice area to support our corporate clients, the addition of our new social impact pillar focused on racial equity and social justice, hosting a Black Leaders Forum and more.

Bain alums, Ali Evans, a VP and technology investor at Francisco Partners, and Anjarae Hamilton, head of apparel at Faire, share their thoughts and experiences of creating a space at Bain to discuss the social and racial unrest in the US and its impact. You’ll also learn more about them—their experience working here, being part of the Blacks at Bain community, and their impressive career journeys.

Adrienne King, executive VP of Bain’s Americas Talent Management & Modupe Akinola, associate professor of management at Columbia Business School and Bain alum, discuss how they built a framework for Bain to recruit and retain our Blacks at Bain community (BABs). They share their journey of pioneering and implementing a pre-MBA program for Black recruits going to business school, known today as ExperienceBain Diversity, organizing an annual conference for our Black community, and developing our firm’s infrastructure to support underrepresented individuals.

Check out this brief preview that shares more about what's to come in the next few months on Beyond the Bio, including a Black History Month series featuring current and former Bainies, and an APAC recruiting mini-series, hosted by Sharad Apte, a partner in our Bangkok office.

Hernan Saenz, a partner in our Dallas office, is an advocate for taking the non-linear path and pursuing opportunities that will help you grow and give you energy. He discusses how Bain's culture was the perfect fit, his globetrotting years working at offices across the world, and his accomplishments throughout his career including important client work, stepping into leadership roles, and eventually getting a seat on Bain's board of directors.

Jennie Tung, a VP in our Palo Alto office, has played a critical role in the way we view training, both internally and with our clients. She discusses how she found full support in Bain when taking on a new role at a critical time in her career, and how that role eventually grew into her building out Bain Academy, a team that provides customized learning experiences led by Bain experts.

Stef Chavin, VP of recruiting in our Chicago office, spent her career at Bain pursuing her passions. She discusses some important pieces of her journey including utilizing our flexible working model, her entrepreneurship within the firm, and most recently, planning a successful virtual Summer Associate intern program.

Courtney della Cava, a partner in our San Francisco office, has returned to Bain twice after taking on exciting roles at various companies. She discusses what it’s like being a ‘boomerang Bainie,’ her role within the Bain Career Advisory and Bain Executive Network, and how we’re committed to helping our people succeed both inside and outside the firm.

Sharad Apte, a partner in our Bangkok office, started in the consulting industry as a receptionist and followed his passion to where he is today. He discusses the benefits of his non-business background, building his own Bain, and the big role Bain’s True North value system has played in both his personal and professional life.

Jen Hayes, a partner in our Atlanta office, is passionate about championing women to grow and thrive in the workplace. She discusses her work leading the Global Women's Leadership Council and the important gender parity research she’s done around what inspires women to reach for the C-suite.

Dan Kuzmic, a partner in our Stockholm office, explains the importance of calculated risk taking and bold decision making, even in times of uncertainty. He discusses his background in the military and Bain’s recent acquisition of Qvartz, a Nordic-based consulting firm, which merged with our firm in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sarah Dey Burton, a leader in our digital delivery practice in our San Francisco office, discusses her previous career at Gap Inc., leading Bain's Advanced Digital and Product Team, and how her team delivers a new kind of value to Bain's client results stories.

Alex Noether, an expert associate partner in our New York office, discusses a few things he's passionate about: our Blacks at Bain network, his tattoos, and Bain's efforts to address unconscious bias in the workplace.

Miguel Simoes-deMelo, a senior partner in our London office, has worked in all three Bain regions and played a critical role in the success story of several global transformation projects. Miguel goes into detail on his globetrotting career, what it's like to spearhead a transformation, and how it's okay to not know your 'five-year plan'.

Sanjay Dhiri, a partner in our London office, began his career doing important humanitarian and development work around the world. As he transitioned into consulting a few years later, he realized that a career at Bain meant the ability to keep his hand in his previous career through pro bono and volunteer work.

Sam Rovit, a partner in our Chicago office, is back at Bain for the third time after a successful career running multiple food business. Sam discusses his early days in journalism and reporting, the capabilities he developed at Bain that still play a monumental role today, and how he has leveraged our toolkit for growth outside the firm.

Clare Gordon, a partner in our London office, is a woman who does it all. From running startups and nonprofits to moving around the world while building her family, she has charted her course in a way that allows her to thrive both personally and professionally.

Lalit Reddy, a partner in our Bengaluru office, discusses going to school in different parts of the world, his path to Bain, and how he has played a critical role in our growth story in India.

Rishi Roongta, founder & VP of the Bain Innovation Exchange in our San Francisco office, discusses his background, the work he has done with early-stage startups, and his efforts in the digital space at Bain.