1What’s different about Berkeley for our clients?

There are many things about Berkeley that differentiate us from other businesses. Berkeley is a truly independent management consultancy, without affiliate relationships or preferred suppliers. This means we can always act in the best interests of our clients.

It can feel lonely when you are responsible for leading a team or delivering a change programme and our clients consistently tell us that when they work with Berkeley they have a trusted advisor working with them side by side. I have found that this independence means that I am not only able to own the delivery of highly complicated change programmes on behalf of my clients but that I can also act as a sounding board and advocate for them more broadly.

2What’s the most important thing you learned at Berkeley?

When I joined Berkeley I learned the value and importance of asking for help. Career progression in consulting can often feel highly competitive where you are constantly ranked against your peers. This does not foster an environment of collaboration or a safe space to ask for help when you need it. Berkeley is very different and it starts with the way we have structured the business.

At Berkeley our consultants do not have grades and we do not rank or assess them against each other as part of performance management or remuneration. Each consultant's career and progression is different, and they have a dedicated partner to support them with this. The lack of a hierarchy takes a bit of getting used to, but it is fundamental in creating a culture of openness where our people naturally collaborate and support each other. The phrase “asking for help is a strength, not a weakness” certainly rings true.

3What are your values and how have they informed your career?

I value integrity in those that I work with and spend time with. Doing the right thing is often very difficult but it sets people and organisations apart as those that you want to work with and build a relationship with. 

When I joined Berkeley I was surprised by the fact that there are no sales targets for anyone in the organisation. This is very unusual in the consulting industry but by designing a business that does not set individual targets, we put doing the right thing by our clients and colleagues at the heart of what we do. It’s a model that demands personal integrity and high levels of trust within the organisation. This works well for us and is something that I value about our business.