Driving positive change: Brian’s motivation as a senior consultant

Amidst numerous options, our senior consultant Brian made the deliberate decision to launch his career at Addestino. In this interview, he elaborates on his passion for transformation projects and his contributions in preserving and unlocking internal company knowledge.

How did Brian come up with the idea of a consulting career? “After completing my studies in photonics engineering at VUB university, I weighed my options,” he starts off. “I had it very clear that I didn’t want to commit to another four years of academia to pursue a PhD. At the same time, diving straight into my research field would likely have required me to venture abroad. I had already spent a year in Switzerland during my studies, delving into projects with cutting-edge technology, and I desired building my career a little closer to home. That’s when consulting caught my eye. I had been looking to apply my technology expertise within a broader business context – an opportunity that I hoped the top consulting organisations would be able to offer.”

Brian has a vivid recollection of his recruitment experience. “It was quite different from the typical application process. My interviews at Addestino focused less on my technical skills and more on how I approached various business cases and problems. Moreover, their leadership team assessed how well I could integrate into the team and what our long-term growth trajectory together might look like. They valued not just my degree, but also my skills and potential. This turned out to be the decisive factor for me. Reflecting on the hiring process, I’m grateful that I launched my career by joining a boutique consulting agency where every individual is valued and knows each other.”

Brian made a deliberate decision to gain exposure to a wide range of organisations and industries. “Although I embarked on my initial assignment right off the bat, I didn’t feel like I was thrown into the deep end,” he explains. “There was abundant support from my Addestino colleague who collaborated with me on this first project. This smooth start allowed me to swiftly transition into working on new short-term projects simultaneously. The skills I honed the most in the beginning? Establishing client relationships and learning how to navigate different departments to foster goodwill and facilitate the exchange of ideas.”

Brian points out that his journey to becoming a senior consultant unfolded naturally. “I quickly realised that I drew a lot of energy and satisfaction from long-term transformation projects, as they allow me to see the fruit of our labour. Driving positive change in complex projects is what motivates me, and consequently, I began embracing an increasing number of such assignments. Whether it involves revamping a customer support desk or implementing new sales management tools, these are the tasks I find most fulfilling.”

“At Addestino, we have a range of internal projects aimed at improving our own operational processes,” Brian continues. “One significant endeavour focuses on managing our own intellectual property. Since knowledge is at the heart of our business, it is vital to capture, organise and distribute our technology and industry expertise (and corresponding methodologies) effectively, ensuring accessibility for all our consultants. Over the past few years, I have taken on the responsibility of overseeing our intellectual property management, alongside my day-to-day consulting assignments. I enjoy the additional intellectual challenge. First, I sit down with the management team to assess the need for additional content, training and potential knowledge gaps. Next, our consultants create the relevant content according to a standardised training format. After review, I upload the new training to our knowledge base, making it readily available to everyone. Our training initiatives extend beyond onboarding new hires: we also offer advanced courses for consultants who transition into more senior positions.”

Brian takes pride in the evolution of career support that he has contributed to. “We have made significant strides in enhancing and formalising our team structure and coaching, enabling new hires to progress at an accelerated pace. Thanks to our internal training programme, everyone who works here is able to achieve their career milestones faster than ever before. I witness the growth of my new colleagues almost daily. The personal growth track was the key factor that set Addestino apart for me, and I notice that my colleagues also appreciate the opportunity to forge their own path beyond the initial training phase. The countless hours invested in training and nurturing our team members make Addestino feel like one of those rare places that genuinely fulfils their promises of personal growth.”