I joined BCG after a career as a health care academic and specialist healthcare policy advisor to governments and companies. Having originally studied medicine and worked as a doctor, I had a natural inclination towards working for health care clients. However, for most of my initial years at BCG I found myself working for banks, insurance companies and government agencies doing a mixture of business and IT strategy.

Since then I have refocused on healthcare work and have found that I now have a unique perspective on the health sector, given my cross-industry experience. Things like electronic banking have suddenly become highly relevant to medical care with the emergence of electronic health records, and I have found a whole lot of opportunities in healthcare IT—a sector that barely existed when I started at BCG.

Having performed a similar role outside and then within BCG, I am constantly amazed at how the BCG brand opens doors at the very highest levels of government and business. This is what really makes consulting satisfying—influencing people who make the decisions that shape the world.

Consulting has also provided me with a flexible career model—the envy of many of my friends and clients in other careers. For five years while my two sons were growing up I worked a four-day week—taking one day off a week to get a bit more exposure to their lives and ease the pressure on my wife who also works four days.

Neil is a qualified medical doctor and has masters and doctoral degrees in economics from the London School of Economics and Oxford University (as a Rhodes Scholar) respectively. 

He is a member of the IT and Healthcare Practice areas.

When I graduated from university with a degree in mechatronics engineering, I came to a cross-road in my life. I had to decide whether to move to the United States to develop my career in the robotics sector or stay in New Zealand due to personal circumstances. BCG has provided me with an opportunity of unmatched career development while allowing me to stay in New Zealand until I am ready to go abroad.

Having been at BCG for six months now, I have noticed that a part of the firm’s strength lies in the knowledge of our global experts. However, we are all frequently given opportunities for constructive dissent and to express our own ideas. In fact, I am expected to come to the table with well-grounded opinions. I believe that it is this culture of challenging the status quo, even if you are a junior Associate with no business background, which has provided me with the most personal development.

I studied engineering, and worked as an engineer, but really wanted to take on the challenge of developing business strategies. My first cases were with a large food company, which meant learning about a whole new type of business, and as a consequence, totally new concepts. However, I was able to use my own experience to bring a different perspective to each discussion.

My role continues to throw up new challenges almost daily, but my BCG colleagues are always eager to help me rise to them. Despite the fact that I don't have a management background, I feel confident that I can tackle each new learning curve.

Alan has a PhD and BE (Hons I) in Engineering, and a BA in German, from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand.

He joined the Auckland office in 2007.

After almost six years with BCG my mind is still constantly challenged—in internal case team meetings, as well as in client discussions. However, being a vital part of designing new strategic visions and plans for some of the leading firms is a challenge I happily accept.

Although we leverage our vast industry and functional expertise, BCG believes in the uniqueness of each client and strives to deliver a tailor-made approach and solution. This requires creativity and strategic insight in our everyday client work, and is my reason for enjoying, and staying at, BCG.

Christina holds an MS in business administration from the Stockholm School of Economics and an MBA from Kenan Flagler Business School, North Carolina, United States.

She joined BCG as a summer associate in 2002 and took a full-time position in 2003.