Cory
Consultant, London Office
Education
UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE, Pembroke College
M.Eng. in General Engineering, 2003
Activities at Cambridge: Cambridge was great for meeting people and trying new things. After the first year, I had ended up playing in seven different sport teams and representing the university at pool, and enjoyed the numerous social events that came with this involvement!
Memories of Cambridge: I spent a summer at Pembroke running a summer school for the University of California, arranging to have formal dinners in wonderful old buildings dating back to 1350, spending lazy afternoons punting along the river and having cream teas, while living in Charles Darwin's former house next to world famous museums.
Hometown
London, England
ZS Career Path
Business Analyst, 2003
Associate Consultant, 2006
Consultant, 2008
On the work
"In the London office, the range of projects is huge as we do not split into tracks, so we have to get involved in everything. I've worked on many short term projects ranging in length from two days (very intense) to two months including projects on sales force size, structure and alignment, making analytical tools in Excel, incentive compensation administration, market research, devising call plans and physician targeting lists. Many of these projects have been in small teams, where I have been the only analyst, so I've had a lot of responsibility to ensure the project is analysed robustly, completed on time and quality checked. It's incredibly satisfying to see people in the office using my tools and knowing that they are also being used by clients all over the world."
On ZS values
Treat People Right: "At ZS, you can talk to anyone whether they are a Principal or a Business Analyst. Everyone has been so supportive and willing to help no matter what time of day or how much work they have on. The mentor system is great as you can ask any question and know that you won't be judged; in fact, you're actively encouraged and reviewed on how well you use other people's help. This support has continued even after the first six months, so that on my current project I'm continually asking questions and able to get advice from anyone. Having the Principal coming around to offer help and advice (he likes getting his teeth into the analysis), ensures that you get as much out the project as possible and can learn from the people with the most experience and expertise. I think that ZS only employs really capable people who are genuinely nice and enthusiastic."
On life outside work
"I've just started swimming again, and I'm currently in training for national competitions. In the evening I enjoy going out for meals or relaxing with friends. I also like to spend time in the countryside, whether around London or weekends away to Wales or Scotland."
On the London office
"The best thing about the London office is its location. It's right next to Hyde Park so at lunchtime you can disappear into the park and get away from the bustle of the city. It's also very close to shops if you're ever in need of a bit of retail therapy, and there are also dozens of lovely restaurants on the next street."