Co-founder and director, Protix Biosystems
What did your McKinsey career look like? I started off as an associate working on a variety of projects, often in the Telecom and Media sectors (handset manufacturers, telecom operators and newspaper agencies). As an engagement manager I focused more and more on emerging markets and worked in a variety of countries, including Kenya, Niger, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Russia.
What is the best thing you have learned from your McKinsey time? I have learned to combine careful listening with preparing the right questions. The latter can only be done if you spend time thinking upfront. To find the root cause of a problem, ask “why?, why?, why?” almost like a child, until you really know what is going on.
What advice do you have for someone considering McKinsey? Ask yourself if you would be excited to jump into completely new settings every 2-3 months; e.g., new industries, new clients and new team members. You will learn a lot, while at the same time, people expect you to learn quickly. However, if you prefer to immediately specialize in one specific area, it may be better to consider alternative options.
Ask yourself if you would be excited to jump into completely new settings every 2-3 months; e.g., new industries, new clients and new team members. You will learn a lot, while at the same time, people expect you to learn quickly. However, if you prefer to immediately specialize in one specific area, it may be better to consider alternative options.
What do you do today? I founded Protix Biosystems together with another McKinsey alumnus, Kees Aarts. We are in the business of developing industrial technology to produce protein sources from waste streams. Through innovation we believe we can provide solutions that enable more Waste-2-Food conversion. I focus mainly on product development, sales and financing.
Is your McKinsey background relevant for your current career? McKinsey has taught me to quickly understand what drives business. This helps me to prioritize and decide where to spend the most time and energy. Also, I learnt how to communicate clearly and concisely, which is often an art itself.
How does being a McKinsey alumni specifically help you? Having worked at McKinsey for 4 years, I got to know so many talented and fun people, many of whom I still meet regularly. Some work at McKinsey, others started a new challenge elsewhere. With all of them I can quickly tune to the same wavelength thanks to our common background.
Tarique left McKinsey as an engagement manager. Before joining McKinsey he worked at ING for 5 years in asset based finance and leveraged buyouts. He has an M.Sc. in engineering from the Technical University in Delft.