Careers

Alex

Learning & Development Advisor
"I was really lucky to have the support of the people I work with to explore my career interests. Their encouragement to believe in myself and support to make it happen were key in my decision to take that step and shift careers. I now enjoy a role that spans across the offices, giving me the opportunity to work with people from different markets, but most importantly to make a positive impact on my colleagues’ professional development."

I’m a Learning and Development (L&D) Advisor based in London, where I work with our global HR team on planning and implementing the L&D program for all levels across all our offices.

My professional journey hasn’t been the usual one – I actually started out in teaching, and when I first joined the firm, it was as a Partner Assistant and Office Manager. But, while I enjoyed that role, I found professional development quite an interesting area, given my background in teaching. The opportunity to shift focus came up during one of my year-end discussions, and so I started my L&D journey. Initially, I had a dual role. But today, I am almost entirely focusing on ensuring the professional development of our consultants around the world.

The willingness to support me in my career interests and the encouragement to believe in myself offered by Kekst CNC has really stood out for me. I wouldn’t have been able to make that step if not for the confidence and backing of the people I work with.

Outside of work, I like exploring and making the most out of my city, often on my bike. My perfect Sunday in London starts with a nice walk through Brockwell park to get to our favorite Herne Hill farmers market where we enjoy great coffee and homemade treats, ending with a late lunch in one of the local pubs. Recently, while not being able to travel much afar due to the pandemic, I’ve had the chance to (re)discover the UK – it’s made me appreciate all the things that we can see and do near to home.

If I could give my younger self a piece of advice, it would be this: Don’t play it safe! Learn about yourself – what your strengths and weaknesses are, what you enjoy doing and what you don’t. Don’t feel that you need to get fixed into a career from the start: Things are fluid and opportunities may come from somewhere completely unexpected.