Humaid Motala
Operations Consulting
PwC
Growing up, I was never certain as to what career path I would choose or where I would find myself in 5 years. What I did know however, was that I was determined to enter a profession where my work is able to make a positive difference to people, whether that’s for one person or for thousands.
Management Consulting was never an industry which came to mind as a platform for me to be able to accomplish this desire, however, after completing work experience at a big 4 firm as a 16-year-old, I became aware of the endless possibilities and opportunities that a career in Management Consulting presented. This experience and realisation shaped my decision to join PwC’s Management Consulting Apprenticeship scheme.
I have worked at PwC for three years now, and my specialism is in Government and Health Operations. Working alongside public sector institutions is something which I am extremely proud of, and I am delighted to say I have supported large scale complex transformational programmes which will benefit many within society.
One of the most enjoyable parts of being a consultant is seeing where in the world our clients take us. Over the past year, I have spent the majority of my time out in Saudi Arabia, supporting the many healthcare initiatives which a Middle East public health body has sponsored in line with KSA Vision 2030. Working in a completely new environment surrounded by a unique culture was a challenging experience, however it enabled me to develop my global acumen. A valuable experience which I would advise anyone to do.
Most recently, I am now in the UK working with a transport body in order to drive improvements, efficiencies and cost savings for their business. My project is based between London, York and my base office in Leeds, so I travel regularly in order to meet with key client stakeholders. Whilst there is no ‘standard day’ in consulting, some of the key activities I have led on include:
– Defining the end state and success factors for our client
– Developing milestone plans in order to plan out the journey to success
– Facilitating and leading workshops to guide decision making and best practice
– Driving the rollout of live dashboards across the organisation
– Assisting in the creation of a communication strategy to cascade key messages throughout the organisation
Outside of my client commitments, I lead the PwC North Muslim Network. With a membership of over 120 staff, spanning 4 offices, our work centres around faith, outreach, careers and social events. My faith is at the centre of who I am, and consulting is an industry where I have been able to practice this, whether this is completing my daily prayers alongside clients, or educating clients and the wider firm about culture and beliefs.
One of the biggest advantages of working in consulting is that there is such a diverse range of clients. Having spent most of my career working in Local Government and Healthcare, I am really enjoying my experience within the transport industry. The skills which can be learned from working across a range of clients is invaluable, and it also ensures my role is always interesting and challenging.
Based on my own personal experiences, I would certainly recommend a career within Consulting. The skills I have developed thus far in my career are indispensable and will no doubt act as a strong foundation for future upskilling and personal development. The opportunity to work alongside some of the most well known organisations in society, to solve complex and challenging problems, has been a real highlight for my career and is something which I will always cherish.