Ask Joël Theisen what makes a career in consulting so compelling and he’ll tell you a number of things; perhaps first and foremost it’s about the challenge.
Joël currently works as a Manager with zeb consulting, one of Europe’s leading financial services consultancies. He’s been working there since 2018, following stints working with some major players in banking and consultancy in Europe . A major drawcard for him was the chance to explore a huge variety of challenges working for zeb: a plethora of areas of specialism, from which he gained exposure and knowledge around numerous topics and clients.
“In banking, like many other industries, there’s always the risk that your career can become repetitive and that the challenges start to dry up,” says Joël. “And I’m very motivated by change and diversity in the work that I do. zeb was an excellent fit for me, because working here you get real exposure to lots of different areas within financial services; from regulatory to finance and risk, from IT and strategy to risk modelling… within our organisation we’re doing it all. We say to our clients: whatever issue you have, there’s someone that can help you.”
Working at zeb is a way to keep things permanently “interesting,” says Joël, while providing employees with that all-important broader take on the issues and challenges within the sector. Then there’s the entrepreneurial culture which, as a CEMSie, he finds compelling.
Joël joined the company’s Luxembourg HQ in 2018 to support the capsule team that build the office and to assist its growth. Being in situ, at the time of inception, and having the responsibility and the flexibility to develop the new business and help shape its culture spoke clearly to his appetite for challenges. He also fully appreciates what he calls the “openness” of the organisation, which he likens to that of a university.
“zeb itself grew from a small university spin-off focused on bank controlling. Today we’re a pan-European consultancy offering services across a breadth of areas. And I think we’ve really retained that university or learning culture,” says Joël. “We’ve built an open culture here that is grounded in knowledge sharing, and a certain flattening of hierarchical structures that keeps things interesting.”
While projects have “leaders” with overall responsibility for their success or failure, there is a strong culture of equity and sharing where everyone has a “voice,” he says; and employees are encouraged—and encourage each other—to take on new challenges and “do things.”
As such, he adds, people are happy at zeb and retention rates are exceptionally high.
“When you start with the company, you take on a number of projects in different areas, so there’s a kind of experimenting and a great deal of exposure that really helps you determine the areas you like best and where you’d prefer to specialise over time. Of course, all of this is driven by an openness and a culture of support, teamwork and argumentation.”
At zeb, every voice is counted, says Joël. Leadership structure is highly linked to projects, he explains, with overall project managers shouldering the responsibilities around teamwork and alignment and outcomes.
From his own experience as a manager, there are three dimensions to this kind of leadership that he has come to appreciate.
“I think the first piece is about stepping up to that sense of responsibility. At zeb, this is about taking ownership of a project and really leading others by example. It’s about having that capacity to own it if things go wrong or there’s a problem—and that takes guts and character, because often people will want to avoid that kind of responsibility.”
Then there’s having the wherewithal to build commitment and energy from other team members to keep momentum going. Something that he himself prioritises is integrating workflow with social and cultural events as a team leader; ensuring that the people he works with interact in ways that are not “just about the work.”
Making all of this work is ultimately about empowering others.
It’s about coaching those around you and giving everyone a chance to contribute and to feel that their contribution is valued. Everyone has different backgrounds, skills or knowledge, so it’s about making sure they are heard and empowered.”
Something that zeb is highly focused on in this sense, is ensuring that women in the workforce are encouraged and supported, he says. Women remain underrepresented in general in banking and financial services, and the organisation prioritises initiatives to attract and retain female talent. This includes a well organised internal women’s network which routinely invites in external speakers, and allows them to exchange on challenges and opportunities as women in consulting.
“We want more women and we’re being proactive about it. Our aim is to reach a female quota of 27% by 2027 and we’re being really purposeful about making the workplace and culture as flexible and accommodating as possible for all of our employees,” says Joël.
zeb is an “enriching” place to work and to learn, he adds, for anyone interested in pursuing a career in consulting and finance. It offers a learning curve that is never-ending, he says, with a real diversity of clients, sectors, and areas of focus. For CEMSies, the opportunities are manifold: the learning culture, exposure and diversity being very akin to the CEMS experience itself.
“One of the things I most value about CEMS is the chance to become a responsible international citizen. As a student, I learned very fast that me and my country were not the centre of the world, and that our world is a hugely diverse and complex place,” says Joël. “And I think this cultural sensitivity and the awareness you get as a CEMSie provide a great basis for a career somewhere like zeb where we prize having an open mind and perspective.”
Indeed, keeping an open mind is a core requisite for any young person looking to kickstart their career today, he believes.
“I think it’s key to have some kind of vision—to have a target or goal in mind when you’re young and just starting out. But it’s just as key to be flexible and to understand that life can be unpredictable and can take you in all kinds of directions.
“My advice for younger people is to make the very most from their education. If you’re a CEMsie, really try to profit from the workshops, the conferences and the networking opportunities that are open to you. Be clear about what you want—and don’t want—to do in your life. But keep an open mind!”
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The CEMS Corporate Insights is a series of interviews that aims to highlight the diverse career paths CEMS senior alumni have embarked on at the CEMS Corporate Partners. Interviews focus on various aspects of life, including their work journey but also reflection on leadership, globalisation, finding the right path and their takeaways from their CEMS experience.
You can find previous interviews on cems.org or on the CEMS Career Center.
