Based in Houston, Senior Manager Erin Kilbride embarked on a five-month assignment in London, swapping Houston’s heat for cooler days and a new way of working. Alongside project work and global collaboration, here’s Erin’s account of how the chance to spend time with family in the UK and to explore Europe made the experience especially meaningful.
Arriving in London
Moving from the hot and humid Houston summer, where almost every day is over 90°F, to an energetic and much cooler London summer to start my 5-month assignment, was a highlight of my time at Simon-Kucher. On my first day in the UK, I went on a walk that turned into more than two hours, enjoying the walkable city and getting to explore my new neighborhood going past St. Paul’s Cathedral, Tower Bridge, and Big Ben. The only challenge was navigating the slight language barrier, as I asked for ‘garbage bags’ at the supermarket, and came to learn these are known as ‘bin bags.’
Having lived in Houston for the past ten years, I was excited to experience life in a new country and push myself outside my comfort zone. While I didn’t know anyone at first, I was quickly welcomed by my London colleagues and within a few weeks, I made friends throughout the city. Being in a place where so many people move to from other countries and with constant activity, from concerts, to exploring all the different neighborhoods London has to offer, West End shows, restaurants, and pubs, made it feel much more welcoming.
Project work experience
Several aspects of the London office culture stood out to me during my time there:
First, the size of the London office was a big change from Houston. Our Houston office has about 20 people, while the London office has more than 160 colleagues. London is also home to more teams from other divisions, including central functions and the Healthcare and Life Sciences consulting division. Being surrounded by so many colleagues created more opportunities to connect, whether through monthly town halls, sector outings to a cricket game (which I was told is a much better sport than American baseball), going to the pub after work, playing pétanque at our summer outing, or simply eating lunch together each day.
Second, there was a difference in how teams were staffed. In the U.S., we typically work with colleagues across the country under a national staffing model. In London, both of my projects were staffed with London-based consultants, where I appreciated the opportunity to be able to work together in person each day.
Finally, the international nature of the London office stood out. Across my two projects, I worked closely with eight consulting colleagues, four of whom were from four different countries. With London being such an international city and Simon-Kucher being flexible with office transfers, the culture always felt very open and welcoming. While everyone brought different perspectives, there was also a shared Simon-Kucher culture that crossed borders and made me quickly feel like part of the team.
Outside the office
Outside of work, one of the most meaningful parts of the experience was spending time with my grandma and step-grandpa, who live in Oxford, England. Before my time there, they often liked to remind me that my brother and I were their only grandchildren to not have visited their home in Oxford, a title they can no longer claim. Since they usually live an ocean away, getting to see them every few weeks and spending time in their countryside cottage was another highlight of my time in the UK.
Another highlight was taking advantage of being based in Europe. Each trip was memorable, from traveling to Barcelona, attending a wedding in France, exploring Crete’s beaches and hikes, weathering a storm in Scotland and trying haggis for the first time, and traveling to Belgium with my mom and grandma.
Takeaways from the London experience
Looking back, I’m very grateful for the opportunity to spend five months in London. I’ll always remember to push myself outside of my comfort zone, and to stay open-minded to new ways of working and different cultures.