People Series – The perspective from our experienced hires

Erik and Henna are both members of our Occupiers & Capital Projects (O&CP) in London, and give their insight into joining the team as an Experienced Hire. Henna previously worked in Audit at another Big Four firm and joined in January, whilst Erik transferred from Deloitte Malta in September 2020. They are both ACA qualified.

What attracted you to Deloitte and specifically Occupiers & Capital Projects?​

E: What initially attracted me when I first joined the Occupiers & Capital Projects team (O&CP) were the projects and the ever-unique way in how they combine the commercial nature of business with Real estate, particularly when working with such high-profile clients. On top of that, O&CP has always made it a point to instil a positive culture and great vibe amongst employees whilst encouraging an inclusive and equitable work culture.

H: ‘The sky is limit’ was my first impression of Deloitte and O&CP! The variety of differing opportunities coupled with the constant learning across a vast amount of industries/propositions demonstrated the potential of both the business and service area, avoiding any limitations in personal development. And the views from the office are a bonus 😊

What is your professional background and how does that help you in your current role within Occupiers & Capital Projects?​

E: I am ACA qualified and have previous experience working in Financial Advisory and Audit. These two service lines gave me the exposure, technical knowledge, professional skills and flexibility to enable a smooth progression into the O&CP team.

H: As an ex-auditor, the world of Financial Advisory was one which I have never had a chance to experience previously and thus I was excited to explore! Having managed audits of Real Estate Investment Managers specifically, I bring my keen financial eye alongside with my project management skills to apply not just for Financial Services clients but across the board. True excel-nerd at heart…

What are some contrasts you have seen between Occupiers & Capital Projects and your previous job/firm?​

E: The nature of the work in O&CP can vary considerably from one project to another which, in my opinion, keeps things very entertaining as well as interesting! This also means that you must be flexible in your work approach and constantly be ready to keep learning and adapting, which in the context of the wider world and the ever increasing technological changes underway, will be a vital asset to any worker in the coming decades.

H: (a) The culture - O&CP promote inclusivity through a culture centred around people. Not only through personal and career development prospects, but also by rewarding hard work and promoting social interaction from welcome drinks through to gender-mixed sports teams!

(b) Consulting projects are less formulaic in structure in comparison to audits therefore encouraging flexible thinking and greater collaboration.

What is your most memorable project/client and why?​

E: I have really enjoyed working on engagements centred around helping clients to explore what the future of work looks like for them, exploring how evolving ways of working can be translated into new workplace requirements. The project provided a good blend of data analyses and stakeholder engagement, which always led to some interesting discussions (quite a hot topic at the moment!)

H: I enjoyed the PMO role undertaken in my first O&CP project - this enabled me to leverage off skills gained from my previous employment, which helped bridge the gap between Audit and Consulting; and I received amazing feedback from the client which provided me with the confidence required to ease any doubts when starting a new firm/role.

What skills and capabilities have you developed in your time at Deloitte?

E: The projects I have been involved in have given me the opportunity to engage with multiple stakeholders on a daily basis, leading client conversations and giving me the platform to develop softer skills and build lasting relationships. The Deloitte learning tools also contributed to my personal growth as they helped me develop the technical knowledge to add to the other softer skills which are so vital in such a client-driven entity.

H: In the short time I have been here, I have learnt the importance of quality delivery, something I was not previously exposed to. This skill has enabled me to develop my critical thinking and touch on my creative flare (which I can now also show off on my CV!)