People Series – Krystal Cao

Welcome to the People Series blog, Krystal! Could you please tell us a little about your background and career to date?

Since I was very young, I have enjoyed working as part of a team, and I have always enjoyed developing concepts into real, tangible outputs, which is what attracted me to engineering. I left my home country at the age of 20 to follow my passion and studied both in the United Kingdom and the United States to achieve my master’s degree in engineering. I started my career as a structural engineer specialising in building structure design. I worked on many interesting projects, including three high-end residential buildings in London where I acted as the structure design lead.

I joined Deloitte in January 2022, which opened a new chapter of my career. I am now leveraging my understanding of construction, project management, and my specialty in data analysis to bring value to Real Asset Advisory, working on both private and public sector projects.

What attracted you to come and work at Deloitte Real Assets Advisory?

Three things come to mind.

Firstly, the clients. As a leading advisory services provider, I knew there was a high chance that I would be working on projects with high-profile clients. It is really fulfilling to work with clients who are regularly in the news and are household names.

Secondly, the dynamic environment. Each project is a new, steep learning curve at this point in my career, and although I have just joined the firm, I have already worked on three very different projects, all of which I have enjoyed.

And thirdly, I must mention the people. I am surrounded by talented people from all sorts of different backgrounds, including auditors, quantity surveyors, engineers, and real estate professionals, to name a few. I have gained so much from working with this diverse set of colleagues, not only about gaining professional knowledge but also from adapting their ways of thinking and their passion and drive to set a high standard in the work they do.

I understand since joining the team you have had your first child. Congratulations! How did you find this experience as a new joiner?

This was a unique experience, and I felt very welcomed by the team as a new joiner. Several colleagues reached out to me, giving me introductions about the team, the work we do, and how to navigate around the office. Before I went on maternity leave, I was able to work from home for most of the time, which saved me from having to commute into the city at rush hour!

How have you found the experience of returning to work as a new mum? What support have you received?

The experience has been challenging as well as rewarding. Being a working parent is never easy. However, I feel very well supported by my colleagues, and my team leaders have also offered flexible working hours for me. Deloitte has a transition program designed specifically for employees who have just started their parental journey, which helped me prepare for my return to work after maternity leave.

Deloitte has partnered with Work+Family Space, which is another useful resource for parents and carers, offering help, advice, and support. I have really appreciated the agile working environment at Deloitte and have never felt like my ability has been put into question when I need to change my working hours to suit my home life, as the firm trusts me to deliver great work to my clients.