Our people: Michael

Do you remember what your dream job was when you were a child? Tell us about it.

As a child I wanted to become a TV presenter for sport events. I like the idea of bringing joy to people by telling them about something they are passionate about. I ultimately did not pursue this further as I studied business and got more interested in applying my studies in the real world.

Now tell us about your job at KPMG. What do you do?

I am a manager in the Assurance Technology Group, supporting our clients in identifying and improving IT and business processes. We analyze our client’s data using data analytical technologies to uncover insights that they are not aware of.

In a sense I realized my dream job as I am presenting to people what they are passionate about.

How have you developed personally and professionally during your time at KPMG?

I joined KPMG in 2011 and have been promoted four times since. Throughout the years, I have reached out regularly to my peers and leaders to collect feedback. This has certainly helped me learn from my failures, improve my communication and time management skills and develop my digital and soft skills. I also made a lot of valuable connections and build my personal network. I have further educated myself by attending leadership seminars and getting certified in project management and IT service management (ITIL).

What is your personal "dare to" moment?

We work in a very international environment, both internally across our various member firms as well as with our clients. In any presentation, or team meeting, it is important to adapt to local cultures and individuals. I have been able to adapt and effectively presented to senior management and very different cultures. Even though sometimes it can be overwhelming, it was always rewarding afterwards.

Is there a specific highlight that you would like to share with us?

Managing to solve a difficult challenge and being able to celebrate the success with my team is a highlight every time we achieve it.