Why we strive for diversity

Ronak Joshi discusses his experience as a Senior Analyst at CIL, how we approach D&I and our partnership with upReach.

Why do you think fostering a culture of D&I is important?

Working with a diverse group of people has a significant impact not only on the quality of the work you produce, but on your life as a whole. Working alongside people with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences allows for enhanced growth, understanding and learning from each other. Diversity encourages the generation of more creative ideas, drawing from different ways of thinking and previous experiences. When diversity is lacking, breadth in creativity and harmony is diminished, negatively impacting work output.

How does CIL support D&I and what initiatives does it run?

CIL is passionate about fostering a culture of D&I within the firm, with initiatives led by everyone from the Partner level through to Analysts. One initiative I am particularly proud of is the D&I insight days, where we invite potential hires from a diverse range of backgrounds to discuss the world of consulting. These sessions aim to provide a better understanding of how the industry works, provide interview tips, and allow for any questions to be answered to educate and empower those who may not have the same advantages as others when applying for jobs in consulting.

We also run internal events to bring about awareness within CIL. Our D&I breakfasts are a great chance for CILers to hear from and speak with a diverse group of people within the industry. Our Women in Consulting sessions highlight the experiences that many women face when building their career in what has been a quite male dominated industry. It is important for everyone at CIL to hear these stories and learn from them.

How does CIL work with upReach?

upReach is a charity that helps boost social mobility. We support them by providing a forum where upReach Associates (students from underrepresented/lower socioeconomic backgrounds) can engage with CILers and we can offer advice and information on the world of consulting, such as CV and interview tips. The idea is to provide an opportunity to network with consultants and give an understanding of what we do. We also attend in-person sessions to talk to upReach Associates and give them an insight into the day-to-day life of a consultant.

CIL has an exclusive internship programme for upReach Associates. This experience, prior to starting a job in consulting, is so important to build understanding and core skills – and often it is not an option for students.

Why is it important for CIL to have a close relationship with upReach?

At CIL, we believe it is important for all companies to support organisations like upReach in sharing their experiences and opportunities.

The endgame isn’t just for CIL to recruit more people into consulting – we are also helping those wanting to start their career in something completely different and offering our advice and support where we can. Our relationship with the charity helps us target the issues surrounding social mobility and use what we have learned to make the necessary changes to make a difference.

When did you start at CIL?

I started at CIL in 2019, following an engineering degree at University of Warwick and a year travelling. Following the initial lockdown period from COVID-19, there was a wave of activity within the private equity market allowing analysts such as myself to gain a lot of experience in a short space of time. We all took on an increasing amount of responsibility in line with the growth of deal activity in the market. This experience was invaluable in helping to develop all the necessary skills and tools I would need in my next step as Senior Analyst.

How does the Senior Analyst role differ from the Analyst position?

As an Analyst at CIL, you spend a lot of time developing your “Analyst toolkit” which includes learning how to perform all the core parts of the role to a high standard. This includes refining your Excel abilities, building up your commercial awareness, improving critical thinking skills and so on. The Analyst role is all about helping you to gain the experience and knowledge to take your consulting career further.

In the Senior Analyst role, you build upon your Analyst toolkit further by becoming more involved in key client and management team discussions. You take on more responsibility within the overall delivery of the project, which includes directly managing people and project streams. This role provides plenty of opportunities to learn and I find being more directly involved in key business strategies really exciting.

You can find out more about upReach and the work they do on the UpReach website.