unspun chats with Berkeley consultant Jonathan Kennedy about his career, life in the USA and memories of weekend relaxation.
First question, Jonathan, how did you get into consultancy?
After completing an engineering degree at Edinburgh University, I knew I wanted a business-focused career. Unsure what exactly, I moved to London to work at a large accounting firm, qualified as a chartered accountant three years later and moved into their consulting practice – attracted by the variety of cutting edge work.
…and your early career?
Working for a large organisation gave me the opportunity to travel and work abroad. I spent three years working in the USA, most of which was as a project manager on a major enterprise resource planning programme for an engineering and construction company.
After ten years, I felt pigeonholed by repetitive assignments and was tired of constantly being away from home. Berkeley offered a greater variety of work, plus the chance to spend more of my time in and around London.
Since you joined Berkeley in 2004, what projects have you worked on?
I spent my first two years working with a global energy company on two very different initiatives. The business had an ambitious change agenda: I helped the client to build their internal project and programme management capability to deliver it – a challenging and fulfilling job.
My second role was quite different. Berkeley was asked to bring focus and drive to a global risk management programme that had a difficult history. I worked with the client to generate momentum, and to grow an internal team. After a year in the role, I handed over the reins to an internal project manager.
Early this year, I conducted an organisational review for a fund manager, another interesting project but in a very different industry. More recently, I completed a short stint at a retail client, helping to plan and mobilise a financial systems project.
How about a life-changing experience? In or out of work…
Moving to America. Two weeks before leaving the UK, expecting to be based at a regional office outside Philadelphia, I found out that I could choose to base myself anywhere in the USA.
I decided on the ‘Big Apple’, and arrived in Manhattan alone and facing the challenge of building a life in America. It was difficult to leave London but living in the USA was one of the most enriching experiences of my life. I made life-long friends and took major strides professionally.
…how about an example of changed expectations?
Up until the age of 30, I had refused to go out in the snow – I hated it! But then I moved to San Francisco. Living only three hours away from the slopes, most of my friends and colleagues were seriously into winter sports and forced me kicking and screaming to try snowboarding. I was hooked (surprise) and now plan many of my holidays around snowboarding.
unspun has discovered that you recently moved house – do you enjoy DIY?
No way! Our new house is great but that ‘Changing Rooms’ programme has a lot to answer for – it needs completely redecorating. I’m outsourcing this to my father-in-law and some third parties.
So how do you relax?
I’m a big rugby fan. I used to play quite seriously at university, and for a number of club sides. I still follow the game closely, and support my hometown club, Ulster. I travel back to Belfast occasionally to see them play. I also play golf enthusiastically – but badly. But priorities have recently changed with the birth of our first child, Kathryn, on 4 July (my American friends tell me the entire country celebrated with fireworks and parades!) – so far I’m really enjoying being a dad, but it’s not helping my handicap...
Thanks for your time Jonathan.