Celebrating work anniversary - Nicklas, 15 years at BearingPoint

What keeps you excited about coming to work every day after 15 years?

After a decade and a half at BearingPoint, it can be boiled down to three core elements: People, entrepreneurial freedom and constant change.

The people we attract and especially decide to hire is truly exceptional. They're the kind of people who stand with you through challenging projects and celebrate successes together. This collective spirit of "going through thick and thin together" has become our greatest organisational asset. When you work alongside brilliant, committed professionals who truly care about both the work and each other, it stops feeling like an obligation and starts feeling like a shared mission. What makes it even more rewarding is selling complex projects that might otherwise be out of reach, because the people involved make it possible. Their dedication is why we win and why our proposals stand out. A big thank you to all of you for making this happen.

BearingPoint offers something rare in consulting, a genuine freedom (with limits) to take ownership and build a career path that aligns with your interests. This isn't a company where you follow a predetermined track limited to your own team or country; instead, you have the autonomy to identify opportunities and build expertise in areas you're passionate about. Of course, this freedom comes with responsibility. There's no ready-made roadmap handed to you (other than a progression ladder), which means you need to be proactive and self-directed. However, when you focus on initiatives that complement our existing company strengths and capabilities, you'll find the support and resources to succeed.

No two days, months, or even projects look the same here. My own journey shows this: I began with a statutory reporting course in sunny London in August 2010 (ironically, something I never worked with that again after the training), moved into configuring ETL systems and planning platforms all the time in a client-facing role. During my time as a Consultant and Senior Consultant, I traveled independently to present our solutions and engage directly with customers in a pre-sales role. This period really strengthened my sales skills, which were built more on expertise and credibility than on a traditional tech-sales approach. I then moved on to lead our planning sub-team while remaining very hands-on i.e. contributing to one of the largest mergers in Finnish industry history by developing a reporting and planning platform, and serving as program lead for Finland’s largest public sector transformation, where I was responsible for the county-wide planning and reporting stream. Today, I lead our largest competency team: a performance management team of over 30 professionals. Today, my focus spans ensuring optimal staffing, driving consistent sales growth, and strategic team development which has included setting up our a performance management team in Sweden and Denmark. This continuous evolution keeps the work fresh and challenging.

How has the company supported you through different stages of your career and life?

While "work-life balance" might sound like buzzwords that doesn't exist in fast-phased consulting. I've certainly had my share of demanding projects and late nights, which is the nature of consulting. But the difference at BearingPoint is that you’re never left to carry it all alone. Whenever I’ve needed help, support has been there, whether from leadership or peers, there's always been someone willing to step in when the workload becomes overwhelming. That safety net makes it possible to take on challenging assignments with confidence.

The company has also been flexible as my priorities have changed over time. They’ve allowed me to adapt my career path as both my own goals and business needs have evolved, which has been key in keeping me motivated and balanced.

What are some of the biggest changes you've seen at BearingPoint over the past 15 years?

Evolution around work-life balance: Perhaps the most significant transformation has been seen in the approach to work intensity and employee wellbeing. In the past, pulling an all-nighter was often regarded as a badge of honor. Today, the professional environment has shifted toward a far more compassionate understanding of productivity and performance. This change is not solely the result of generational preferences (though they play a role). Increasing recognition has emerged that exhausted later (or early) hours rarely produce the best thinking or highest-quality deliverables. It is now widely understood that sustainable performance and long-term success depend on preserving people’s health and energy, not depleting them.

Adaptation to market changes: The business environment we operate in has undergone rapid transformation, and BearingPoint has consistently demonstrated its ability to evolve alongside these changes. Whether it's new technologies, shifting client expectations, regulatory changes, or market disruptions, the company has maintained its relevance and competitive edge by staying ahead of curves rather than merely responding to them. This adaptability has been crucial not just for business success, but for keeping the work intellectually stimulating and professionally rewarding.

 

Nicklas Englund
Director, Enterprise performance management