Few promotions in corporate America are as competitive as making partner at McKinsey & Company.
Last November, the global consulting firm announced one of its smallest partner classes in recent years: 224 new partners — well below 2022, when 400 consultants made partner during the pandemic-era consulting boom.
The newest class of partners comes from more than 65 cities across 45 countries, stretching from Chile to Japan. Collectively, they speak more than 40 languages and bring expertise across nearly 20 sectors and business functions, a representative for the firm told Business Insider.
Four partners from the firm’s latest class shared their best advice with Business Insider on how they climbed the ranks, reflecting on the mistakes they made, the relationships they built — including finding the senior sponsors who helped them advance — and the opportunities they seized along the way.
All responses were shared by email and have been edited and condensed for clarity.
Paul Beaumont, 34
McKinsey & Company
Beaumont is based in Singapore and has been at McKinsey for just over eight-and-a-half years. As a leader of QuantumBlack, the firm’s AI arm, he helps lead the firm’s data science and technical teams across Southeast Asia. He holds a Ph.D. in computer science and mathematics from Imperial College London.
How did you distinguish yourself to get promoted?
I focused on doing a few things consistently well rather than trying to do everything. I leaned into my strengths — especially at the intersection of analytics, technology, and human judgment — to make my contributions clearly valuable to clients. I also invested deeply in people, taking the time to understand what motivated team members, support their careers, and create environments where they could do their best work.
What changed in your behavior or performance as you climbed the ranks to make partner?
The biggest shift was moving from being good at my own work to making first a few, then many, other people successful. As I progressed, I became more intentional about building teams and creating impact for clients beyond any single project. In practice, that meant spending more time coaching than doing the work myself, and being explicit about sharing context and the “why” so I could step back and let others step up.
What metrics or signals told you that you were on track for partner?
One clear signal was when feedback shifted from what I was delivering to the impact I was having on the system. Senior colleagues began commenting on the teams I was building and the leaders I was developing. One piece of feedback that stuck with me was, “You’re starting to leave things better than you found them — even after you’ve moved on.” It reframed success: not being indispensable on a project, but being replaceable because I’d built something self-sustaining.
What’s your non-negotiable indulgence?
Living in Singapore, I’m fortunate to have a view of Marina Bay. My one non-negotiable with work travel is being home for major celebrations so I can spend time with my partner and catch the fireworks. We just celebrated Lunar New Year — lots of good food and an impressive amount of fireworks lighting up the bay. It’s one of those moments that makes it worth planning around.
Jen Malandra, 37
McKinsey & Company
Boston-based Malandra, who will mark eight years at the firm this summer, previously served eight years in the Navy before transitioning to consulting. She now focuses on operational transformation, helping clients scale production and redesign manufacturing systems.
Who were your most important senior sponsors, and how did you build those relationships?
In my experience, sponsors don’t come from networking alone — they form when someone sees your authentic passion in action and wants to build alongside you.
Early on, I worked with a manufacturing client aiming to grow organically by producing more with the same lines and workforce. I became deeply invested in training the entire workforce — from frontline operators to plant leadership — to identify opportunities for improvement and lead a transformation owned from the floor up, not imposed from above. I threw myself into designing and delivering those trainings and loved being on the floor helping workers see their impact differently.
A senior leader noticed that energy and asked me to partner with him on similar client work and later on internal initiatives. His support lasted for years, and he was one of the first people I called when I was elected.
As I’ve progressed, I’ve tried to model that same approach with those I sponsor. I believe the number of people who want to be on my team matters just as much as the number of leaders who want me on theirs.
What changed in your behavior or performance as you climbed the ranks to make partner?
One of the most valuable lessons I’ve applied throughout my career is the 80-20 principle, which McKinsey teaches incoming consultants: focus on the 20% of efforts that drive 80% of the impact.
As I progressed — and became a parent — I used it not just to deliver results for clients, but to prioritize my time and energy more broadly. It helped me focus on what mattered most, professionally and personally, and be more intentional about empowering others and creating an environment where they could thrive.
What metrics or signals told you that you were on track for partner versus just being a high performer?
I’ve been fortunate to work with senior leaders who invested in my development. A clear signal I was on the right track was the growing trust they placed in me. I remember when a senior partner invited me to join a client offsite to discuss strategy changes; what began as a chance to contribute quickly became an opportunity to lead the work. That moment was pivotal — it showed me they saw me as someone ready to take on more responsibility and deliver impact.
What’s your non-negotiable indulgence?
Friday night pizza with my family. After a busy workweek, there’s nothing better than sitting around the table with my husband and children, sharing stories, laughing, and just enjoying each other’s company. It’s a tradition that keeps me grounded and reminds me of what’s most important.
Witold Wdziekonski, 41
McKinsey & Company
Wdziekonski, who is based in Colorado, has been with the firm for 18 years. He focuses on financial planning and analysis — a non-client-facing role — helping guide how the firm allocates resources, invests for growth, and enables innovation, including the firm’s latest moves toward AI-enabled transformation.
Who were your most important senior sponsors, and how did you build those relationships?
On my path to becoming a partner in financial planning and analysis, a non-client-facing role, a former McKinsey CFO was a key sponsor. We first worked together in 2020, navigating COVID and how to support clients, and later in 2022 and 2023 on rebuilding our performance reporting system. Those intense “in the trenches” moments built the trust that made the relationship truly special.
What changed in your behavior or performance as you climbed the ranks to make partner?
For me, it was about prioritization and building the right next generation of finance leaders. As my scope expanded, I needed the right team around me; otherwise, we’d struggle operationally and have no capacity for the non-urgent. Putting that team in place allowed me to focus on the important — not just the urgent — and devote more energy to strategic decision-making alongside operational work.
How did you distinguish yourself to get promoted?
I lean in disproportionately when something is truly important and mission-critical. During moments like the COVID-19 pandemic or supply chain disruptions, I saw opportunities to shape responses that would meaningfully impact the firm’s performance in the moment and for years to come. Those efforts weren’t in any formal job description, but I invested much of my energy in these global, cross-functional priorities.
What’s your non-negotiable indulgence?
A daily walk with my wife and our dog. It’s good for my physical health, but it also grounds me and makes me a better human being in all my interactions with my family, friends, and colleagues.
Franziska Kraken, 33
McKinsey & Company
Based in Cologne, Germany, Kraken has been with the firm for nine years, rising through the ranks after starting as an intern in 2015.
She works with insurers across Europe and Japan to help them grow during times of disruption. She specializes in large-scale transformations, helping clients improve claims, underwriting, and customer engagement by leveraging AI and analytics to streamline processes and make them more transparent.
If someone is three years behind you, what would you tell them to focus on to build their case for partner?
Find your home, find the people you like to work with, and find clients where you feel you can have a real impact. And don’t lose the fun. McKinsey is more of a marathon than a sprint, and enjoying what you do matters.
How did you distinguish yourself to get promoted?
I had mostly worked with a single client. While that gave me deep knowledge of that organization, a conversation with my sponsor pushed me to think more deliberately about expanding my sphere of influence. I began focusing on understanding the broader market and gaining exposure to more clients, while also being more intentional about the teams and people I worked with and building those relationships over time.
What metrics or signals told you that you were on track for partner versus just being a high performer?
Shortly after my promotion to engagement manager, a sponsor suggested we discuss how I could become a partner within 3 or 4 years. I hadn’t expected that conversation — especially with another promotion still ahead — but it was the clearest signal that people were actively investing in my development and thinking about my next steps. It was surprising, since I felt far from being elected partner, but it was also a wake-up call.
What’s your non-negotiable indulgence?
I really try to protect my weekends and focus on my personal life, spending time with friends and family, with my boyfriend, and preserving time for myself.
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