Why Jamie’s Consulting Career is Going Places
Saying that Singapore-born Jamie Yeo ‘is open to new experiences and loves to travel’ is something of an understatement.
Normally based at DHL Consulting’s office in Singapore, Jamie is currently on a two-year exchange to DHLC’s Bonn headquarters — and determined to see as much of Europe as possible. “I'm trying to visit every European country at least once while I’m here, and have visited about 20 so far!” she says. “Plus I’ve just come back from a month-long holiday in the Balkans which involved travel to five different countries.”
That’s a hugely impressive tally, particularly because Jamie has only been living in Bonn for seven months. But she clearly likes adventure, enjoys a challenge and wants to make every moment count — characteristics that have also informed her young career as a consultant. “This is a job where I'm challenged every day,” she explains. “It can get really hectic at times, but I love it. I think all consultants enjoy this type of fast-paced environment. It’s in our DNA.”
Prior to joining DHL Consulting, Jamie studied a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Systems at Singapore Management University, majoring in smart city management and technology. She then completed a second major in operation management analytics “as a way of trying to steer out of IT — which I’d realized wasn’t going to be a focus for me — and into the business domain.”
Part of her studies included learning about supply chains. “During that time I went to a networking event and met some people from DHL Consulting,” remembers Jamie. “They told me all about the company which I found really interesting so, in my last year of university, I decided to apply.” She was successful and joined DHL Consulting’s Singapore office in July 2021. It was her first job after graduating and the start of her consulting career.
Jamie temporarily transferred to the Bonn office in January of this year, and sees the whole experience as a chance to grow professionally and personally. And to travel, of course…
You moved from Singapore to Germany at the start of the year. How are you finding it?
It’s so good. Actually, the first project I ever did for DHLC — when I started at the company two years ago — was at the Bonn head office. In 2021, I was sent from Singapore to Germany on a three-month exchange, and into an environment which was so different from the one I was used to.
In what ways?
DHLC’s Bonn office is much larger than the office in Singapore. Also, we have people from all over the world working here. It was a bit overwhelming at first, but I knew it was a huge learning opportunity for me from a career perspective, and from the perspective of realizing my own personal goals. The following year, I got to go to Bonn again — and I enjoyed it so much. I will say that living in Germany is very different from visiting for a short while, as there are various administrative issues to take care of. But DHLC provides help and advice with that.
How similar is the work you do for DHL Consulting in Singapore and DHL Consulting in Bonn?
In the Singapore office, our projects tend to be more supply chain-oriented, and we do work with external clients sometimes. In the Bonn office, we’re focused on internal clients — in other words the business units of DHL. But both involve working closely with clients and delivering results.
What do you enjoy about consulting?
It’s a great environment for professional and personal learning and growth. At DHLC, there’s a lot of emphasis on upskilling consultants with constant training opportunities. For example, I have focused on improving my communication and presentational skills, and learning how to positively influence and persuade clients.
Why is diversity important to a business?
Diversity helps people feel included. And when people feel included — that they belong in a workplace — they will perform better. Almost half the team at DHLC’s Bonn office are non-German. But wherever they are from, every single colleague here is open to meeting new people and understanding new cultures.
That made it much easier for me to assimilate into a new environment. It meant that I could reach out to anyone to ask for assistance or advice on moving to, and living in, Germany.
How does DHLC empower its female colleagues?
There are a number of initiatives dedicated to bringing more women into the company, such as our Elevate internship which is aimed exclusively at women. There are also female-specific recruitment events. Plus, we have many female project managers, associate partners — and a female CEO! It makes me want to emulate them and the way they have created successful careers for themselves within the business.
Where does your love of travel come from?
Honestly, visiting the DHLC office in Bonn was a life-changing moment for me. It’s not an exaggeration to say that it caused a paradigm shift in how I see the world — plus it was the time of the COVID pandemic which made me realize how fragile life can be. Essentially, there I was in Germany working with and meeting people from all nationalities and backgrounds, and I really liked it. I suppose I’d been in Singapore for so long that it was a chance to see more of the world. Now Europe is more accessible to me, so I’ve been trying to travel to nearby countries most weekends over the summer.
Of all the countries you have visited so far, what has been your favourite?
In Europe, I love the landscape of Switzerland — but I also love the food, the people and the general vibe in Italy. I’ve also traveled to a few countries further afield. Last year I went to North Africa and visited Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia. Ooh, and I went to Turkey and Jordan as well!
DHLC actively recruits people of all backgrounds, nationalities and personalities. We always work in teams, so we have to be open to new ideas — things we might not have considered if we all thought the same way — in order to work well together and deliver the best results for the client.
Be You: Read more stories from the women at DHL Consulting.
