Nivigjan, Consultant

Tell us about your path to Roland Berger!

I was born and raised in Schweinfurt, near Würzburg, Germany, by my parents who had fled the war in Sri Lanka as refugees. After attending high school in Schweinfurt, I pursued a Bachelor's degree in Business at the University of Bamberg, which included an exchange semester at the University of South Carolina in the United States. I then continued with a Master's degree at the Rotterdam School of Management in the Netherlands, with an additional study semester in Lyon, France.

In terms of practical experience, I spent much of my early career working as a waiter in my parents' restaurant. Additionally, I gained industry and consulting experience through two internships at Bosch and Deloitte, where I worked first in Financial Advisory and later in Operational Transaction Services. I completed my interviews with Roland Berger in December 2022, while wrapping up my Master's in France, and officially began working here in April 2023.

What motivated you to be the first in your family to start studying?

My parents. As refugees from Sri Lanka, even though they had degrees, my parents found it impossible to continue their professional careers in Germany. My mother dedicated herself to raising my sister and me full-time before later working as a waitress in our family restaurant. My father took the first job he could find after receiving asylum – as a cook in an Italian restaurant in 1990 – and eventually took over the restaurant in 2008.

My parents always encouraged me, often saying, "In Germany, you have so many opportunities; it's up to you to decide what you want to do. The only thing you need is a good education." I simply followed their advice, and I am where I am today because of them.

What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?

One of my main challenges was the absence of a role model and not knowing what direction to take after completing my Abitur. I eventually found a solution to the first challenge through one of my internships, where I had the opportunity to work under an inspiring leader. Although he's not in consulting, he understands the business model, and we are still in touch.

Not having a clear idea of what I wanted to pursue was also difficult. I've always been interested in business – how companies operate, how they generate revenue, what strategies they adopt, and why some succeed more than others. Studying business, therefore, seemed like a natural choice, but I wasn't entirely certain. However, by combining my academic studies with practical experience through internships, I gradually gained clarity about my goals. Over time, I became more confident that I wanted to pursue a career in consulting, where I could work on solving complex business challenges.

What would you have liked to know earlier?

There are many paths to a career in consulting, not just through a traditional business education.

Another factor is 'target universities' – those at which consultancies are usually very present and hold regular recruiting events. I chose to study abroad in Rotterdam for my Master's, which has a highly ranked program and an excellent reputation. In retrospect, I realize that there are other universities where there are plenty of opportunities to get in contact with consultancies already during the studies.

However, it is also important to say that studying at a 'target university' is not a requirement for starting a career in consulting. Even though I wasn't able to attend any recruiting events with German consulting firms during my Master's degree, I still found my way into consulting.

What was particularly important to you as a FirstGen student during your job search/decision for an employer?

For anyone aiming to enter consulting, it's natural to seek broad exposure across industries and functions and, in turn, have longer working hours (not the typical 9-5).

However, the cultural aspect of consulting is often overlooked, even though the field is evolving rapidly. For instance, there's much more flexibility now around travel requirements, taking time off, and an increasing understanding of the importance of balancing a personal life with a demanding career. This is where Roland Berger stood out to me – both in my research and during my interview rounds. The consultants I met were especially impressive in their commitment to fostering this evolving, balanced culture, and this is what ultimately pushed me to join Roland Berger.

How was your start at Roland Berger? And how do you like it now after some time in the company?

My start at Roland Berger was well structured, beginning with a "kick-off bootcamp" where, alongside other new joiners, I learned or refreshed the essential consulting skills.

From there, I dove straight into a project and haven't looked back. Since then, I've had the opportunity to work on a variety of projects – including PMO, carve-out, M&A buy-side and sell-side due diligence, and financing concept development – across multiple industries in various team settings, with more and more responsibility for the end product coming my way.

What has been the best experience you’ve had at Roland Berger so far?

Honestly, beyond the invaluable professional experience and growing knowledge from various projects, the best part has been interacting with my colleagues. Everyone has been incredibly supportive – from my mentor to the partners during pitch preparations, as well as my project teams. Their willingness to help has made a significant difference in my experience.

What advice would you like to give to FirstGen students?

There are countless websites with information on consulting and other career paths, but personal connections and insights into how others broke into consulting or different fields are even more valuable. That's why I strongly suggest leveraging your network. Don't hesitate to reach out to people on LinkedIn or other professional platforms to ask if they'd be open to a quick chat about their career paths or the companies they work for. This personal approach can provide guidance that goes beyond what online resources offer.