Meet Team London: Q&A with Dawit Tafari, a London-based Senior Consultant

Q: What's your role at Lancia?

A: I am a Senior Consultant at Lancia; and part of the ESG and Mental Health & Wellbeing team.  

Q: How long have you been working for Lancia?

A: I have been working at Lancia for three years. It was my first job after graduating from University, and I have been here ever since!  

Q: What were you doing before you joined the London team?

A: I was part of the Bristol team, where I joined as one of the first graduates. Before moving, I supported a Bristol-based client with project management to integrate a newly acquired business into their own. Bristol is a lovely city, and it was great to be a part of the growth of the team over the last three years.  

Q: What excites you most about working in the London team?

A: I am excited about being one of the first employees at the new office and having the ability to help grow and shape the London office from the get-go. London is a massive city and brings the opportunity to work with exciting new clients, support new charities, and bring in some great team members.

Q: What are your favourite moments while setting up the London office?  

A: On day 1, we arrived at an empty room, popped some music on, and worked to build some flatpack office furniture. Also, when the records started arriving for our record wall, we choose a selection from the wall every Friday afternoon and play music during the afternoon.  

Q: Do you work on particular types of projects? Or do you have a specialisation?

A: I have mainly worked in Project Delivery roles across Project Management and Test management, with some time also spent doing business analysis. I am still keen to explore roles within our other disciplines. The good thing about Lancia is that we are sector agnostic and have various roles to get stuck into.  

Q: What are you most excited about for the future of Team London?

A: I am excited for the team to grow, just as it has in Bristol and Belfast, and for us to have our first London graduate intake. I have been heavily involved in our graduate recruitment efforts across Bristol and Belfast and hope to continue the effort in London.  

Q: What are your favourite parts of consultancy life?  

A: I love the variety in work and the ability to work across different industries. I have worked in big tech companies, small local charities, start-ups, and everything in between – all in three years. It keeps things interesting, meeting new people, learning about different industries, and it pushes you to work hard as each client is a big learning curve.  

The opportunity to travel is also great. I have had the chance to travel and work with colleagues in the Netherlands, USA, and across the UK.  

Q: What's the best thing about the London office?

A: It is a laidback and flexible office environment. Our office is within a creative shared workspace close to Ladbroke Grove. This gives a nice break from the corporate world. Ladbroke Grove is an excellent area for lunch meetings and a pint on Thursday.  

Q: Describe the London office vibe in 3 words

A: Fun, Collaborative, Supportive  

Q: What is it like to work with Pete?  

A: Pete is great! He is a very approachable, easy-going manager who always has time to help. He always thinks of creative/ interesting things to do to bring the team together.    

Q: What is your favourite London go-to spot?

A: Hackney Wick is a part of London I love to hang out in. It has a great selection of pubs, bars, restaurants, and a massive green space, Victoria Park, perfect for long walks. It runs alongside the canal, making it a perfect base for exploring east London along the river bank.

Want to find out how you can kick off your career at Lancia? Get started here.