Alessandro Massa’s first career passion was finance and economics, and he spent more than 10 years working in financial services. “Finance and economics have a big influence on global trends,” he says. “If you understand those two areas, you can also understand where the world is going to a certain degree.”

After starting his consulting career at Kearney after he graduated, Alessandro went on to gain a variety of experiences in the financial industry. He rejoined the firm in the Middle East region almost 12 years ago. This move to the Middle East gave him a new perspective. “In this region, governments are the main engine behind economic and social development; they somehow play the role of the financial sector in developed economies,” he says. “The focus of our clients in the public sector is on creating growth opportunities for future generations. There’s a relevant social aspect to what I do, and I love that.”

With more than 20 years of consulting and industry experience, Alessandro currently helps public- and private-sector companies manage a broad range of transformations. He also specializes in working with Middle East government bodies on economic development and human capital strategies to deliver on ambitious national visions. For example, as part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, he has helped define the country’s human capital development strategy and is leading several initiatives to make a positive impact on people’s lives and society as a whole.

As part of a series of education system reforms, he has helped GCC governments deliver initiatives to improve the quality of education and training to modernize curricula and leverage technology. He has also led several programs to create employment opportunities for national and foreign citizens as part of government efforts to reform the labor market.

Working at Kearney has given Alessandro the freedom to forge his own path. “I can totally be myself here. I’m able to shape my future. I’m not following a route designed by somebody else.”

At the end of the day, he says consulting is all about sticking to the basics. “Really, what we’re here to do is try to understand and fix someone’s problems. We put our clients in the middle, we focus on finding solutions, and we have to make sure what we recommend can be done in the most understandable and practical way.”