Arno Alarcon
Former interviewer at McKinsey, specialized in mid-career candidates
Studied at MIT Sloan
Worked at McKinsey & Company
Successful clients at
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Arno's Offerings
Custom hourly · $150/hr
Get help with Behavioral Interview Prep, Case Interview Prep, and .
Arno’s Management Consulting Qualifications
Experience level: Consultant
Arno has helped clients get into these companies:
If you are considering moving to consulting mid-career, let's talk. I can help you ace the interview and also to consider how consulting fits into your career (in my own case, consulting helped me bridge between manufacturing operations to tech) I was an engineer who had never heard of McKinsey until I was in my mid 20s working in manufacturing. A year later, I left my job to join McKinsey's Operations Practice. While at McKinsey I was an interviewer, so I know the interviewing process, what works and what doesn't, having been through it with countless candidates. I also mentored and coached prospects as they considered joining.
Arno can help with:
Behavioral Interview Prep
Case Interview Prep
Case Math
General Exploration
About Arno
I made the leap from factory engineer to McKinsey consultant. I had a wonderful and formative time there, before pivoting to tech and working freelance. Even today, I look back at that time as a highlight of my career. One of my favorite aspects of consulting was capability-building, both for my clients and for incoming consultants. I saw from the inside how candidates made it in, or didn't: I was an interviewer and sat in the room when candidates were assessed. I also served as a coach in a formal cultivation and coaching program for mid-career operations candidates in EMEA. If you work with me, we will jump directly into a mock interview - no BS, no fluff, just a real interview to give you the practice and feedback you need. In rare cases, where a candidate especially struggles, I will discontinue the mock interview partway through, to get into constructive coaching and redo some key aspects. Otherwise, our hour together will be an accurate preview of the real interview. That's also why I don't do intro calls (after all, your real interviewer won't give you a courtesy intro call in advance...)
Why do I coach?
My time at McKinsey impressed upon me the power of mentorship and coaching. I benefited greatly from mentors while there to become the person and professional I am today. Now coaching is a way for me to reconnect with my own growth story, and I take great inspiration from my clients who are hard-working and rising in their careers, I benefited
Work Experience
Independent Consultant
Independent Consultant
January 2020 - Present
Arno is an operations leader who helps technology businesses evolve by serving in roles such as COO, advisor, or board member. Engagements include: - Startup board member - Director of Operations - External Advisor - Selection committee for corporate startup incubator Board Governance, New Venture Development and +1 skill
Strategy Operations Manager
Rakuten
August 2018 - January 2020
Rakuten's Data Science Business is a growth-stage startup within a large technology conglomerate. Reporting to the CFO & COO of the Data Science Business, I: • Built finance function from the ground up, hiring and leading team while growing annual budget from $45M to $140M over three financial years • Redefined Rakuten data science strategy and key metrics • Led weekly reporting to Rakuten Group CEO on key financials and KPIs Objectives and Key Results (OKRs), Strategy and +4 skills
Principal, Office of the CEO
Rakuten
October 2016 - July 2018
• Lobbied CEO for and launched operational transformation in domestic e-commerce business (seconded to E-commerce business for this purpose) • Led feasibility study of new e-commerce service • Developed framework for long-term e-commerce strategy (1st party / marketplace hybrid) Organizational Effectiveness, Strategy and +3 skills
Associate
McKinsey & Company
October 2010 - May 2014
• Led teams of junior consultants and client staff, working side-by-side with them on customer service transformations, lean operations, and supply chain design in retail, financial services, and manufacturing across three continents • Typical sustained transformation impact: >30% productivity increase, >20% uplift to CSAT scores • Co-led project to completely revamp and rewrite training content for McKinsey's OEP (Operations Excellence Program) • Promoted to Operations Practice Specialist in January 2013 after graduating from OEP Management Consulting, Service Operations and +5 skills
Process Engineer
Italcementi
January 2009 - October 2010
• Achieved run-rate savings of ca. $20M/year across five factories in Europe through lean transformation, with most initiatives requiring 0 CAPEX Manufacturing, Process Improvement and +2 skills
Production Engineer
Italcementi
July 2006 - December 2008
• Managed production department for San Juan factory. >20 direct reports (engineers, technicians, unionized, and contractors) • Responsible for annual production volume of over $60M USD Manufacturing, Production Management and +3 skills
Education
MIT Sloan
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Awarded Dean’s Fellowship for $60,000
Politecnico di Milano
Master's degree, Management and Production of Building Materials (Completed 1st level)
Completed 1st level of a master's degree of the Polytechnic University of Milan, open by invitation to selected engineers of Italcementi Group.
Lafayette College
Bachelors of Science, Mechanical Engineering
3 Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
Arno has helped clients get into these companies: