Marc Weiner, Toronto

After working for two and a half years in the Toronto office of BCG, I asked if I could try working in India for a while. Like many things at BCG, when there's a will, there's a way—I joined the Mumbai office this summer and have started working and getting integrated here in India.

I wanted to come to India because I believe there is something special about India—a vastly diverse and vibrant society with great promise for the future, a balancing act between the old (traditions/roads) and the new (IT), the English language, and because BCG India is getting a global reputation for being a great place to work, with great clients and great colleagues.

I was staffed on a project on day one, and it was for a leading Indian company to investigate a very interesting growth issue. I believe BCG is one of the few companies in the world that can offer its employees the ability to work in almost any geography and can nearly guarantee it'll be interesting and staffed with world-class colleagues. Already this opportunity has broadened my personal experiences and helped me develop professionally. Simultaneously, it is mutually advantageous for BCG, as I provide a very different perspective to my Indian clients and colleagues and this gives our teams another tool to find the best solutions for our clients.

I'm really enjoying India—very nice people who have become my good friends in a short time; interesting work at BCG with terrific consultants working for leading companies in a booming economy; learning nuances around the way businesses operate or how they don't operate; and, great (but spicy) food!

Brad Henderson, Chicago

My wife and I lived and worked in Mumbai in 2006. I count my 12 months at BCG Mumbai among the most exciting of my life. We had chosen to move to India because of our interest in its ancient customs and culture, as well as the energy and dynamism that the Indian economy and society is currently experiencing. I was particularly impressed by the quality of the work and the dedication, energy, and intelligence of the BCG India staff.

I completed three fascinating projects during my time in India: business process optimization work for an international telecommunications company, a strategy case for an Indian financial exchange, and a project called the Next Billion—where we examined ways to provide telecommunications and financial services to some of the poorest segments of Indian society. The teams with which I worked tackled the questions with rigor and enthusiasm... and we had a lot of fun in the process. 

I enjoyed eating lunch each day with colleagues in the office canteen. I did my best to keep up with the cricket chat and tried to interject comments about American baseball from time to time. I loved taking time out each day to eat some Kurkure in one of the cabins and chat about plans for the weekend or debate Indian politics with friends.

One of the highlights of the year occurred when we went to Essel World. The rain had scared away the crowds and we had the park to ourselves. I also loved the office retreat in Ramoji Film City where because of my height (I'm 6'8'), I was roundly parodied by the associates, senior associates, and consultants in the officewide movie that we made there—my wife still kids me about that to this day.

Felix Stellmaszek, Atlanta

For me, it was clear from my very first moment at BCG that I would pick one of its offices in Asia to work in as an ambassador since I had already spent time on multiple projects in Europe as well as the United States. However, making the final choice was not that easy given that all of BCG’s offices in the Asian region are experiencing record growth and offer incredibly interesting as well as diverse project opportunities.

Eventually, though, India emerged as my top choice due to three reasons:

• India’s economic boom is arguably one of the main topics in today’s business world.
• Indians are highly proficient in English, which allows me to lead teams, engage in client meetings, and make friends outside of work without a translator even though I am trying to learn Hindi. 

Doug Shipman, Atlanta

The Ambassador program at BCG gives you the opportunity to choose the office you would like to work in. After much consideration, India emerged as the clear choice for several reasons. As an American, I was eager to learn about the place so talked about in business magazines and political debates, and as an English speaker I knew I'd be able to interact with a wide variety of people across the country. India provided a great opportunity to see an emerging economic power on the rise.

BCG India combines an entrepreneurial spirit with individual talent in a way that is unique to BCG given the challenges businesses in India face. India is such a developing business market—each project offers the opportunity to create entirely new ways of competing for companies willing to think in new ways and adopt new strategies. Working in India has challenged me to rethink assumptions and expand the way I view possibilities for my clients.

I know I will take back many business lessons from my experiences. More importantly, I will take back many great memories and lasting friendships made not only with my teammates, but also with clients who became friends. Whether discussing religion on a flight to Delhi, food in a car across Kerala, or cricket at a client dinner, every day at BCG India gave me a chance to learn and exchange ideas with great people.