Max

I started at Kekst CNC as a consulting intern in March 2021 and was recently promoted to an Associate. Prior to joining the firm, I graduated from the University of Rostock in Germany, where I completed an interdisciplinary law degree program. That’s where my interest in politics and public affairs began, which led me to communications consultancy, Kekst CNC in Berlin.

Communications is an interdisciplinary field, which is what I enjoy most about it. As an intern, I found that no two days were ever the same and that each task presented its own challenges. I had the pleasure of taking part in many exciting tasks: creating media coverage reports on earnings announcement days, preparing media briefings for client interviews, ad-hoc support under time pressure ahead of pitches, and workshops with clients. It’s such a dynamic field, and I got to work with a forward-thinking team filled with smart people from whom I have much to learn.

The most valuable lesson I’ve learned has been both simple and humbling: listening to your colleagues is the best way to learn. Each person has their own perspective on how to solve an issue that you may not have thought of. The best outcomes and solutions result when we hear each others' approaches and ideas.

I’m excited to take my next step as an Associate. Having more responsibility with projects and clients will be valuable to my growth. One area that I look forward to helping develop is our sports communications practice. Besides work, there’s nothing I am more passionate about than sports, so having the opportunity to incorporate that into my role is magnificent.

I would advise incoming interns to be as proactive as they can. When I started as an intern, I approached the consultants, asked them about their projects and researched information that could be useful to them. What I found is that a sense of responsibility and initiative is not only recognized, but also actively encouraged. I was able to gain insights into a range of different projects very fast and get to know many amazing colleagues.