Adil Lalani, Manager - Banking & Financial Markets
Adil Lalani joined the Michael Page graduate scheme in 2001, having studied English Literature at Durham University. He worked in Michael Page Legal recruiting lawyers into the media sector, initially on a permanent and then on a temporary basis. He is now based in our New York office and is responsible for managing a team recruiting compliance professionals into the finance industry.
Question: What attracted you to a career in recruitment, Michael Page in particular?
Answer: Having studied English I was lucky to have a broad range of choices for my career. Recruitment wasn't necessarily at the top of my list as a future profession but I was drawn to the opportunity, the diversity and also the culture at Michael Page. The training and the philosophy for organic growth and promotion from within were big selling points for me. No other recruitment firm that I looked at dedicated more resource and time to training its graduates and developing talent for the future. Michael Page sold itself as a company with a globally recognised brand and one that would reward success and achievement. I've definitely not been at all disappointed.
Q: What is the range of clients like that you deal with?
A: The range of clients that I currently recruit for are very broad but are focused around the banking and finance world. A lot of my clients are large global investment banks and hedge funds that are household names but I also deal with smaller institutions.
Q: What is the best part of working in another country for Michael Page?
A: The challenge of working for Michael Page in the US is fantastic. The market operates very differently here but the pace and the excitement is still the same. The type of work that I do here is a lot more developmental. Michael Page has a fantastic brand name in the US and in a country this large the opportunity for growth and success is huge. We are still a business that is growing and establishing itself and being at the forefront of that growth is a great feeling. Working here in the US does make you realise how global the Michael Page brand is. The great thing about this company is that you are never alone in what you are doing - it is a sobering thought to realise that I am liaising with colleagues in London, Hong Kong and Australia all working with the same clients!
Q: What would you like to achieve in the next 5 years?
A: Now and over the next few years my goal is to ensure that we continue our rapid growth in the US. I love life in New York and there is a lot for us still to do as an organisation in this city and country. The next step for me is to be a director within a Michael Page business. I want to continue learning and be part of the team developing new graduates, growing new disciplines and establishing new businesses.
Q: How important is it to turn challenges into opportunities here at MP? Can you give a couple of examples of when this happened?
A: Coming to the US to work in a market that I hadn't previously been familiar with was a big undertaking. I had always said that I wanted to do something different and be challenged but I don't think I realised how big the transition would be. Michael Page is all about enabling people to succeed; the support and the infrastructure are fantastic. From entering a market I didn't understand within a culture that I wasn't familiar with, I now manage a team of consultants and am an essential part of the business here in NY. In my mind this is typical of the opportunities that are everywhere within the company, as long as you are able to rise to the challenge.
