Hi everyone, we’re Ruijie, Principal, and Reo, Senior Consultant, from the Tokyo office in Japan. Through the Roland Berger GoGlobal program, we both had the opportunity to spend several months working in Germany and across Europe. GoGlobal is Roland Berger’s international transfer program, which gives colleagues the opportunity to work in another office.

For us, going global meant much more than simply changing offices for a while. It gave us the chance to work with new teams, experience different ways of collaborating, expand our international networks, and see first-hand what cross-border consulting can look like.

Why we joined the program

We both saw the program as an opportunity to grow professionally and personally.

Ruijie: One of my main motivations was the opportunity to work in a fully English-speaking environment, expand my global network, and learn from colleagues in a different market. During my time in Germany, I particularly enjoyed leading international workshops where colleagues from different regions came together to solve complex business challenges.

Reo: Munich was especially attractive to me because it is Roland Berger’s headquarters. I saw the transfer as a chance to build relationships across the organization and gain broader exposure to international projects.

Working across borders

During our time in Europe, we contributed to a range of international projects across different topics.

Reo: I worked on cross-border due diligence projects, performance improvement projects, and an AI transformation initiative. What made these experiences particularly valuable was the opportunity to contribute my own background and act as a bridge between European and Japanese perspectives.

Ruijie: I also experienced international collaboration first-hand. Working with colleagues from different regions showed me how much value different perspectives can bring when solving complex challenges together.

Discovering different ways of working

One of the most valuable parts of our experience was learning from different communication and working styles.

Reo: I noticed that while the fundamental consulting skill set is quite similar across offices, there are cultural differences in how teams communicate with internal partners and external clients and how alignment is built. Working in both environments strengthened my understanding of cross-cultural communication and my ability to adapt to different professional settings.

Ruijie: Two things stood out to me in particular: the strong emphasis on proposal work and the opportunity to explore different ways of integrating AI tools into day-to-day consulting activities.

These differences gave us the opportunity to reflect on familiar ways of working and experience new approaches first-hand.

Building connections beyond project work

Beyond our projects, relationships with colleagues also played an important role in shaping our experience. Team events, office visits, and informal conversations gave us additional opportunities to connect with colleagues during our time in Europe.

Ruijie: I had the opportunity to visit several Roland Berger offices, including Frankfurt, Berlin, Hamburg, Zurich, and Munich. I also attended the Industrial Platform’s summer event in Nice. Meeting colleagues from across the firm gave me another first-hand impression of Roland Berger’s international culture.

Reo: Football became one of the most memorable parts of my experience outside work. As a big fan of European football, I attended matches across Europe during my stay. In July, I also joined the Roland Berger soccer team for the Munich Consulting Cup. Playing on a full-size pitch again after a long time was a special experience for me. Although the tournament result was not what the team had hoped for, spending the day with colleagues made it truly memorable.

What we are taking away from working abroad

Ruijie: I returned to Japan in July grateful for the growth opportunities the program had given me.

Reo: The experience exceeded my expectations. After returning to Tokyo, I hope to apply what I have learned and continue contributing to cross-border collaboration between Japan and Europe.

For both of us, our time abroad showed how valuable it can be to step outside a familiar environment, work with people from different backgrounds, and build relationships across borders. We are taking home not only new professional experiences, but also a broader perspective on how international collaboration can shape the way we work.