From Associate to Vice President: Seven Years of Growth at Dialectica

If you had told me seven years ago that I would today be leading a business unit of 50+ people across EMEA, responsible for $ millions in annual revenue and for a leading global management consulting firm, I probably would not have believed you.

At the time, I had just graduated from the Athens University of Economics and Business. Most of my life revolved around training, competitions and trying to improve my long jump performance by a few centimetres at a time. Like many graduates, I was still figuring things out. What I did know was that I enjoyed working with people, I was curious about business and I wanted to find a place where I could learn quickly.

I still remember my first interview at Dialectica.

Back then, our office was on Ermou Street, Athens’ historical downtown. I remember being very nervous, wearing a blazer for the very first time. I ended up in a room with two Vice Presidents, tackling a case study about the hydraulics market, an industry I knew absolutely nothing about. I was completely lost! But when I walked out of the building that day, I had this unique, unforgettable feeling that I hadn't felt with any other company. I just knew this place was different.

Everyone seemed approachable. The conversations felt genuine. For the first time, I could picture myself working somewhere and actually believing in a common mission.

Learning Faster Than I Ever Expected

One of the things that surprised me most about Dialectica was the pace.

Early in my career, I was trusted with responsibilities that many graduates would not expect to take on for years. I was speaking with senior professionals, supporting high-profile client projects and getting exposure to industries, markets and business decisions that I had only read about during university.

Only 3 months into my time with the company, our team was tasked with a major buyout project. It was a highly competitive, high-stakes situation where every team and firm was racing to find the best solutions for their clients. Trusting my instincts, I cold-called the HQ of a company that I knew held the key insights we needed. I asked to be connected directly to the CEO, and it worked. That single, bold connection allowed us to secure the vital insights we needed, ultimately turning the project into a massive success.

Every year brought a new challenge.

First came managing increasingly complex client projects. Then client relationships. Then teams. Later came the opportunity to lead managers, shape strategy and help build a larger organisation.

When people look at a career journey, they usually focus on the promotions. What stands out to me are the experiences behind them. The managers who invested time in helping me improve. The colleagues I learned from. The mistakes that felt huge at the time and turned out to be some of the most valuable lessons of my career.

Building a Business within the Business, Not Just a Team

As my role evolved, so did the scale of responsibility.

Today, I lead a business unit of 50+ people across EMEA and oversee one of Dialectica’s fastest-growing teams.

Over the years, my focus expanded from delivering projects and managing teams to driving commercial growth, shaping strategy and building an organisation that can scale.

What excites me most is that we are still building. Every year brings new opportunities, new challenges and new ways to raise the bar for ourselves and for our clients.

What Sports Taught Me About Growth

My background in sports helped more than I realised.

In long jump, you do not focus only on the jump itself. You focus on the run-up, the technique, the repetition and all the small details that eventually make the jump possible.

I have approached my career in a similar way.

Whenever I face a challenge, I naturally break it down into smaller pieces and focus on what I can control. That mindset helped me throughout my career and became even more important as my responsibilities grew.

Managing people, clients and commercial targets come with pressure. Early in my career, I remember being surprised by the scale of the decisions our clients were making and the level of trust placed in our team.

From Managing Projects to Managing People

One of the biggest transitions in my career was not taking on larger clients or bigger commercial targets.

It was moving from managing projects to developing people.

Early in my career, success was largely measured by my own performance. Today, success looks very different.

It means helping people grow. It means building future leaders. It means creating an environment where talented people can develop confidence, take ownership and achieve things they did not think were possible a few years earlier.

Watching someone join as an Associate, develop new skills, earn promotions and eventually step into leadership roles themselves is one of the most rewarding parts of my job.

That is probably what makes me proudest when I look back at the last seven years.

Seven Years of Growth

The company has grown significantly since 2019, when I joined.

We have expanded our international footprint and insights-powered portfolio. We have welcomed thousands of new colleagues and continued raising our ambitions year after year.

What has remained constant is the opportunity people get here if they are willing to take ownership, stay curious and keep learning.

That is one of the reasons I have stayed for seven years. I have never felt like I stopped growing.

Every year brought a new challenge, a new lesson or a new opportunity to stretch myself beyond what I thought I was capable of.

Looking back, I am grateful for every challenge, every lesson and every person who has been part of that journey.

And while seven years have passed, it still feels like there is so much more ahead.