In this employee spotlight, Beth shares more about her role, what motivates her, and some of the things she enjoys most outside of work.
Tell us a little bit about what you do?
I’m a Senior Manager in Dufrain’s Delivery Excellence team, helping clients and delivery teams navigate complex transformation and turn ambitious ideas into successful outcomes. My focus spans delivery leadership, operating model design, governance and change, creating the conditions for programmes to deliver real business value. I also specialise in the business side of AI transformation. Internally, I’ve been helping shape Dufrain’s approach to AI enablement and adoption. Externally, I work with clients to identify where AI can create value and how to successfully embed it through the right operating models, governance, ways of working and people-focused change.
Ultimately, I enjoy working through ambiguity and helping organisations bridge that pesky gap between strategy and execution.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I love working with all sorts of people, clients and industries. That was one of the reasons I wanted to get into consulting in the first place. Delivery also plays to a lot of my strongest skill sets. I work well in ambiguity, I’m a strong problem solver, and I really enjoy building strong relationships with stakeholders. Ultimately, for me, it’s all about people.
What does a typical day look like for you?
There really isn’t a typical day in consulting, and that’s one of the reasons I enjoy it so much. Client work can range from short, sharp pieces of work over a few weeks to projects that last months or even years, so I’m often balancing more than one thing at a time. My weeks are usually a mixture of face-to-face time with our internal team – coaching and mentoring consultants, working on enablement initiatives, and helping drive our AI strategy – alongside internal projects and client delivery. That variety is a big part of what makes the role so rewarding.
Which of our company values resonate with you the most?
Oh, do I have to choose just one? That’s hard, because they all feel really valuable. If I had to pick, I’d probably choose two – Be Ourselves and Succeed Together. For me, those two really go hand in hand. To be a successful team, you need to be authentic in who you are at work, and that means creating an environment where people can have honest, open conversations and genuinely trust one another. That links really naturally to succeeding together, collaborating, supporting each other, coaching, mentoring and learning from one another. Those values align really strongly with my own values around community and connection.
What would you say has been your most significant achievement at Dufrain?
I think my proudest achievement has been helping shape how Dufrain evolves as it grows.
Alongside my client work, I’ve had the opportunity to lead several strategic internal initiatives that will have a lasting impact on how we operate and deliver value. This has included leading our AI enablement efforts, running our Copilot pilot programme, helping define our approach to AI adoption within delivery teams, and driving the selection and mobilisation of a new Professional Services Automation (PSA) platform.
Dufrain is at an exciting stage in its growth journey, and it’s been incredibly rewarding to contribute to initiatives that will help shape the next chapter of the business while continuing to deliver great outcomes for our clients.
Who inspires you the most in and outside of Dufrain?
Within Dufrain, I’m inspired by the incredibly passionate and intelligent people across the business. That’s one of the things that stands out to me most whenever we welcome new people into the company, there are so many talented people here, and that constantly inspires me to keep growing in my own career. If I were to call out one person specifically, it would be Bal Lola, my people lead and mentor, who shows me what delivery excellence looks like every day. Outside of Dufrain, I think I’m most inspired by people and ideas that challenge my thinking and help me see things differently, whether that comes from someone I know, something I’ve read, or a perspective I hadn’t considered before.
Which work benefit or perk is your favourite and why?
The immediate thing that springs to mind is autonomy. For me, autonomy and trust really go hand in hand. Having the autonomy to do the job I need to do, in a way that works for both the business and my life, is incredibly important. That trust empowers me to deliver for both Dufrain and our clients, and I really value it.
What’s the best advice you can give to someone who wants to work for us?
That opportunity is vast, but it’s also very much what you make of it. Dufrain gives you plenty of room to shape your own path, and your growth is really driven by what you choose to put into it. At the end of the day, you get out what you put in.
What skill do you think everyone should learn?
Self-reflection. It’s a skill that will stand you in good stead whatever you’re looking at – whether that’s your work, your personal life, or your career more broadly. Being able to pause, reflect and learn from your experiences is invaluable.
What are some of your favourite things to do outside of work?
This one is easy because I have a million and one things I like to do outside of work. I’m happiest when I’m learning something new or doing something new. I love gardening — growing vegetables and flowers, landscaping, building habitats for bugs, bees, birds and wildlife, and all the learning that comes with it. I also do lots of crafting and DIY, and there are plenty of things around my house that I’ve made myself. I make my own art too, although I’m not sure I’d call myself an artist. On top of that, I love to read, usually taking on a 52-books-a-year challenge, and I’m part of two book clubs, so there’s always something new on the go.
What is your favourite movie and why?
I’d probably pick a book, although I’m not sure I really do favourites, because there’s always something new being released, discovered or re-discovered, and I think that’s part of the joy of it. One book I’ve read recently that has stuck with me was The Safekeep by Yael van de Wouden. I loved that it centred around two female protagonists, had genuinely surprising twists & turns, and featured a protagonist who was unapologetically unlikeable for a lot of the story, which felt really refreshing. It was also written beautifully, and the way it explored the aftermath of the Second World War gave me a perspective I hadn’t come across before. I stayed up until the early hours to finish this one in a single sitting.
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