2022 Global Leaders in Consulting: Ashwin Assomull

Ashwin Assomull is a Partner at L.E.K. Consulting and serves as head of both the Mumbai and Singapore offices. As a founding member of the firm's Education practice, he has worked on over 300 education-specific cases and has led more than 200 engagements across all education verticals, including K-12, higher and vocational education, transnational education, English language training, and education technology.

Ashwin frequently advises CEOs of top education companies and investors on buy- and sell-side due diligence, market-entry strategy, pricing strategy, and full potential assessments. He is also regularly consulted on the education sector by leading publications including the Financial Times, The Economist, Forbes and EducationInvestor.

Ashwin joined L.E.K. in 2018 and was previously a Managing Director at the Education Centre of Excellence at EY-Parthenon. He holds a Bachelor of Science from the London School of Economics and an MBA from London Business School.

What do you consider your greatest personal or professional achievement?

I have been fortunate to work with some very talented people throughout my career. However, I am very proud of the team of education experts that we have developed and retained at L.E.K.'s Global Education Practice (GEP) — many of whom I have been working with for over a decade. Our team of six partners and four principals is the best in the business, and between these individuals, we have fantastic expertise in the education sector in every part of the globe.

What advice would you give a professional just beginning a career in consulting?

Don't underestimate what you bring to a case team. You might be working with colleagues who have significantly more experience than you, but you bring a fresh perspective and you are often closer to some of the relevant data, research, and analysis than they are. I always encourage every team member to contribute to a client readout regardless of experience or tenure. It's great for the individual's development, and clients love to see the entire team in action.

What have you loved most about your consulting career?

This may sound cliche, but what I have loved most is working with our clients. We support a wide range of clients globally, including private equity, education operators, and governments. Each one of them has a different perspective on what they want to achieve in the world of education. However, they are incredibly smart and demanding and always challenge us to be the best versions of ourselves.

What's the best advice—personal or professional—you've ever received?

Data, research and analysis are critical parts of what we do, but it's the insight that matters … the takeaway that helps the client be more effective and addresses their problem in the best possible way.

What does being recognized as a Global Leader in Consulting mean to you?

Being recognized as a Global Leader in Consulting reinforces the conviction we deliver to our internal and external stakeholders.

To our clients, we deliver conviction through our highly data-driven insights. The GEP's actionable insights guide the decisions of some of the most prominent business leaders of the world. To be recognized for this effort would further strengthen the deep confidence our clients show in our research and analysis

To the colleagues and team members who continuously build and re-build confidence in our clients, this recognition would reinforce their belief in the work we do, why it matters and the impact it has at a global level

Building relations with trust and hard work, solving complex problems through research and analysis, intervening at critical junctures, and adding value to every client engagement are the ideological pillars of my career. This recognition emphasizes that these values have stood the test of time and will continue to guide me as we continue to navigate through dynamic markets and shifting landscapes.