Faraz Khan studied a BEng in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at UCL, developing a strong technical foundation before moving into consulting, strategy and organisational design. Since graduating, he has worked across a wide range of sectors, including public healthcare, manufacturing, financial services and global consulting.
Now a Strategy Manager specialising in operating model and organisational design at Accenture in New York, Faraz reflects on how his engineering education continues to shape his approach to leadership, systems thinking and complex problem-solving, as well as the value of an EEE degree beyond traditional engineering careers.
What led you to study Electrical and Electronic Engineering at UCL, and what stood out to you about UCL EEE at the time you were applying?
I’ve always been drawn to understanding how the world works at its most fundamental level. Physics - especially the emerging frontiers of quantum and nanotechnology - fascinated me early on. At the same time, I loved the practical side of digital systems: taking apart broken appliances, tracing circuits, and figuring out why things behaved the way they did.
Those two threads naturally pulled me toward Electronics Engineering. When I started looking at universities, UCL stood out immediately. The EEE department was ranked #1 globally at the time, and its reputation in nanotechnology and digital systems research was unmatched. It felt like the place where curiosity met real innovation, so choosing UCL EEE became an easy decision.
Your career has taken you from engineering into consulting, strategy and organisational design. Looking back, how did your engineering training at UCL shape the way you approach complex business problems today?
One of the most formative experiences at UCL was a cross-engineering summer competition themed around “changing the world for the better.” It was a simple brief, but it shifted something important for me - it showed that meaningful impact isn’t reserved for a select few. Anyone, with the right mindset and tools, can drive change.
From an academic perspective, EEE trained me to think in systems. You learn to break down complex problems into coherent components, understand how they interact, and design the simplest, most elegant solution. That way of thinking has stayed with me far beyond engineering.
In consulting and strategy work, those skills are invaluable. Whether I’m redesigning an operating model or helping a leadership team navigate ambiguity, I’m essentially applying the same engineering discipline: deconstruct the problem, understand the constraints, and build something that works. It’s allowed me to collaborate confidently with industry leaders and tackle some of the most complex business challenges.
You’ve worked across a wide range of sectors, from public healthcare and manufacturing to financial services and global consulting. How did those early career experiences influence your long-term direction?
Working across sectors early in my career exposed me to completely different problem spaces - hospitals, factories, financial institutions, and global businesses. That variety taught me how to adapt quickly, ask better questions, and recognise the underlying patterns in how organisations function.
I also realised I was most energised by the strategic side of the work: understanding why systems operate the way they do and how they could be redesigned to work better. Those experiences ultimately shaped my long-term direction toward strategy, operating models, and organisational design, where the engineering mindset still plays a central role.
You’re now a Strategy Manager at Accenture, specialising in operating model and organisational design. What does that role involve, and what kinds of challenges do you enjoy working on most?
As a Strategy Manager in Operating Model and Organisation Design at Accenture, I work with senior leaders to define how their companies should operate to deliver their mission. That spans everything from core work processes and global structures to technology enablement, enterprise performance tracking and talent development.
Right now, the most exciting challenge is designing operating models built around Artificial Intelligence while keeping humans at the centre. It’s not just about where AI can enhance today’s work, but about imagining entirely new roles, skills and ways of organising. The world is shifting again - and operating model designers are helping shape what comes next.
How did you navigate the transition from technical and analytical roles into senior strategy and leadership-focused positions?
Transitioning from technical roles into strategy and leadership was less a single leap and more a series of small, deliberate steps. Early on, I realised I enjoyed understanding the broader “why” behind decisions just as much as the technical “how,” so I actively sought projects that exposed me to clients, executives and cross-functional teams.
Over time, those experiences built the confidence and perspective needed to move into senior strategy and organisational design positions.
You’ve complemented your engineering degree with an MBA and executive education at INSEAD. How have those experiences built on your UCL foundation?
My MBA and executive certifications built naturally on the foundation I gained at UCL. Engineering taught me structured problem-solving; business school helped me understand the human, financial and strategic dimensions of those problems.
I chose to pursue further study when I realised I wanted to influence not just how systems work, but how organisations make decisions and lead change. The MBA broadened my perspective, while INSEAD sharpened my thinking on leadership, organisational behaviour, and change management. Together, they complemented the analytical discipline I developed at UCL and prepared me for more senior strategy and operating model roles.
As someone working at the intersection of technology, people and strategy, what skills from your UCL EEE degree do you still rely on most?
The skill I rely on most from my UCL EEE degree is systems thinking — the ability to break complex problems into clear components and understand how they interact. That mindset is essential when designing operating models or helping organisations navigate technological change.
EEE also taught me to be comfortable with ambiguity, to analyse data rigorously, and to translate technical concepts into language that non-technical stakeholders can act on. Even though my work now sits at the intersection of technology, people and strategy, the analytical discipline and structured problem-solving I learned at UCL remain at the core of how I operate.
You volunteered as a UCL EEE alumnus in New York in 2025. What motivated you to give back, and what questions were students most interested in asking?
Throughout my journey, I’ve been supported by people who took the time to guide me, especially when I was navigating decisions as an international student. That stayed with me, and I’ve continued to mentor students from all backgrounds who are planning their futures.
When I discovered the UCL alumni team in New York, it felt natural to get involved. Volunteering was simply a way to pay forward the support I received. Students were most interested in understanding career paths beyond traditional engineering and how to make confident choices in a new country.
From your perspective now, how do you explain the value of an EEE degree to students who may not yet see themselves as ‘traditional’ engineers?
I tell students that the real value of an EEE degree (or another technical degree) goes far beyond circuits or coding. Technical degrees teach you a distinctive way of thinking - how to break problems down, understand constraints, test assumptions and design solutions that actually work.
That mindset is incredibly powerful, even if you don’t see yourself as a “traditional” engineer. It gives you a level of analytical discipline and structured reasoning that applies to almost any field, from consulting to product to entrepreneurship. EEE doesn’t limit your path; it expands it by giving you a toolkit for solving complex, real-world problems.
What advice would you give to current UCL EEE students or alumni who are interested in careers in consulting, strategy or leadership roles beyond core engineering?
My biggest advice is to actively build relationships. Consulting and strategy are relationship-driven fields, and the people you meet will shape your opportunities as much as your technical skills.
Stay curious - follow the threads that genuinely interest you, even if they lead outside traditional engineering paths. And don’t be afraid to bet on yourself. Many of the most meaningful steps in my career came from taking calculated risks and trusting that I could learn my way into new challenges. An EEE background gives you a strong foundation; the rest comes from being proactive and backing your own potential.
