A Day in the Life - Ahdyat Zain Athoillah
Discover how Ahdyat thrives on continuous learning, gaining hands-on experience across safety culture, process safety management, and ESG due diligence while collaborating with experts and clients around the world.
Ahdyat Zain Athoillah
Analyst – Japan, dss+
What does a typical day look like as an Analyst in the Japan team?
When I’m not on a client site, my day usually starts with a commute from Chiba to Tokyo office and a quick catch-up with colleagues before diving into work.
As an Analyst, depending on the project, I may spend my day discussing technical challenges with consultants and SME’s, preparing materials for clients, collecting and analyzing data, and supporting client workshops and meetings. I am currently involved in a Process Safety Management (PSM) implementation project at a power plant in Japan, where I work closely with consultants, subject matter experts, and several client stakeholders.
I have also had opportunities to be involved in projects related to safety culture and ESG due diligence. One week, I might be supporting only a PSM implementation project, while the next, I could also be involved in ESG due diligence and safety culture assessments. This variety keeps the work interesting. Each project brings different challenges, perspectives, and learning opportunities, which make the work both engaging and rewarding.
Why did you chose a career in consulting?
My path into consulting started in chemical plant operations after graduating with my master’s degree. What I enjoyed most was solving problems, whether it was troubleshooting operational issues, improving safety performance, or working with different teams to improve production results.
Over time, I realized that I was most excited when working with a team to solve a problem. As I became more familiar with the day-to-day issues in plant operations, I wanted to broaden my perspective and tackle different types of problems across industries and organizations.
I wanted to move into consulting because it offered the opportunity to apply the same problem-solving mindset on a wider scale while continuously learning from new projects, industries, and people.
Why did you join dss+?
Coming from a chemical operations background, I was initially attracted by the DuPont heritage. As I learned more about dss+, however, I became increasingly interested in its purpose: Protect, Transform, and Sustain. Before joining dss+, I watched its videos and explored its case studies to better understand how the company helped organizations create lasting change. The more I learned about dss+, the more I wanted to be part of it.
During the recruitment process, I had the opportunity to speak with people who combined deep technical expertise with a genuine passion for helping clients improve their operations. I became convinced that dss+ would be a place where I could continue challenging myself, learn from highly experienced colleagues, and make a meaningful contribution to clients.
What do our values mean to you?
To me, the dss+ values are more than words, they're principles that guide how I work every day.
The value that resonates most with me is Respect for People. Throughout my career, I've learned that lasting improvement only happens when people feel heard, valued, and involved. Building trust is just as important as finding the right technical solution.
Having worked in industrial operations, I've seen how decisions can directly impact people's safety and wellbeing. That's why I believe Respect for People, Safety and Health, and Highest Ethical Behaviour go hand in hand, they create the foundation for safer workplaces and sustainable, lasting change.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
What I enjoy most about being an Analyst at dss+ is that every project pushes me to learn something new. In just a few months, I've worked across safety culture, process safety management, and ESG due diligence, learning from colleagues, clients, and subject matter experts around the world.
One of the highlights has been collaborating with teams across Europe, Australia, and the Middle East while supporting clients in Japan. As an Indonesian professional working in Tokyo, I never imagined I'd be supporting Japanese clients in my fourth language.
Looking back on my journey from plant operations to consulting, I'm grateful to be part of a team that continues to challenge me, help me grow, and make every experience meaningful.