The_Definitive_Guide_to_UK_Consulting_Firms

The Definitive Guide to UK Consulting Firms T. Restell & V. A. Kumar (eds) The DefiniTive GuiDe To uk consulTinG firms Sponsored by The DefiniTive GuiDe To uk consulTinG firms T. Restell & V.A. Kumar (eds) a co-publication by Kingsham Press Ltd and Top-Consultant.com Top-Consultant.com First published in 2008 by Kingsham Press and Top-Consultant.com Kingsham Press Oldbury Complex Marsh Lane Easthampnett Chichester, West Sussex PO18 0JW United Kingdom Top-Consultant.com 18b Charles Street Mayfair London W1J 5DU © 2008, T. Restell & V.A. Kumar (eds); Chris Sale (Chapter 1); Michael Allen (Chapter 2); Martin Hancock (Chapter 3); Tony Restell (Chapters 4 and 11); Peter Nicholls (Chapter 5); Richard Stewart (Chapters 6 and 7); Don Leslie (Chapter 8); Stuart Feest (Chapter 9); Kate Walrond (Chapter 10); Soraya Janmohamed (Chapter 12); Dave Watkin (Chapter 13) Typeset in ITC Stone Sans by Marie Doherty Printed and bound in the UK isBn: 978-1-904235-22-0 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or later invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without the prior permission in writing from the publishers. British Library Cataloging in Publication Data A catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library Restell, T.; Kumar, V.A. conTenTs List of consultancies About the editors Acknowledgements Introduction secTion 1 Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 An introduction to the consulting industry Chris Sale, Prism Executive Recruitment vii xiii xiv xv 5 11 17 27 31 35 The distinguishing features of a consulting firm Michael Allen, The Mars Partnership Size: Does it really matter? Martin Hancock, Penna The main consulting service lines and industries served Tony Restell, Top-Consultant.com The consultant’s career path Peter Nicholls, Michael Warwick Nicholls Securing a consulting job – Part I Tips for writing a compelling CV Richard Stewart, Mindbench Chapter 7 Securing a consulting job – Part II Effective interviewing tips Richard Stewart, Mindbench 41 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Consulting in the Public Sector Don Leslie, BLT 51 55 Consulting opportunities within IT solution providers What’s out there? Stuart Feest, Matchtech Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Moving from industry into management consulting Kate Walrond, Astbury Marsden 61 67 71 Expected hiring patterns in the UK market Tony Restell, Top-Consultant.com Assessing your career options Time to spread your wings? Soraya Janmohamed, FreshMinds Talent Chapter 13 Life after consulting Dave Watkin, Holker Watkin Limited 75 secTion 2: lisT of consulTancies 81  THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS lisT of consulTancies 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 4C Associates............................................................................................................................83 5one Marketing Ltd ...................................................................................................................85 A.T. Kearney ...............................................................................................................................86 ABB ...........................................................................................................................................88 ABeam Consulting (UK) .............................................................................................................90 Accenture ..................................................................................................................................91 Alpha Financial Markets Consulting (Alpha FMC) .....................................................................93 Alsbridge plc .............................................................................................................................95 Amdocs Consulting ...................................................................................................................97 AMTEC Consulting plc ...............................................................................................................99 Applied Acumen Limited..........................................................................................................100 Archstone Consulting ..............................................................................................................101 Atkins ......................................................................................................................................103 Atos Consulting .......................................................................................................................105 Avail Consulting Ltd ................................................................................................................107 A-ViA Interim and Consulting Ltd ............................................................................................109 Axios UK ..................................................................................................................................110 Axon ........................................................................................................................................112 Bain & Company .....................................................................................................................114 Bellamy Associés s.a.r.l. ..........................................................................................................115 Booz & Company .....................................................................................................................116 Boston Consulting Group.........................................................................................................117 Bourton Group .........................................................................................................................119 Bridgehead International Ltd ..................................................................................................121 buyingTeam .............................................................................................................................122 Capgemini Consulting.............................................................................................................124 Celerant Consulting ................................................................................................................126 Change Management Group Ltd ..............................................................................................128 Changescape Limited..............................................................................................................129 Chaucer Group Limited............................................................................................................131 CIO Consulting ........................................................................................................................132 CityIQ Ltd ................................................................................................................................133 CMEurope Ltd ..........................................................................................................................134 Coalition..................................................................................................................................135 Commercial Advantage Consulting .........................................................................................136 Concise ...................................................................................................................................137 Consulting Stream Ltd ............................................................................................................138 Convergys EMEA Ltd ................................................................................................................139 CPC Ltd ...................................................................................................................................141 Crelos ......................................................................................................................................142 Crimson & Co ..........................................................................................................................143 CTG (UK) Limited .....................................................................................................................145 Curzon & Company LLP ...........................................................................................................147 ii THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75. 76. 77. 78. 79. 80. 81. 82. 83. 84. 85. 86. 87. 88. 89. Dascam Consulting Ltd ...........................................................................................................148 Defence Strategy & Solutions LLP............................................................................................149 Dell Corporation Ltd ................................................................................................................151 Deloitte....................................................................................................................................154 Detica......................................................................................................................................156 Diamond Management & Technology Consultants...................................................................157 Distinct Consulting .................................................................................................................159 ea Consulting Group................................................................................................................160 EC Harris LLP ..........................................................................................................................162 Edgar, Dunn & Company .........................................................................................................164 Edson Consulting ....................................................................................................................165 Efficio Limited .........................................................................................................................166 Ernst & Young LLP ...................................................................................................................169 expw: consulting .....................................................................................................................171 Forrester Research Inc.............................................................................................................172 Gartner ....................................................................................................................................174 Hardiman Telecommunications ...............................................................................................176 Harold Whitehead & Partners Limited .....................................................................................178 Hay Group................................................................................................................................179 HDA .........................................................................................................................................180 Mouchel Management Consulting Ltd (incorporating Hedra) ..................................................181 Hitachi Consulting UK .............................................................................................................183 Horizon Associates ..................................................................................................................184 Hudson & Yorke .......................................................................................................................185 Huntswood ..............................................................................................................................187 i2a Consulting LLP ..................................................................................................................188 IBM..........................................................................................................................................189 Icebreaker Executive................................................................................................................192 Ignite Consulting.....................................................................................................................194 InterConnect Communications Ltd ..........................................................................................195 Invensys Process Systems .......................................................................................................196 Inzenka....................................................................................................................................197 Javelin Group...........................................................................................................................199 JRBH Strategy & Management Ltd...........................................................................................200 Kinetik Solutions .....................................................................................................................201 Knox D’Arcy Ltd........................................................................................................................202 kour&kour................................................................................................................................203 KPMG.......................................................................................................................................205 Krauthammer Consulting ........................................................................................................206 Labovitch Consulting Limited..................................................................................................207 Lausanne Consulting Group ....................................................................................................208 Lex Momentum ........................................................................................................................209 LOC Consulting .......................................................................................................................210 Logica Consulting ...................................................................................................................211 LWS Communications Limited .................................................................................................213 McKinsey & Company ..............................................................................................................214 iii THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 90. 91. 92. 93. 94. 95. 96. 97. 98. 99. 100. 101. 102. 103. 104. 105. 106. 107. 108. 109. 110. 111. 112. 113. 114. 115. 116. 117. 118. 119. 120. 121. 122. 123. 124. 125. 126. 127. 128. 129. 130. 131. 132. 133. 134. 135. MCP Consulting and Training ..................................................................................................215 Medley Business Solutions Ltd ................................................................................................216 Methods Consulting Ltd ..........................................................................................................217 MGH Consulting Limited..........................................................................................................219 Microsoft Consulting Services .................................................................................................220 Moorhouse Consulting .............................................................................................................221 Mott MacDonald Ltd ................................................................................................................223 Mouchel Management Consulting Ltd .....................................................................................225 MRL Public Sector Consultants Ltd .........................................................................................227 MWH UK Ltd.............................................................................................................................228 Navigant Consulting ...............................................................................................................229 Newchurch Limited..................................................................................................................230 Newton Industrial Consultants ................................................................................................231 NUS Consulting Group Limited ................................................................................................232 OC&C Strategy Consultants ....................................................................................................233 Ocean Strategy ........................................................................................................................235 OCS Consulting plc .................................................................................................................236 Optimat Ltd. ............................................................................................................................238 Orion Partners .........................................................................................................................240 OTM Consulting Ltd .................................................................................................................242 PA Consulting Group ...............................................................................................................243 Parson Consulting ...................................................................................................................245 Pcubed ....................................................................................................................................246 PDN Ltd (The Professional Development Network Ltd) .............................................................248 Perot Systems Europe ..............................................................................................................250 PI Consulting...........................................................................................................................251 PIMS Associates Ltd ................................................................................................................252 PIPC ........................................................................................................................................253 Place Group .............................................................................................................................255 Practical Change People .........................................................................................................256 PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP ...................................................................................................257 Project One Consulting ............................................................................................................259 Protiviti ...................................................................................................................................261 Proudfoot Consulting...............................................................................................................262 PRTM Management Consultants .............................................................................................263 Qedis .......................................................................................................................................266 Ricardo Strategic Consulting ..................................................................................................268 Roland Berger Strategy Consultants .......................................................................................269 RWD ........................................................................................................................................270 Sakonnet Technology ...............................................................................................................271 Sales & Marketing Consulting Group.......................................................................................272 salesforce.com ........................................................................................................................273 Searchlight Consulting............................................................................................................275 SFL Limited .............................................................................................................................276 Sg2..........................................................................................................................................277 Sia Conseil ..............................................................................................................................279 ix THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 136. 137. 138. 139. 140. 141. 142. 143. 144. 145. 146. 147. 148. 149. 150. 151. 152. 153. 154. 155. 156. 157. 158. 159. 160. 161. Simon-Kucher & Partners Strategy & Marketing Consultants..................................................280 SkillSet ....................................................................................................................................281 SMT Consulting .......................................................................................................................282 Spectrum Value Partners .........................................................................................................284 State of Flux ............................................................................................................................285 Suiko Limited ..........................................................................................................................286 Teasel Performance Management............................................................................................287 The Accord Partnership ...........................................................................................................288 The Birchman Group................................................................................................................289 The Consultancy Company ......................................................................................................291 The Customer Excellence Company .........................................................................................292 The DMW Group .......................................................................................................................293 The Lamberhurst Corporation ..................................................................................................295 Towers Perrin ...........................................................................................................................297 Triffid.......................................................................................................................................299 Turner & Townsend plc ............................................................................................................300 TUSP........................................................................................................................................302 Unipart Expert Practices..........................................................................................................304 Venesis Limited .......................................................................................................................307 Venturehaus ............................................................................................................................308 WBS Group ..............................................................................................................................310 WCI Consulting Limited ...........................................................................................................311 WCL .........................................................................................................................................312 Wexner Global ..........................................................................................................................313 Wood Mackenzie Ltd ................................................................................................................314 Xantus Consulting...................................................................................................................315 x Kingsham Press Ltd. Enhancing thinking and Practice Order at: www.akdpress.com t+44 (0) 1243 779378 f+44 (0) 1243 779078 aBouT The eDiTors Tony Restell is a former strategy consultant and one of the Founding Directors of Top-Consultant.com. He has an extensive network of recruitment contacts within the UK consulting sector and is a regular speaker and commentator on the state of the UK consulting industry. V.A. Kumar, PhD was formerly Research Executive at IPSOS Mori and is now Research Associate with Aeneas Knowledge Transfer Consultancy. xiii acknowleDGemenTs Whilst Top-Consultant.com has long been candidates’ preferred site for finding a new consulting job and researching the market, we’re also conscious that there’s no one definitive publication out there for someone looking at career options within consulting. Until now that is. The Definitive Guide to UK Consulting Firms was created to provide both our readers and the broader consulting market with a comprehensive resource tackling all the issues relevant to someone considering their career options within consulting. The weighty career editorials section is supplemented by an A–Z directory of 161 UK consulting employers, where you can find standardised company information about a range of global and niche consulting brands. I think you’ll agree that nowhere else can consulting candidates find such an exhaustive list of employer details, making the guide a must-read in our industry. Our thanks go to Kingsham Press for partnering with us in the production of this guide, and to Mindbench for offering to sponsor the publication. Our gratitude also goes to the authors of all the career editorials you’ll find within the guide – and to all the consulting firms who chose to submit their details to appear in the directory. For those who missed out on appearing in the 2008/9 guide, the second edition will be produced in 2010! I hope this guide provides you with tremendous insights into the UK consulting market and wish you every success in pursuing a successful career in our vibrant and challenging industry. Regards Tony Restell Director & Co-Founder, Top-Consultant.com xi inTroDucTion Tom Peters, the business and management guru, has commented that ‘the professional service firm is the best model for tomorrow’s organisation in any industry.’ Management consultancies as one type of professional service firm can take some comfort from such acclaim given the major role they provide not only at offering flexible models of organisational infra-structures, but also at thought leadership and expertise on ‘implementing innovation management techniques in the context of the knowledge-based economy.’ Management consultancies, as ‘knowledge-intensive organisations’, build knowledge and transfer learning and insights to applications across sectors. Their employees have a high degree of knowledge and competence which is perhaps the main assets of such companies and makes a vital contribution at distinguishing them as potential innovation management drivers. The role of management and business consultancies within a knowledge-driven economy was highlighted in the 2004 study1 commissioned by Dg Enterprise and published by the European Union which found that consultancies are ‘able to combine acute commercial awareness with strong technical depth … generate, store and transfer their knowledge through a range of tools and techniques … and might be seen as developers of new innovation management methodologies techniques.’ Knowledge and insight within is central to the work of management consultancies. Knowledge and awareness about management consultancies for those within, about to join, as well as those who use such services, is equally important. We believe that in a knowledgedriven economy, publications such as The Definitive Guide to UK Consulting Firms will make a useful contribution to all stakeholders of management consultancies. 1 EU (2004) Innovation Management and the Knowledge-Driven Economy. European Commission: Directorate-general for Enterprise. x Developing The Unipart Way! Unipart Expert Practices is the external consultancy division of the Unipart Group. your career Our business consists of two major practices, Lean and Supply Chain, both of which have grown rapidly over the past few years and continue to enjoy significant growth. A role with Unipart Expert Practices offers a real opportunity make an impact in an exciting and developing business and to deploy your skills across a range of sectors (including manufacturing, rail, retail, telecomms, automotive, aerospace, finance, utilities and local and national government) in the UK and overseas. We demand high levels of expertise and professionalism from our people; in return we are in the unique position to offer you career and personal development opportunities – not only within our consultancy business but also in our operational and commercial business units. We are expanding all of our practices and have an ongoing need to recruit Consultants in the following areas: Lean (transactional and manufacturing) Supply Chain Process and Change SAP Project/programme management If you are interested in finding out more about us take a look at our website on www.unipartep.co.uk. To find out more about career opportunities with Unipart Expert Practices please contact: Deborah Astles, Unipart House, Garsington Road, Cowley, Oxford. OX4 2PG. Email: Deborah_Astles@unipart.co.uk. secTion 1 MRL Public Sector Consultants Limited (MRL) is a dynamic UK based niche consultancy firm providing management consultancy advice and related business advisory services to the public sector. We use our independent position to develop closer working relationships and improved understanding of priorities across government departments, both centrally and locally, while developing and implementing lasting solutions for the common good. Our mission is to ‘Exceed Expectations’ in the delivery of our services to clients within the public sector. We aim to provide the best practical advice and consultancy, delivered to the highest of professional standards, and resulting in tangible benefits. We provide the following services: • Programme and Project Management • Strategy Development • Procurement Management • Change Management • Business Case Development • Organisational Review and Design • Leadership Development • Business Process Re-engineering • Human Resources Management • Cultural Audit • Performance Management • Stakeholder and Communications Management Our clients to date include: the Department for Transport (DfT), the Department for Education and Skills (DfES), the World Bank and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) where we worked on Census 2011, the second largest project in the UK after the Olympics. For more information about how MRL can benefit your organisation, please visit our website at www.mrl. uk.com or call us on 01954 715 715. At MRL we understand that our continuing ability to deliver exceptional results is largely dependent on attracting and developing the best talent. If you are interested in exploring the wealth of opportunities available at MRL, please forward your CV to us at info@mrl.uk.com Chapter 1 an inTroDucTion To The consulTinG inDusTry Chris Sale, Prism Executive Recruitment Management Consultancy is an astonishingly diverse industry, little understood by those who don’t work in it (and by many who do!), occasionally maligned but extremely successful, boasting an impressive record of growth and expansion in recent years. Europe is the second largest market after the US: the UK is the largest market in Europe and commonly agreed to be the most dynamic and to offer the greatest opportunity to those seeking to build a career in consulting. So what is a consultant? ‘A consultant is someone who borrows your watch to tell you the time’ is probably the oldest one in the book, with the line ‘and then keeps your watch’ added by the even less charitable! The Management Consultancies Association defines consultancy as ‘the supply of independent advice and assistance to clients about management issues … typically includes identifying and investigating problems and/or opportunities, making recommendations for appropriate action and helping implement those recommendations’. While these days everyone from personal trainers to recruiters call themselves consultants, and there is a very large ‘independent’ consulting sector, this article focuses on the employed management consultancy sector. Private and Public Sector organisations use management consultants for many reasons, but the most common are: to provide expertise not available in-house (too specialist, too many people required, too new/leading edge, too expensive to hire as permanent employees); to bring fresh, innovative and objective thinking; to carry out unpopular policies; to help management make decisions. While consultancy firms are often in the spotlight, particularly as they are often at the leading edge of Public Sector reform, they always prefer to operate ‘behind the scenes’.  THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS Although the numbers employed in the profession has grown tenfold in the last 20 years, the sector has a long history with Arthur D Little founded in 1886 and McKinsey in 1928. Since then many firms have come and gone but a dominant theme of recent years has been both the consolidation of the market into major global business able to meet the needs of their global clients but also fragmentation as ambitious, entrepreneurial consultants exploit opportunities and market niches. It is difficult to provide a succinct overview of the industry. However, two broad categories are the strategic firms (which typically provide Board-level advice and analysis relating to the overall direction of a company and what markets it should be in) and operational consulting firms. Although strategy firms enjoy a very high profile, the overwhelming majority of management consultants work for operational consulting firms. The latter may operate at all levels within an organisation and typically take the strategy and change the organisation to actually make it happen, or to put it right. This can involve all parts of an organisation and in many cases have at heart major IT change. There is, of course, overlap between the two but despite the consolidation trend referred to earlier, the strategy firms, both large and small, remain a pretty distinct bunch, typically able to operate at significantly higher fee rates and levels of average revenue per consultant. In the ‘operational’ camp are the well known and large generalists, including the so-called ‘Big 4’ which cover multiple service lines and sectors as well as a multiplicity of smaller specialists which typically focus on a specific sector (i.e. Retail) or service line (i.e. Supply Chain, Technology) or both. Projects undertaken by these firms (i.e. the work undertaken by their employees for which the client engaging them might be paying £750–£5,000 plus per day) are infinite in variety. They can range from two- to four-week ‘diagnostic’ projects (i.e. what is the problem and what might the solution look like) involving a handful of people to multisite, global, £multimillion projects mobilising hundreds of consultants, often working for different firms. Many consultants work in IT services, outsourcing or offshoring firms including the high growth Indian players. While these firms often bid for and manage substantial IT programmes, the roles for consultants can range from the highly strategic, operating at board An inTRoduCTion To The ConsuLTing indusTRy  THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS level, through business case development, then looking at business architectures and business processes, to defining the technical architecture and designing highly complex technology solutions. To implement these might require senior business leaders able to embrace understand and manage complex programmes at a scale of hundreds of millions of pounds incorporating people, process and technology components. So much for the industry as a whole. What about careers in consulting? Why do people join? Why do they leave? What does the industry look for? Typically, people are attracted to the industry because it is still well paid, offering a wide variety of work, often influencing with and working at CEO level with high calibre peers and colleagues. In the large consulting firms, there is the specific CV advantage of a brand name, a well-defined career path, the opportunity to work on the largest business transformation projects with the largest clients and to work near the leading edge of technology or business thinking. Many smaller firms also work with seriously ‘blue chip’ clients and, compared with a larger consultancy, can offer consultants greater visibility both within a firm and with clients and more scope to have responsibility and influence. Assignments might be more varied and therefore more interesting while sometimes there is more flexibility – in terms of hierarchy, role and work–life balance and faster career progression. Consultancy doesn’t suit everyone and individuals’ priorities change through their lives. A primary reason for leaving the industry is work–life balance: while you won’t always be required to work away from home four nights a week (or worse), it is highly likely you will have to at some point. Also forget the ‘Working Time Directive’: whilst a small percentage work forty-hour weeks, some work double that or more. Another reason for leaving is that acting as an advisor, or even implementing a solution, for many lacks the feeling of ownership and responsibility that can be found in roles ‘client side’. Finally, many originally move into consulting because they want to work with clients on projects but find that career progression in consultancy involves moving into roles which often involve a significant element of selling and management, which isn’t everyone’s strength, or interest. An inTRoduCTion To The ConsuLTing indusTRy  THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS An inTRoduCTion To The ConsuLTing indusTRy  n Chris Sale is the Managing Director of Prism Executive Recruitment, a specialist recruitment firm operating on a pan-European basis across the Management Consultancy, Systems Integration, IT Services and Outsourcing markets. In 2008 readers of Top-Consultant.com voted Chris as their ‘Management Consultancy Recruiter of the Year’. Development of professionals by professionals What specific skills do we develop? Manager level  Leading client and project teams  Maximizing personal impact  Developmental and performance coaching  Leading change Consultant level  Consistent consulting processes  Core consulting analysis skills  Core consulting communication skills: facilitation, presentations, client-facing behaviours  Core change leadership skills Senior level  Generating thought leadership  Innovating new products and services  Creating compelling and innovative value propositions  Managing critical Board level conversations  Effective rainmaking and negotiation  Bid leadership, including working with partners  Building, mentoring and coaching capability  Implementing and leading growth strategies +44 (0)845 6806608 contact@pdnltd.com www.pdnltd.com PDN Ltd, The City Arc, 89 Worship Street, London EC2A 2BF Consulting WHERE ENTERPRISE MEETS TALENT Best Management Consultancy Recruitment Firm (2008) awarded by Top-Consultant.com www.astoncarter.com C o n s u lt i n g • t e C h n o l o g y • o u t s o u r C i n g 9th - 10th October 2008 8th - 9th October 2009 The Barbican Exhibition Hall 1 London DON’T MISS YOUR CHANCE to get in front of over 50 MANAGEMENT & IT CONSULTANCY RECRUITERS. Talk to representatives from leading consultancies and recruitment agencies Attend exclusive presentations from leading industry professionals Register your CV and put it in front of those who you want to see it If you are thinking about a new job in consulting then this is one event you can’t afford to miss. Each year the fair attracts the world’s leading consulting employers. Confirmed exhibitor list available on the website. Reserve your place now! 1st come 1st reserved Visit www.theconsultancycareersfair.com where you can register to attend. Top-Consultant.com Global Opportunities in Consulting Chapter 2 The DisTinGuishinG feaTures of a consulTinG firm Michael Allen, The Mars Partnership ‘The nature of work is changing and UK business needs to come out of the dark ages and realise that it cannot continue to use working practices that originate from the 19th century. It needs to modernise, change its approach, retrain its management and understand the benefits of new and smarter working practices.’ This recent quote by Sir Digby Jones appears to encapsulate the challenges facing organisations in the years ahead. Companies of all sizes and across all sectors face a demographic landscape that is going to be greatly different from those experienced in the past. The retirement of baby boomers in the developed world comes at the same time as a reduction in the number of young people entering the workforce and a particular fall off in those studying science and engineering. A number of recent studies have confirmed that finding talented people and the intensifying competition to hire and retain them (across what is increasingly seen as a global marketplace) is likely to be one of the most significant issues impacting on companies over the coming years and consultancies are likely to be at the forefront of this. Added complexities in the way individuals regard their careers has also moved the game on. Jobs are no longer viewed as static; technological innovation requires continuous training and development; individuals want greater flexibility from their career paths and companies need more flexibility from their employees. Increasingly we also see challenges arising from demographic variations. Individuals in generation Y (born after 1980) appear less interested in the size of their compensation packages and retirement benefits (not seen as relevant at this stage) but more in flexibility over where, how, for whom and when they work; careers are seen as a series of projects with low resistance to switching if expectations aren’t met. How 11 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS then are consultancies with their oft-quoted challenges to work–life balance to recruit and retain their talent, not just in terms of reducing staff loss to other consultancies but also from those leaving the industry completely? Perhaps in the first instance the question should be: ‘Who do we wish to retain?’ Within most consultancies there will be a group who fall under the banner of ‘critical talent’ – those individuals who contribute a disproportionate amount to company performance and generate greater than average value for the organisation and therefore need to be retained above all else. These people may differ completely based on the size of the consultancy and are unlikely to be only senior consultants. Often it is the individuals who know how things work best and most efficiently in a company enabling them to get things done faster. They are the ones most likely to impact on perceptions about the company and in many instances will be the best ambassadors for the brand both in attracting new talent but also in helping retain existing colleagues. Pippa Cooper, HR Director at OC&C Strategy Consultants, ascribes their success in minimising consulting churn as ‘a belief that the key to high retention at OC&C remains the intellectual stimulation and shared cultural values enjoyed by our consulting staff along with the quality of projects in which they engage’. How then are these people identified and subsequently retained and what factors influence their thoughts when deciding to stay or go? For the consultancy, identifying the skills that will drive future growth and the talent required to fulfil that potential is key. Where does our expertise sit and how do we envisage that market developing in the years ahead? Matching the business plan to talent acquisition and retention strategies is vital at this point. Most consultancies will monitor their level of staff churn and no doubt many will proudly trumpet the fact that theirs is below industry average. How many, however, could accurately identify whether their leavers were part of that critical group? It is perhaps more important to understand who is leaving and why (and keep in mind exit interviews are a notoriously inaccurate way of establishing this information). The numbers in isolation may hide the fact that it is the critical talent crucial to the company’s success that is leaving. Having identified who needs to be kept on board, the consultancy can then target specific groups of individuals accordingly, understanding the duration The disTinguishing feATuRes of A ConsuLTing fiRm 12 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS those individuals will be required for and developing action plans to suit. In some instances, for example, a consultancy might recognise the limited tenure of a particular role and their ability to progress a career, almost building in obsolescence. With this in mind the role can be structured to meet the needs of both the organisation and the individual and leave both parties satisfied; it is far better to end up with people who, when asked, will act as an advocate for your company than the alternative. Remember the golden rule that an unhappy individual will tell 8–10 others of that experience and in a well networked environment such as consulting with strong peer groups, this is not a scenario a business can afford to repeat too often. There are two sides to the retention story: the extent to which competitors will seek to recruit the staff of a business and the extent to which employees will accept or reject those offers. Clearly there is a limit to how the first aspect of this can be managed. However, consultancies have far greater control over the second aspect. The high cost of acquiring talent in the first instance (figures suggest the average US company will spend 50 times more on acquiring a senior individual than it will invest in ongoing training) and subsequently losing people (where the cost is estimated at up to 150% of annual compensation) suggest prioritising talent management programmes make both economic and business sense. So how do consultancies differentiate and what do individuals seek when considering alternatives? Strength of brand is always a factor at the outset – McKinsey, Accenture, etc; these brands need little introduction. The danger, however, is they also bring strong perceptions and opinions (not always correct) which may influence the thought process. It is always worth getting a number of opinions before accepting/rejecting a consultancy on reputation alone. Conversely, less well known consultancies will often ‘sell’ themselves on the strength of the individuals behind the brand. Establishing the extent of personal chemistry and buy-in to objectives at this point can be a key determinant to decision making on both sides. In both instances the greatest challenge post joining is to ensure that perception matches reality; will all those initial promises be met? Key factors as to why people join or choose to stay at an organisation include: The disTinguishing feATuRes of A ConsuLTing fiRm 13 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS The disTinguishing feATuRes of A ConsuLTing fiRm 14 • Career development plans that are realistic and adhered to • Exciting, challenging work that makes a difference • great co-workers and being part of a dynamic, intellectually rewarding team • Promotion on merit rather than time • Mentoring and coaching opportunities; learn from more experienced peers • Involving, inspiring and open senior management • Having one’s contribution recognised – vital to an individual’s sense of well-being • A degree of autonomy with flexibility around work hours and company policies. And finally: • A compensation package that is fair and competitive. The need for recognition in forms other than money is oft-cited although the importance of a fair compensation package should not be underestimated: it remains a critical hygiene factor but rightly causes wariness if cited as the principal reason for a move. Countering an alternate job offer with a raise rarely works for more than 12 months if at all as it fails to make the individual feel valued; far better to reinforce that value throughout their tenure and reward both through appropriate financial compensation and also public and private recognition. A number of other factors may also come into play based in some instances on the size of the organisation. In smaller consultancies these may include greater involvement in business development and faster exposure to the ‘front end’ of the business. According to Bob House, SVP at CSMg global, it is ‘the intellectual challenge and ability to build an industry reputation in our chosen area of expertise’ that are key motivators. Commenting further: ‘as a smaller consultancy we are constantly building our sector expertise to retain and attract talent just as much as win client work’. Equity participation is also an oft-cited benefit of being part of a smaller concern although on occasion this can be offset by the ‘glass ceiling’ that can exist in a smaller business. This is often down to an individual deciding if they are the big fish/small pond person or vice-versa. THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS With traditional organisational hierarchies flattening, consultants need career mobility to come from new directions; this might be geographic flexibility or opportunities in other consulting business areas. However, the benefits to the organisation who can engender these moves are great; an engaged and enthusiastic workforce and a company with high talent mobility allows immense flexibility to the demands of a rapidly changing environment. Employees within a consultancy have always been the key to competitive advantage. With demographic, economic and technological changes likely to impact on all organisations, the need to inspire and retain those individuals critical to the company’s welfare has never been greater and it is likely that those organisations not prioritising talent management will fail. Tailoring programmes to meet the needs of the consultancy and the individual is likely to be the key to a successful retention policy and a key differentiator amongst consultancies. Andrew Brierley, VP in IBM’s global Technology services division, stated: ‘There are marked differences in levels of passion, energy and ambition between the consulting firms. Working with high energy and equally passionate colleagues can provide an environment where the levels of effort, commitment and results are matched only by the emotional and ultimately commercial rewards.’ Ultimately, in an environment populated with intelligent, aware individuals, job satisfaction will determine an individual’s interest or otherwise in moving; an energetic, empowered environment linked to recognition and personal achievement will ensure people understand their value and the contribution it brings. n About The mars Partnership The Mars Partnership is a focused executive search firm comprising senior, experienced individuals committed to delivering timely and highly effective talent solutions throughout the technology, environmental and financial services sectors. Through our office base, our client roster extends across Europe, the Middle East and CIS and allows us to address client needs in large corporates, early stage businesses and across the professional services sectors. Successful outcomes are secured through responsiveness, flexibility and commitment underpinned by a partnership approach. The disTinguishing feATuRes of A ConsuLTing fiRm 1 You’re one click away from your dream IT Consultancy opportunity Find out which of the world’s leading consulting brands are recruiting Technical and Solution Architects, ERP Consultants, Application Consultants, Project/Programme Managers and numerous other IT consulting roles by visiting TopITConsultant.com Chapter 3 size: Does iT really maTTer? Martin Hancock, Penna a diversifying landscape One of the most notable features of the UK Consulting sector over the last 10 years has been the proliferation of smaller consulting firms. To a certain extent, this phenomenon has been a straightforward result of the natural evolution and increasing sophistication of the sector, as new firms spring up to exploit niches in the marketplace. In other cases, new consulting businesses are born during times of adversity, when large firms reduce headcount and experienced consulting staff choose to go it alone. Regardless of their origins, there is now an impressive array of smaller, often specialist, consulting firms in the UK. These smaller (‘SME’) consultancies tend to start off being fairly ‘top heavy’, being established by small groups of senior, experienced consultants, all of whom are able to bring sales and project design/delivery expertise. However, assuming these start-up teams are successful, there is soon a need to turn to the wider market for new staff – as the variety of projects I have undertaken for SME consultancies in recent years, and the ever-present range of advertisements on Top-Consultant.com and the like, would testify. As a result, whereas 10–15 years ago the market was dominated by the ‘Big 6/8’ and the strategy consulting firms – and hence options open to consultants seeking a move were somewhat limited – there is now a wide and varied choice, particularly for those considering a move from large to small firm. motivations for moving While moving from a large firm to a small firm tends to be more common, big consultancies also seem to be increasingly recognising the value of experience gained in an SME consultancy. 1 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS While not the only scenarios, my experience is that there are several more common situations which can provide the impetus for a move in either direction: size: does iT ReALLy mATTeR? 1. Junior Consultant with several years’ big firm experience decides to move to a smaller firm to accelerate his/her career progression. 2. Big firm Director/Associate Partner moves to smaller firm. In some cases this is to take up a leadership position that would not necessarily be open to him/her were they to stay at a larger firm – or at least not as quickly. In other cases it is because they conclude that they don’t want a leadership position in the big firm, because of politics, lifestyle, administration or the existing leadership; i.e. they make a positive decision to leave, rather than because of a lack of opportunity. 3. A senior individual at a smaller firm moves to a larger firm because they have progressed as far as they can and/or may not have equity in the business. 4. A junior Consultant concerned about the lack of brand on their CV moves to a larger firm to enhance his/her profile. large vs. small So what are the pros & cons of making such a move – in either direction – for the individual? Perhaps the most obvious feature of moving to a smaller firm is the chance to be a ‘bigger fish in a smaller pond’. In practice this means several things; for example, greater exposure with clients, which then leads to more rapid personal development. As Simon giffin, ex-IBM and Celerant, who joined Evolve Partners as employee no. 8 and is now Client Partner, observes: “My main motivation for joining a new, virtually start-up company (as Evolve was at that time) was the chance to be part of growing a new business that had a great idea of what implementation consulting should be – and in turn to speed up my own personal growth & development. I was certainly put in stretching clientfacing roles very quickly and yes, it was uncomfortable at times, but you learn the most when you are at (or beyond) full stretch.” 1 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS Andrea gawn, formerly of Deloitte and now Head of HR at Moorhouse Consulting, comments: “All our staff have joined us from large, tier 1 consulting firms. We give all staff the client ‘exposure’ they are looking for [typically greater exposure than they would have experienced previously], working on some of the UK’s most complex programmes.” size: does iT ReALLy mATTeR? Peter Maloney, who worked for M&S, Ernst & Young and dunnhumby before setting up his own business, Clearcell, adds: “Much of the large firm infrastructure includes a certain management overhead, which in smaller firms is missing. This means you are more likely to be responsible, and in the client’s eyes seen to be responsible, for work and decisions. This appeals to people who want to make an impact themselves, rather than rely on a large team. Accountability is higher in smaller firms. With that, the ‘on-the-job’ learning opportunities are also larger, so you can progress faster. Within our business we put a big emphasis on professional development and growth, recognising that the opportunity for doing more with our clients is extremely fulfilling. Most of our guys work with the CXOs of big businesses and the CXO starts to look to them for advice. They quickly move into the ‘trusted advisor’ status, which is what most consultants aspire to.” Rachel Clark, formerly of Ernst & Young, joined i2a Consulting several years ago soon after its inception. Her contribution to the growth of the business has been recognised by promotion to Partner and she has found that: “Throughout my time at i2a I have had a real say in all aspects of our business – the clients we target, the type of work we do, the people we recruit. I wouldn’t have had the same level of input within a large consulting firm, regardless of my seniority!” This greater exposure and pressure works for some, but not others – in addition, a smaller consulting firm would almost certainly demand that one takes responsibility at an earlier stage for carrying a sales target – so for those whose aptitude lies elsewhere, a larger 19 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS size: does iT ReALLy mATTeR? firm would offer more chance to progress without there being significant sales expectations. The situation at i2a, typical of many smaller firms, exemplifies the mix of challenge and reward available, as Rachel Clark explains: “Everyone in a small consulting firm has to take responsibility for sales and business development activity in addition to delivery. As a result, more junior consultants have the opportunity to develop a broader skill set far more quickly than would be the case in a larger firm.” Ultimately, though, a lack of business development skills would still be a barrier to reaching the very uppermost echelons, whether in a large or small consulting firm. Moving to a smaller firm should also provide the opportunity to have a greater influence on the direction and development of the business. Andrea gawn comments: “Feedback from our new joiners at Moorhouse Consulting helps us shape our working practices so we can offer all the advantages of working in a small firm, without losing those things that people value from their big firm experiences. Importantly, in addition to seeking and acting upon this input, we also ask them to engage fully in the business of running a consultancy practice – for example, all staff contribute to decisions on company direction and help to grow and shape the business. In this way they make an emotional investment and feel genuine ownership. So far, four years in, no one has left the firm!” Andy Easom, Head of HR and Recruitment at Commercial Advantage, supports this view: “Independent internal surveys of our staff send a clear message that they feel ‘empowered to help out on anything to do with building the company from within’ and that great value is placed on them ‘being part of shaping what the company becomes’.” 20 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS As does Rachel Clark: “At i2a it’s easier to see the direct correlation between effort expended, the recognition and reward received, and the success of the firm. It’s a much more transparent, exciting and satisfying way to work.” size: does iT ReALLy mATTeR? From a personal involvement and engagement perspective then, it would seem that small firms hold the advantage. By contrast, where large firms almost always score more highly is in having well-established internal resources and a comprehensive support infrastructure, and at a smaller firm it is necessary to be rather more self-reliant (as observed by Peter Maloney): “[at a smaller firm] you need to be more self-reliant in terms of getting going and relying on your own wit and skill to solve client challenges. You have to be [prepared to] fix your own PC, manage your own diary, and get your own tea. If you want the trimmings of prestige, then it is not the place for you.” However, there can be a downside to the substantial large firm infrastructure and support, in that it can be accompanied by increased levels of bureaucracy. In Rachel Clark’s view: “In a company the size of i2a, it makes no sense to develop complicated bureaucratic processes – quite rightly it’s not our primary focus and it makes a refreshing change. I’m able to concentrate on ensuring excellent results for my clients rather than filling in forms!” It is also hard to contest the view that large firms offer a more structured, resource-heavy approach to training, and working at a large firm, especially earlier in your career, will generally reassure potential future employers that you carry a ‘kitemark’ of quality with regard to foundation consulting skills. Peter Maloney supports this widely held view – and takes advantage of it for Clearcell: 21 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS “The training programmes [at large firms] for early joiners are always of a good standard, so they provide a good recruiting ground for us.” size: does iT ReALLy mATTeR? But Andy Tomkins of i2a offers a contrasting view: “The ‘quality premium’ from having a big name on your CV is not always what one might expect. There are many occasions where the big name firm is, in some people’s eyes, not associated with delivery quality.” And Simon giffin spells out the benefits a smaller firm approach can offer: “The training is less structured for sure, but for me that is a minor issue as I am a firm believer that the best way of learning is learning by doing. Looking back, I feel I have learned much more about how to grow and lead a consulting business than I would have done if I had stayed where I was.” So long as the quality of clients and project work is sufficient, small firm experience is still definitely valued by the larger firms, who also generally recognise the greater breadth of experience one would bring. As well as looking good on the CV, the larger firms’ brand strength can help a lot when selling to clients. Peter Maloney again: “Large firms undoubtedly work on larger engagements with bigger price tags. That appeals to certain people, and indeed to certain clients, who feel comfortable and reassured by this.” Calling a new client from a Big 4 firm or Accenture et al. will often get you airtime because of the name alone, whereas calling from ‘Bloggs & Co.’ is much less likely to. In the latter case the strength of your content and proposition becomes far more important, but get this right and, as Simon giffin confirms, inroads can still be made: “I have not found brand recognition or fee rates an issue when in a business development role … if the product is strong enough, 22 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS then you can still win business at rates that are comparable to the Big 4 … and, as Evolve has found, you will win work with blue-chip FTSE100 companies on a regular basis.” size: does iT ReALLy mATTeR? Peter Maloney’s experience has also shown how innovation and nimbleness can also lead to competitive advantage: “I believed there was a gap in the market for helping clients transform their business based around Customer Insight and I also believed that the larger firms hadn’t spotted it, or weren’t capable of delivering on it. Therefore, there was only the choice of starting out and backing yourself, so growing from very small for the two founders was the only option. Now as Clearcell’s head count approaches 30, we have clients across the globe and they tell us our thought leadership is the best they have seen. I doubt that if I was in a large firm we would have been able to grow like that. We would have been hit with all manner of targets and spent most of the time managing the internals of the firm, rather than being out there with clients.” While i2a’s Rachel Clark describes the edge that competitive pricing gives them over the larger firms: “I had some concerns as to how hard it would be to convince major multinationals to buy from a company the size of i2a but gone are the days when these firms only consider using big names. There is pressure within all organisations to achieve greater value for money and that’s exactly what they’ve found we are able to offer.” Her colleague Andy Tomkins adds: “When I joined i2a, I was initially worried that blue chip clients would be reluctant to work with small consulting firms. However, what I have found is that larger client organisations really value the commitment and personal relationships that i2a brings in their projects. No one has ever said that ‘I can’t work with you because you are too small’, and in fact i2a has more framework agreements in place than my last employer (a practice within a large consulting firm).” 23 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS Another major difference frequently cited between large and small consulting firms is that often slightly nebulous area of ‘culture’. What does seem clear is that those in a smaller firm generally feel a greater sense of common purpose and identity. Whether this automatically results in higher levels of engagement – and therefore performance – is less certain, but typically a smaller consulting firm will devote more time to establishing a good cultural and ‘values’ fit with an individual before hiring them. Andy Easom’s colleagues variously comment that Commercial Advantage: ‘Doesn’t really have the stresses that other firms have’, that ‘we’re all friends, and we care about each other and our clients’, and that working there offers ‘a hands-on culture’ and ‘a nonhierarchical environment, where things are extremely merit-based’. This can also extend to a more attractive work–life balance; Easom’s colleagues clearly also feel largely in control of their own work–life balance. One is expected to operate with greater levels of autonomy when with clients, but one is also trusted to take greater responsibility for managing one’s own time. Andy Tomkins comments: “I thought that moving to a small firm would mean it would be less sociable. In fact the reverse is true. The i2a office is a fun place to be, even if there aren’t many people in it, and we frequently enjoy each other’s company outside of work. It’s the culture and values that make the company work.” size: does iT ReALLy mATTeR? At a larger consulting firm, the culture of the practice or the style set by the Partner or Director of one’s immediate team is a far more pertinent consideration than any concept of corporate culture, which as a rule is very hard to make ‘real’ for the individual. Remuneration is the final area for consideration. As a general rule, at a smaller firm, one’s salary and bonus tend to be more closely linked to the firm’s performance. Base salaries are rarely higher than those offered by the larger firms, but in recognition of the different ‘risk/reward’ equation, bonuses should be higher – and should make one’s overall compensation at least on a par, or better, than for a comparable role in the large consultancy. At more senior levels, equity may be a realistic expectation after an appropriate ‘probation’ period, and in line with one making a significant contribution to revenue streams. 24 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS Larger firms by contrast usually have more comprehensive statutory benefits and often more flexible overall packages, and as a rule tend to give people the feeling of greater security and predictability of income. As Simon giffin comments: “In terms of rewards, I have not felt under-rewarded compared to the majority of the bigger players, but would have to concede the peaks and troughs of performance (and therefore bonus) are more exaggerated than in a larger firm ... and therefore there is probably greater risk associated with the smaller firm.” size: does iT ReALLy mATTeR? Andy Tomkins’ experience also reflects this: “Initially my base salary seemed lower than I had hoped, but I get commission on every day I work on a billable project and for my contribution to the sales process – this is the same at all levels in i2a Consulting. This means when I, and the firm, are busy, my earnings are very good; when things are quiet, I do less well. However, the system is transparent and fair. I like that.” summary When considering the best candidates I’ve met over the years, I wouldn’t say that all of them had spent time at both large and small firms during their career, but certainly many of them had. What is true, however, is that the most interesting ones, with the richest expertise and experience, definitely had. While there are undoubtedly exceptions to the generalisations made above, the broad differences between large and small firms remain pronounced. Whichever direction it is in, whether it’s right for you is, as with any move, partly to do with timing and stage of career, partly due to personal aspiration and partly due to the specific proposition the firm and role have to offer. One route is not better than the other is; just different. Working at a poor small consulting firm will be just as dispiriting – and damaging to the CV – as working at a lousy larger one, so whichever direction one is heading in, the decision should be made with care. 2 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS n Penna Penna is one of the UK’s leading Human Capital businesses and is unique in offering specialist expertise across all aspects of the HR and Recruitment lifecycle. Executive Recruitment is one of its six practices and provides innovative retained recruitment solutions to blue-chip clients in several sectors. Focusing on Principal/Director and Partner-level positions, Penna Executive Recruitment has a long-established track record of successful delivery in the Management Consulting and IT Services sectors. Penna is ranked 29th in the Top 100 Best Companies to Work For. More information can be found at www.penna.com. n martin hancock Martin has worked as recruitment consultant specialising in the Management Consulting sector since 1996. After 18 months with one of the leading global recruitment firms, Martin joined a boutique search and selection firm shortly after its inception. As a shareholder and member of the management team, he played a key role in growing the business to its peak of c40 staff and in the firm being voted the UK’s No.1 Management Consultancy sector recruitment firm in 2005/6. Martin has extensive experience in winning and managing senior Executive Search projects, single and multi-head advertised selection campaigns, and larger rolling recruitment programmes comprising a full range of recruitment activity. He leads Penna’s presence in the Management Consulting sector. Prior to entering recruitment, Martin spent 5 years as a commissioned officer in the Army, leaving with the rank of Captain. He has a BSc (Hons) 2i in Biochemistry from Bristol University. martin.hancock@penna.com size: does iT ReALLy mATTeR? 2 Chapter 4 The main consulTinG service lines anD inDusTries serveD Tony Restell, Top-Consultant.com The consulting industry derives its revenues from clients in all areas of both the public and private sectors. The fortunes of different practice areas will ebb and flow with the challenges and needs of the sectors they serve. But for the consulting industry as a whole, there are two categories of UK client that really make or break the fortunes of the industry. The pivotal clients are those in the Public Sector and the Financial Services sector – and the two are important to our industry in their own ways. Reform of the public sector has been a major thrust of the Labour government – and this reform has more often than not been spearheaded by vast teams of consultants. The challenges of turning around the myriad public sector bodies and services each require many years of engagement and so provide consulting firms with a backbone of consulting work to underpin their businesses over a period spanning many years. This spend on consulting projects is largely unaffected by the economic climate too – and the accelerated spend during the last consulting downturn was a key factor in ensuring the consulting recession was less painful than the private sector business climate might otherwise have warranted. A change in government might usher in a longer-term scaling back of consulting spend. This is by no means certain though as the desire to change an organisation often breeds the need for consultants – and any new government would certainly want to change the public sector in ways that would require private sector expertise. But in any case, the likely date of any election is such that the prospects for UK public sector consulting spend are unlikely to be impacted in the 2008 and 2009 period that this guide seeks to cover. Of similar magnitude in terms of total spend, the Financial Services sector is the engine of growth within the industry. In a booming economy, any acceleration in mergers and acquisitions and in private 2 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS equity activity drives a rapid acceleration in the sector’s consulting spend. It’s one way in which the fortunes of the City come to directly affect the fortunes of the consulting sector. Industry commentators believe accelerating Financial Services spend was the biggest factor in the double-digit growth that the consulting sector enjoyed from late 2004 onwards. Conversely, though, the sector can be one of the first to put a brake on consulting growth when market conditions take a turn for the worse. Anecdotal evidence certainly suggests that slowing Financial Services demand is now feeding through to the consulting sector – and is one of the main reasons consulting leaders expect industry growth of just 6% in 2008 compared with the 13% average seen over the course of the previous three years. As a bellwether of the consulting industry’s future, the performance of the stock exchange is certainly one to watch. By and large, total spend on consultants – and therefore the importance of a sector to the consulting industry – tends to mirror the relative size of that sector in the broader economy. Hence it’s no surprise to see that our choice of top five most important industries served would comprise the Public Sector, Financial Services, Telecoms, Media & Entertainment, Retail & FMCg and the Energy & Utilities practice areas. Other important markets would include sectors like Transportation & Logistics, Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals, Aerospace & Defence and Oil & gas. The revenue contributions of these sectors to the overall consulting industry take tends to evolve quite slowly over time – though their contributions to the growth of the industry year-on-year can oscillate quite dramatically as we have seen in the case of Financial Services consulting. For most candidates, the choice of which industry area to serve is not a decision they ever have to take. Those joining a consulting firm as an experienced hire (from industry or another consulting firm) will already have a degree of sector expertise and this will largely dictate the practice areas in which they can aspire to be employed. You’re very much trying to swim against the current if you’re looking to join a firm in a practice area which doesn’t serve the sector where the majority of your experience has been gained. For those joining at the graduate entry levels, you will usually start out as generalists, working on a variety of assignments in various The mAin ConsuLTing seRViCe Lines And indusTRies seRVed 2 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS different practice areas during the first years on the job. As sector expertise is built up, such ‘generalists’ will tend to find they are sought more and more often to work on assignments in related areas – and so for most generalists it is usually only a matter of time before they become sector specialists of some description. For those keen to work longer term in a particular industry, doing all you can to steer the assignments you work on in the early years of your career can be a worthwhile initiative. Though you should be cautioned that this is often easier said than done – and the feasibility of doing this is something you are only likely to uncover once you’ve actually started work for a consulting employer. consulting service lines Several chapters could be written about the different service lines provided by consulting firms, the relative appeal of each and the types of assignments a consultant could expect to work on when assigned to work on these different service lines. As this guide is primarily aimed at the experienced hires market, this is not the place for a detailed review of the various consulting service lines. graduate careers services, graduate websites and careers fairs can provide the insights for those entering the industry for the first time via the milkround recruiting process. However, some prioritisation of the services lines would seem to be in order – and our top five would be made up of IT Consulting, Business Transformation/Change Management work, Strategy assignments, Business Process Improvement projects and Project/ Programme Management work. There are many other niche service lines such as outsourcing advice or HR consulting, but the above five would constitute the vast majority of the consulting industry’s revenues. Of the above, IT consulting is expected to be the service line experiencing the strongest revenue growth over the coming two years – with hiring difficulties already more acute than in any of the other areas. Business Transformation/Change Management work has also been growing strongly and should continue to do so in spite of the changing economic climate. By contrast, strategy consulting tends to be the most prominent casualty during an economic slowdown, so firms engaged heavily in this are expected to fare the least well The mAin ConsuLTing seRViCe Lines And indusTRies seRVed 29 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS The mAin ConsuLTing seRViCe Lines And indusTRies seRVed 30 during the next two years – though many are offsetting weakness in the UK by jetting teams off to serve booming markets like the United Arab Emirates and Eastern Europe. It’s notable that at the time of writing, many of the top strategy firms have essentially fulfilled their UK hiring goals for the remainder of 2008 even though we are barely half way into the year. On a positive note, strategy firms have been keen to learn from the hiring excesses of the dot-com era. The majority have been far more cautious in the hiring programmes they’ve undertaken during the recent boom years – and so are much more likely to be able to weather the market slowdown without the need for any significant culling of staff. So if you’re already employed by one of these firms, it’s perhaps time to sit tight. If you’re looking to move into strategy consulting, now might be the time to do something else to bolster your CV with a view to making the strategy consulting move a couple of years hence when conditions have lifted once again. n Tony Restell is a former strategy consultant and one of the Founding Directors of Top-Consultant.com. He has an extensive network of recruitment contacts within the UK consulting sector and is a regular speaker and commentator on the state of the UK consulting industry. Chapter 5 The consulTanT’s career paTh Peter Nicholls, Michael Warwick Nicholls “What exactly are the responsibilities of a Management Consultant and how do these change as I progress my career through various levels within the industry? What can I expect to earn and what promotion opportunities can I expect to see within this arena?” These are some of the most frequently asked questions that I encounter when discussing Management Consultancy opportunities with prospective individuals looking to enter the industry. To begin to answer these questions it’s probably best to understand the broad levels that generally exist within the larger global Consulting/Big 4 Advisory firms. There are three broad levels that can be described as technical, managerial and strategic. Terminology aside, Consultants and Senior Consultants ply their trade at a technical level. Managers and Senior Managers operate at a managerial level, whilst Directors and Partners work within the strategic space. levels Technical New entrants into consultancy coming from a Commerce or Industry background will generally begin their consultancy career at some point within this level. Whether an individual joins as a Consultant or Senior Consultant will largely depend upon the experience that they have already acquired to date. For example, a newly qualified accountant with 2–3 years experience who is joining a finance and performance management service line would enter as a consultant. A similar individual with perhaps 2–3 years more experience in a project/value added/performance improvement-orientated role would more likely join as a Senior Consultant. 31 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS Consultants and Senior Consultants are largely responsible for the delivery of consultancy assignments. They tend to be engaged in teams of varying sizes depending on the nature of the work and will assume responsibility for certain aspects/deliverables within the overall framework of the project. They will have been recruited based on the quality of their experience combined with the appropriate softer skills to succeed within consultancy. At this Consultant/ Senior Consultant level they will be utilising and building upon their existing skill base whilst engaged on a variety of projects often across a range of industries and, more likely than not, within a blue chip environment. In addition to building the knowledge base, Consultants and Senior Consultants will be developing and honing their softer interpersonal skills that are so important for continued advancement. Consultants and Senior Consultants should expect regular review of their performance and have a clear understanding of future expectation in order for them to achieve further promotion and advancement. Consultants could expect promotion as early as 18 months to 2 years and a further 2 years at Senior Consultant level should see individuals moving towards a promotion to Manager level. Salaries from Consultant to Senior Consultant level will range from £35,000–£60,000 plus benefits and bonus where applicable. Managerial Managers and Senior Managers will tend to be developed within the organisations themselves or join from a competitor. Firms like to see a number of ‘boxes ticked’ as far as consultancy experience is concerned before they promote to Manager or more latterly Senior Manager levels. Having said that, some individuals will commence a career within consulting at a managerial level provided they have the pre-requisite skills and experience. For example, somebody may have led/operated in a number of large internal transformation projects and as a consequence would have the capability to enter at this level. Managers and Senior Managers will have strong delivery experience. They will have assumed client relationship responsibility and in addition will have certain business development/sales targets. The ConsuLTAnT’s CAReeR PATh 32 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS They may have a certain capability or industry specialism. The combination of work responsibilities, i.e. delivery, team management, client management and business development will differ from firm to firm to some extent. However, it’s safe to say that the more senior an individual becomes at this Manager/Senior Manager level, there is an ever growing expectation upon the individual with respect to sales and business development. Within some firms there will be several layers at Manager level and promotion/advancement can be achieved at regular intervals. Within 6–8 years, sometimes sooner, high performers should have all the necessary knowledge and experience required to allow them to seek Director opportunities. Salaries at Manager/Senior Manager level will vary from £65,000– £120,000 + benefits + bonus. Strategic Directors and, ultimately, Partners are operating at this level. They will have all of the necessary skills and experience that would be expected of individuals driving and defining an organisation’s future. They will have excellent leadership skills and an ability to inspire. At this strategic level, individuals are expected to develop innovative, practical and achievable solutions to clients’ business issues. They will lead large consulting engagements, motivating teams to achieve success. Consistently successful in winning business, they have the ability to interpret clients’ strategic operational and external drivers for change. Directors and Partners demonstrate strong management skills and assume responsibility for people development. They are charged with the task of directing the achievement of longer-term business objectives at both market unit and client account level. They demonstrate exceptional communication skills and operate comfortably at board level. Individuals would be expected to operate for a certain period at director level in order to demonstrate their expertise/abilities before being made Partner. Director/Partner salaries vary enormously ranging from around £120,000 at the most Junior Director levels, to higher six-figure salaries for Managing Partners and their counterparts in the The ConsuLTAnT’s CAReeR PATh 33 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS major professional service organisations and global consultancies respectively. In conclusion, the Consultant’s career path offers an exceptional opportunity for those with the right skills and personal attributes. It is not without its challenges. However, for those individuals that choose a career in consultancy, it can be immensely rewarding at all levels. Consultants need the right raw experience to begin the journey. If they have, and it is matched with a level of ambition and drive that a consultancy firm can recognise, then the opportunities to progress are endless. Consultancy firms give individuals every opportunity to develop their experience. They are knowledge-based businesses and as a consequence are amongst the best environments to expand your learning. They offer immense support, exceptional training and afford the opportunity to work with like-minded professionals transforming some of the world’s most prestigious organisations. At all levels, whether it be at the technical, managerial or strategic stage of an individual’s development, opportunities and challenges are clearly identifiable and the meritocratic nature of the major firms in the consultancy arena only goes to enhance the outstanding career prospects for Management Consultants. n michael Warwick nicholls If you would like more information of Management Consultancy opportunities that Michael Warwick Nicholls are currently dealing with, please visit our website at www.mwn.co.uk n Peter nicholls Peter Nicholls is a Director of Michael Warwick Nicholls, specialist recruiters in the areas of Management Consultancy and Finance & Accountancy. In 2008 readers of Top-Consultant.com voted Peter one of the top ‘Management Consultancy Recruiters of the Year’. Peter Nicholls Michael Warwick Nicholls 07770 915407 pete@mwn.co.uk The ConsuLTAnT’s CAReeR PATh 34 Chapter 6 securinG a consulTinG joB – parT i Tips for writing a compelling CV Richard Stewart, Mindbench “We receive over 200 CVs for every position we advertise at ‘Consultant’ level. We have systems and processes and software to try and identify the most interesting candidates, but I still worry about the opportunities we miss sometimes…” what is a cv for? In consultancy, a CV is a tool for getting you through to the interview stage of the hiring process. It needs to be concise, easy to read, truthful, and tick all the key boxes that consultancies are looking for. • CVs should be easy to read • CVs should contain all the relevant information HR people need to take your application forward • CVs should contain all the buzzwords/relevant data points that the consultancy will be looking for • CVs should be tailored to each individual consultancy • CVs should be truthful • CVs should contain a little bit about you as a human being – not just as a commodity. cvs should be easy to read Try and produce a summary of your CV on a single side of A4 paper – key personal details, career summary mentioning the most important or relevant companies you’ve worked for, top-line academic record and qualifications, personal achievements and interests. You can add further pages detailing your career and qualifications, but if you have significant achievements to shout about, make sure you get them onto the top page. 3 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS seCuRing A ConsuLTing job – PART i TiPs foR WRiTing A ComPeLLing CV 3 Always spend time considering the layout – try to keep it clear and easy to read. A minimum font size of 10pt arial is a reasonable guide. You can use other fonts, but it is recommended you stay away from anything too fanciful. It may get you noticed, but it may also put people off! Use the width of the page and space out paragraphs/sections to make reading easy on the eye – you can always add further detail on additional pages. These days almost all companies specify that soft-copy documents should be submitted in Microsoft Word – submitting in any other format is asking to be rejected out-of-hand. If you are working in the very latest version of Word, e.g. Office 2007, you might want to consider saving it in an earlier version (97–2003). Remember that consultancy personnel, especially in the smalland medium-sized firms, will be under considerable time pressure – they won’t always be able to read CVs as carefully as they would like, nor in their entirety. If you can give them a reason on the first page to read further, they will; bore them, and they won’t! cvs should contain all the relevant information hr people need to take your application forward There are some fundamental pieces of information that recruiting personnel will require to be able to take your application further. In some cases you may be required to apply for a position via an internet site (either the company’s own or their recruitment consultant’s), in which case these facts should be required as part of the application. However, if you are asked to attach a soft-copy version to an electronic application or to send a hard-copy version, this too should carry the basic data: • Nationality, residential status and work permits – where applicable • Current salary/remuneration package • Academic qualifications: A-levels/Senior school results; University degree, subject and grade; any postgraduate qualifications • Any languages spoken other than English and the level of fluency – native, fluent, conversational, beginner. THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS It’s also a good idea to include any other relevant qualifications – certified software courses, gMAT scores, language courses, and any recognised business-course diplomas or certificates. cvs should contain all the buzzwords/relevant data points that the consultancy will be looking for Do your research – look at the website, read about the consultancy – the kind of projects it works on, its client list, its industry/sector focus and use that data to show your experience is a match with theirs. Make sure you mention your key achievements and what you have ‘delivered’ in each role. Try to demonstrate that you have the key ‘competencies’ that they are looking for and which will appear in the job advertisement or on the website – these may be as specific as ‘installing new databases to assist customer service representatives in tracking customer records’ or as broad as ‘demonstrate leadership’, ‘a team player’, ‘commercial awareness’. The CV is an opportunity for you to show what you have ‘achieved’ in each role and how you have progressed in your career. Don’t assume that the reader will fill in the details based on their knowledge of the industry – make it clear that you used each step in your career so far to progress to the next level. Remember that these days many companies use ‘data-mining software’ to automatically search documents for certain key words, so to give yourself the best chance of being selected for the next stage, whether by a person or a computer program. cvs should be tailored to each individual consultancy There are many different types of consultancy, serving different markets and offering different services to their clients. Finding the kind that fits with your skills and experience can save a lot of wasted time and effort. Consultancies also have significantly different cultures. Finding the right work environment will help you to achieve your potential. By researching the company on the internet and through conversations with experienced people, you can give yourself a far better chance of demonstrating that you are interested in who they are seCuRing A ConsuLTing job – PART i TiPs foR WRiTing A ComPeLLing CV 3 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS seCuRing A ConsuLTing job – PART i TiPs foR WRiTing A ComPeLLing CV 3 and what they do. It will also be invaluable in tailoring your own experience and qualifications to best match what they are looking for in a candidate. cvs should be truthful Tell the truth on your CV and try and avoid the temptation to exaggerate or embellish your knowledge and experience. At some point during the interview process you will be asked to expand upon what is written on your CV, and references and endorsements will be checked up on. If at any stage your are found to be less than truthful, the chances are that you will be rejected straight away and any agencies involved in the recruitment process will be warned about the incident. cvs should contain a little bit about you as a human being – not just as a commodity Most consultancy websites these days will include some information on how the company view themselves, whether it’s an ‘Our culture/ Our philosophy’ page or a ‘Day in the life of a consultant’ piece written by one of the employees. This should give you some idea of how they view themselves as individuals as well as a company and will indicate how much personal ‘character’ information is appropriate. Consultants tend to work in high-pressure situations, as part of close-knit teams and come to rely on each other, not only as a work mate but as someone they spend time with when travelling or working on-site at the client. It is often helpful for them to see you as a real person, not just a collection of academic grades and work experience. In practical terms too, it is important for consultancies to know that they are getting fully-rounded personalities, able to socialise and interact with a wide range of backgrounds and with interests and hobbies which show them to be more than just a ‘numbercruncher’. A lot of consultancy work relies on good working relationships between consultant and client, and that in part is a question of personality and character. Skills, drive, ambition, sociability, intellectual curiosity, are all characteristics which can be expressed through personal interests. Hence membership of clubs and societies, THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS achievements in sports – both individual and team – intellectual pursuits and so forth are all useful indicators of a person’s outlook on life. NB. It is not a question of trying to ‘fit in’ with their stereotype consultant – many consultancies have embraced the benefits of diversity in their make-up – but of how to pitch your personal characteristics in a way that they understand and in a manner that appeals to them. conclusion • Your job when writing your CV is to make it as easy as possible for the company to hire you. • Show them how your knowledge and experience can be of use to them. • Make it clear that you understand what they require in their employees and that you have what it takes, not just to do the job, but to fit in with their way of doing the job. • Demonstrate to them that you would be an interesting stimulating addition to their organisation. • And above all – do it clearly and concisely! n Richard Stewart is the Managing Director of specialist recruitment firm Mindbench, who took the lead in supporting the publication of this guide by becoming sole sponsors of this first edition. The Mindbench team are recognised management consultancy recruitment experts and they have been selected as the only recruitment company to be a gold sponsor of the Management Consultancies Association in the UK. seCuRing A ConsuLTing job – PART i TiPs foR WRiTing A ComPeLLing CV 39 Change your perspective on the consulting world Opportunities at all levels It’s easy to go with the flow, doing what you’ve always done, getting what you’ve always got. But wouldn’t you rather carve your own niche with an innovative management consultancy, shaping its offering and having a real impact on its development? EC Harris is the leading international builtasset consultancy. It helps clients generate value from planning, delivering and maintaining their built assets. Management consultancy is one of our key competencies. By harnessing the strengths of a 3,000 strong workforce and a 100-year history we plan to more than double the size of the business over the next few years. Join us now and you could be working at board level with major clients, delivering integrated and creative solutions across a number of sectors and international locations. We want enthusiastic and ambitious team players with strong academic credentials. If you understand built assets, supply chains, organisational change or construction, even better, but it is not necessary. At a senior level, experience of delivering major change programmes and leading teams is needed. We also value a track record in high-value consulting sales and superb relationship-building skills ideally in built-asset sectors. There will be plenty of scope to grow and develop within our supportive culture. We are also a business that believes firmly in a healthy work/life balance. To find out more and apply, please visit our website. www.echarrisjobs.com Chapter 7 securinG a consulTinG joB – parT ii effectie interiewing tips Richard Stewart, Mindbench successful interviewing for management consultancies At Mindbench one of our main roles is to prepare candidates for interviews and also to liaise with our clients to provide constructive feedback afterwards. This enables candidates to be as prepared as possible and to demonstrate their potential in the interview – or at least perform better in future interviews! The following article represents the distilled wisdom of hundreds of consultancy interviews, looking at the key elements that consultancies are looking for in a candidate, some of the key areas of preparation you should undertake to give yourself the best possible chance of a good performance, as well as some of the pitfalls to avoid when being interviewed. The ideal candidate – what are consultancies looking for in a candidate? Mindbench regularly interviews management, HR and recruiters at a wide range of its clients to ask, ‘What are the key characteristics you are looking for when you interview?’. The responses given can generally be fitted into one of three main groupings: • Strategic thinking • Analytical rigour • Mathematical ability. In addition to these essential facets, there were a range of more general qualities that consultancies liked to see demonstrated by candidates: • Drive • Focus 41 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS seCuRing A ConsuLTing job – PART ii effeCTiVe inTeRVieWing TiPs 42 • Ability to manage people • Willingness to adapt to consulting way of life • Depth of character. know who you are seeing You should be able to find out the name and level of people who are to interview you, so don’t forget that at different stages of the interview process you will be meeting with different types of interviewer, each looking for slightly different qualities in you. • consultants will be looking for someone they can work alongside and spend time with, as well as someone they will be competing with. They are going to want to see someone who is as driven and committed as them. • managers are looking at someone who is going to work as part of their team and affect their ‘team’ performance, as well as someone they may have to train with new skills or methods. • partners/Directors will be looking for someone who will represent their company, who will strengthen the ‘team’ and who will add to the company’s bottom-line – an asset! When you meet the interviewers, it is a good idea to make a note of their names, for referral later on. You are looking to these people to give you a forward step in your career path – it’s polite not to forget their name! Demonstrating motivation There are certain ‘favourite’ questions that crop up in the majority of interviews, preparation for which will enable you to demonstrate your motivation: • • • • Why do you want to work in management consultancy? Why do you want to move back into consulting? Why do you want to work in this country? Why do you want to work in this industry sector/consulting specialism? • Why do you want to work for this particular consulting firm? THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS These questions will appear, in one form or another, at almost every interview. Knowing this means you can plan out in advance what you want to say and be ready to show that you have really thought about why this job is the next logical step in your career. The best advice we can give is to ‘Be prepared – sound spontaneous!’ Demonstrating competencies Similarly, the interview process should give you plenty of opportunities to demonstrate the competencies which the consultancy are looking for: • Analytical rigour – lay out your reasoning and be structured in your thinking • Strategic thinking – try to be holistic in your view of a problem – understand the implications for the whole organisation/situation involved • Commercial awareness – consider the issues of costs and earnings in all commercial scenarios • Intellectual curiosity – a thirst for knowledge, learning and development are all highly attractive quality in consultants • Presentation – consultancy favours the structured, simply laid-out and well summarised • Drive – demonstrate that you are a self-starter • Management capability – have you managed anything? Talk about it! • Leadership – sports, recreational, social and academic groups all count alongside your achievements in a work capacity. preparation and practice Remarks, however well-prepared in the confines of your own head, will always sound different out loud. If at all possible, try role-playing some of your answers – take advantage of any friends who are also going through the interview process to practise on. If you are at university or doing an MBA, find a colleague to work with. If all else fails, try the recruitment consultant! seCuRing A ConsuLTing job – PART ii effeCTiVe inTeRVieWing TiPs 43 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS seCuRing A ConsuLTing job – PART ii effeCTiVe inTeRVieWing TiPs Practise is key – the more comfortable you are talking about yourself and your career, the better you will come across in the interview. some ‘Do’s’ and ‘Don’ts’ of interviewing • Know who you are talking to What is the company, who is the person? • Know what you are talking about What role are you applying for? • Present yourself smartly A good suit, acceptable haircut, clean and tidy • Interact: listen and respond Focus, nod, agree/disagree, and answer questions • Maintain concentration Some consultancies try to tire and disorient! Intellectual arrogance “I don’t want to work with blockheads.” This is quoted verbatim by an experienced consultant who had recently completed an MBA at one of Europe’s top business schools, on interview for a principal-level role with a strategy consulting firm. Consultants need to be able to work and get on with a wide range of people at different levels Understandably, the consultancy saw arrogance and didn’t want to proceed further. Their comment to us about the candidate was: “Just because you’ve got an MBA doesn’t mean you are God! We don’t want to work with people who think they are...” 44 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS Talk continuously seCuRing A ConsuLTing job – PART ii effeCTiVe inTeRVieWing TiPs Mindbench had a candidate who was perfect on paper for a senior role with a niche strategy consulting firm, although at interview she talked continuously to such an extent that the interview found it very hard to get to know her. The feedback from the strategy firm was: “I didn’t get a chance to speak and had to bring the interview to an end to stop it overrunning massively … how can she build rapport with clients if she can’t build rapport with me?” Talk very quickly Some people naturally talk very fast. Interviewers are looking for good communicators who they feel comfortable will work well with their clients. If you are a fast talker, adapt your pace for the interview. An American candidate, who was a very fast talker, interviewed with a change consultancy. They said: “This just wouldn’t work with our clients! A perfectly pleasant and qualified guy, but we were exhausted after 20 minutes with him!” Overly formal/informal Consulting firms are looking for you to have the right pitch, so it is important that you come across as professional and have the ability to build rapport with the interviewer and demonstrate passion for your career. You do not want to come across as wooden or overly formal – you need to be someone that they all will want to work with. Smaller consulting firms in particular may have a more relaxed style to office work and they will want to ensure that you are going to be a good cultural fit with them, so you don’t want to appear too stiff – or as if you have no sense of humour. On the other hand, you don’t want to be overly informal – tell jokes or wear inappropriate clothes. 4 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS seCuRing A ConsuLTing job – PART ii effeCTiVe inTeRVieWing TiPs 4 One consultant wore a brown suit and yellow shirt to the interview. Whilst he got the contract, his clothing was mentioned in remarks! Don’t be reticent about telling interviewers about clients and projects you have worked on If there are confidentiality issues or commercial sensitivity – e.g. if a very recent project – then it is professional not to discuss details in great depth or mention client names – explain this politely! However, if it is more than a year ago, you should feel free to discuss projects – what the project achieved, what your role was and who the clients were. This will give the interviewer confidence that you know what you are talking about and enable them to assess your level of achievement. Don’t be late! Plan to be at least 30 minutes early for the interview – allow for travel disruptions etc. You can always use the time to run through notes, read the FT/ Economist, calm yourself, etc. Saying the wrong thing Take your time and get your words right! Be careful not to swear or use ‘inappropriate’ language. Should you make a mistake or say the wrong thing – don’t panic! Apologise and try to move forward – being able to cope in a difficult position like this can actually end up counting in your favour. The ability to extricate yourself from a tricky situation is a valuable one. We do not, however, suggest you try creating a tricky situation on purpose! ‘Freezing’ or drying-up Even experienced people can experience moments of stress and freeze-up. It happens to the very best of public speakers, politicians, media correspondents, actors, even celebrities! THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS Practising possible question-and-answer scenarios with a friend or colleague can help. It will build confidence and give you ‘prepared’ speeches to fall back on should the worse happen. The fine line Try to strike the right balance between confidence and boasting. A well written CV will help – make a list of your accomplishments, both personally and professionally, and practise talking about them in front of a friend or colleague. Your body and your future career Be careful what you eat and drink in the 24 hours prior to the interview. Try not to overindulge! An upset stomach or hangover is a formidable distraction. Try to eat something a few hours before the interview – hunger and a growling stomach can be offputting too! The softer side Listening skills • Engage with the interviewer – let them ‘run’ the interview, but be a willing participant. • Maintain eye contact – the best way to inspire confidence and gauge how you are performing, when to talk and when to shut up! Try not to stare! • Listening – great actors are those who not only remember and deliver their lines, but act when they are not speaking – show that you are attentive, focused and interested in what is being said to you. Try tilting your head to one side slightly. Don’t be mute – nod, make ‘agreement noises’. Body language • Sit upright; no slouching! Have a pen and pad for notes when appropriate, but remember to look at the interviewer(s). • Using your hands when you speak can be a useful way of communicating underlying emphasis and even adding structure to seCuRing A ConsuLTing job – PART ii effeCTiVe inTeRVieWing TiPs 4 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS seCuRing A ConsuLTing job – PART ii effeCTiVe inTeRVieWing TiPs 4 your words. This is particularly important when dealing with continental European firms or interviewers. The habit of speaking with gesticulation doesn’t always come naturally, so once again I would say ‘PRACTISE!’ • Avoid fidgeting or appear uncomfortable in the interview. Asking questions You should feel free to ask questions during the interview, should you not understand something or want a point clarified – but remember: do not interrupt the interviewer! Asking questions to gain insight, to clarify issues or just to ensure that you understand the topic is entirely reasonable – in fact asking apposite and insightful questions is a key tool in the consultant’s repertoire. Interrupting people is simply bad manners. Character • Being nervous is ok It is reasonable to be a little nervous when being interviewed – some interviewers may even expect it and want to see some sign. Just don’t let it take over! • not understanding something is ok gives you the chance to demonstrate your questioning skills. • not knowing something is ok Better to be honest than to waffle (unless you’re a really good waffler!) • Telling jokes is wrong! You may get away with a witty comment or amusing observation, if it is on the spur of the moment and outside the main stream of the interview. But telling jokes is inappropriate in an interview situation – the chances of a joke going wrong, or just not being laughed at, far outweigh any possible gain you’ll get from it. And, yes, people really do try these things in job interviews! THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS conclusion Try not to be scared – little adrenaline is a useful tool to keep you alert and reactive in a pressure situation, so try not to relax too much. Remember that the interview process is not arranged to try and catch you out or trip you up – if it is properly done it should allow you to demonstrate your best abilities and will give you ample opportunity to show how you could be an asset to the company. The GolDen rule whaTever happens, whaTever the interviewer is like, however upset you feel about your performance: always remember, as in business life: • Be polite • Never lose your temper • Try to remain calm, thoughtful and positive seCuRing A ConsuLTing job – PART ii effeCTiVe inTeRVieWing TiPs … and good luck in your next role! n Richard Stewart is the Managing Director of specialist recruitment firm Mindbench, who took the lead in supporting the publication of this guide by becoming sole sponsors of this first edition. The Mindbench team are recognised management consultancy recruitment experts and they have been selected as the only recruitment company to be a gold sponsor of the Management Consultancies Association in the UK. 49 Fast-track your career with the world’s leading consulting brands Or could it be time to move in-house? Strategy, Project/Programme Management, Change, Technology, Operations, Outsourcing... Whatever the flavour, find your next role NOW at Top-Consultant.com Top-Consultant.com Global Opportunities in Consulting Chapter 8 consulTinG in The puBlic secTor Don Leslie, BLT It was around 1983 that management consultants first started popping up in the public sector. Mrs Thatcher had just won her second term in office and the Conservative government was extending its policy of introducing private sector rigour to the public sector, using consulting firms to bring in new ideas. Twenty five years later, the Prime Minister and the government may have changed, but the public sector continues to draw on private sector expertise across all areas of public service. And consultants are still at the very heart of it. Improving services, reducing costs, developing business and IT strategies and engineering change in complex organisations: consulting with government brings many of the same demands as that to consulting with the private sector, notes Ian Morton, Partner in Avail Consulting. But there is an additional level of challenge generated by the scale of the public sector and more complicated stakeholder management and decision making. Central government is the largest user of consultants, followed by the NHS and local government. Defence, education, housing, transport – wherever there’s a public service, there are consultants transforming it. Over the years, though, the way consultants are used has changed. In 2006 the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee recommended that public bodies make better use of their own staff, and only hire in the consultants where they need expertise for fixed periods. And following the publication of a National Audit Office report which criticised the heavy use of consultants as interim or substitute managers, consultants are now being used more as specialists than surrogates. It’s big business. Around 30% of UK consulting firms’ revenue comes from the public sector, and there are plenty of opportunities to join public sector market teams as a graduate entrant or a public sector-experienced hire. Newcomers to public sector consulting have this romantic impression that they’ll be swanning around, advising the government on 1 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS ConsuLTing in The PubLiC seCToR how to run things, says Rozz Cason-Marcus, who recruits for PA Consulting’s government division. So she recommends that prospective public sector consultants talk to those already consulting in the sector to see what the work really is about. There are three main areas of service: 1. Improving performance and efficiency, making the quality of service delivered better and reducing its cost. This is done by consultants who draw on private sector experience of concepts such as LEAN to increase productivity and bring systems and processes into the 21st century. Saving money is no longer as simple as it once was: new ideas are needed. 2. Transforming services. Technology is being brought to bear to help public bodies better engage with their ‘customers’ – taxpayers and citizens. Almost half the spend on consultants is on IT consulting and programme/project management. 3. Organisational development and leadership. The skills needed to run public sector bodies have changed as those organisations themselves have changed. Old structures have been replaced by new ways of working, and specialist consultants are being engaged to help managers adapt. Anyone who is already working in these areas will have something to offer the public sector. But it’s about attitude too. Successful public sector consultants talk about having a passion for improving the sector and a strong desire to make a difference in the way organisations deliver services to all parts of the community. David Shaw, Head of Central government Consulting at grant Thornton, says it’s a rewarding and enjoyable sector to work in, and there really are opportunities to make an impact but, he stresses, public sector clients have high expectations now of consultants and are always looking for the ‘value added’. So who makes a good public sector consultant? It could be someone who can be dropped into unfamiliar situations and pick up the brief quickly, synthesise lots of information and communicate advice effectively to senior officials. In other words, a civil servant. Some of PA’s most successful recruits, according to Cason-Marcus. Or the product of a local government training scheme or the NHS graduate programme. Healthcare consultants, Frontline, stress 2 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS that health has a language all of its own, and prospective consultants need to have a high level of insight to understand the issues. Doctors are clever, observes Frontline director John Deffenbaugh, and the NHS probably has a larger proportion of smart people than any other area of the public sector, so having a good knowledge of health is important to be able to engage with them. Yet Deffenbaugh also recruits recent graduates as Analysts into his consulting business, if they can convince him that they truly want to work in healthcare consulting. Indeed anyone, whether straight from an undergraduate degree, business school or the workplace has a realistic prospect of joining a consulting firm’s public sector team if they have that desire to make the public sector work better. Where would you look for firms to apply to for posts, outside the well-known names who consult in the public sector? Catalist (the preferred/approved supplier list of consultancies offering services to public organisations drawn up by the Office of government Commerce) will yield names of firms that are unfamiliar to those outside the sector. Central government has been encouraging smaller management consultancies to sign up for Catalist and there are, consequently, many boutique or niche firms listed alongside the Big Four and the large systems houses. Public sector consultancy may be better protected from the ups and downs of the economic cycle than other areas of management consulting, but this doesn’t mean that it doesn’t suffer from uncertainty too. A change of Prime Minister in 2007 and an on/off general Election that autumn led to projects being shelved and decisions deferred. Angry newspaper editorials about consultants growing fat at the expense of the taxpayer don’t encourage new initiatives. And the enormous project to rewire the NHS has, so far, been somewhat of a disappointment. Yet there is widespread recognition that the specialist expertise management consultancies do offer is absolutely essential for the public sector. It is just not possible to expect to find the depth of knowledge in, say, large IT systems transformation within the public sector itself. Home-grown public sector experts in business process re-engineering or change management are few. The government itself creates – inadvertently – new opportunities for consultants: the Lyons Review of 2004 into the scope for ConsuLTing in The PubLiC seCToR 3 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS ConsuLTing in The PubLiC seCToR relocating a substantial number of public sector activities from London and the South East of England to other parts of the UK, for example. Or the gershon Efficiency Review to assess how the public sector could exploit opportunities for efficiency savings, so that resources could be released for front-line public service delivery. Or hiving off parts of the Home Office into new Ministries and Agencies. Or creating new ways of measuring local government performance. The list is lengthy. And all cry out for the support of external management consultants. There will always be business opportunity for consultancies in the UK public sector. And there will always be professional and personal rewards for consultants who can make a difference in it. And we all, as taxpayers and users of these services, will be thankful too. n Don Leslie recruited his first public sector management consultant in 1983, and has specialised in the area ever since. He is a director of BLT, the awardwinning management consultancy recruiters. Contact Don on 020 7419 0909 or dfl@blt.co.uk for further information on opportunities in public sector consulting, or view the BLT website at www.blt.co.uk 4 Chapter 9 consulTinG opporTuniTies wiThin iT soluTion proviDers What’s out there? Stuart Feest, Matchtech The Internet provides a window onto a vast array of potential career opportunities within the IT sector. Unfortunately the view can sometimes be cluttered and confusing, with only the largest and most obvious landmarks standing out. e-Skills point to over 195,000 ICTrelated job adverts placed in Q4 07, with the vast majority appearing on-line. Before writing this article, I decided to briefly place myself in the shoes of a Consultant, looking for a fresh challenge, and wanting to explore possibilities outside of my own personal network. I spent an hour playing with ‘google’, with mixed results: • ‘2,720,000 links’, delivered to me in just ‘0.21 seconds’ • 25 minutes spent reviewing some high profile Job-boards (over 1500 job ads) • 20 minutes clicking on some agency websites (many more ads). In the face of this mountain of potentially useful information, I spent my last 15 minutes trying to decide what to do next. Feedback from our candidates confirms similar experiences. Using the Internet to assist with any ‘major decision’, can be frustrating and time consuming, if you don’t know where start. A recent ‘major decision’ for me was selecting a family-friendly skiing resort (with the majority of UK schools taking the same half term next year I gather booking early is essential for 2009!). The easiest and safest option would be ‘no change’, and head back to Flaine (for the third year running). I am aware of the most high profile resorts, ‘the most obvious landmarks’, although less convinced that they cater for my needs. A colleague directed me to www.meribel.net. I quickly found ‘Meribel Mottaret’ and after half an hour some ideal accommodation – perfect. When ‘no change’ is not an option, on-line job hunting can  THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS ConsuLTing oPPoRTuniTies WiThin iT soLuTion PRoVideRs  be a real challenge and the IT sector has far more on offer than just a handful of high profile, corporate vendors. We’ve included some pointers below which will help direct you to some other ‘important landmarks’. ERP & BI are two examples. Matchtech service 100 Solution Provider clients, and in the last 3 years, demand for consultants from our ERP & BI clients has massively increased, with a surge in ‘permanent placements’. These two areas stand out as well established strategic priorities for both business leaders and IT companies. ‘Business intelligence’ consultancies For the last 3 years Business Intelligence has been the number one technology priority for CIOs worldwide and BI IT is unlikely to be hit by some ‘recession budgets’ being prepared by IT Directors. global spending on BI tools is set to grow by 11 per cent in 2008 with corporates and SMEs upgrading from user-driven, to strategy and process-driven applications. Commentators point to an increase in market domination by the corporate vendors – Microsoft, Oracle, SAP and IBM being the ‘obvious landmarks’, supported by consolidation in 2007 (inc IBM’s acquisition of Cognos, SAP’s acquisition of Business Objects). Opportunities within these companies are easy to find, but excellent opportunities within the smaller partner, resellers and Solution Provider networks are out there. With 9 out of 10 offers we receive being accepted, it seems these organisations are very attractive. The preference is to hire Consultants from an established BI consultancy, or as a minimum a client-facing background with implementation experience of BI solutions. Some accept applications from those moving from an End User environment, and seeking their first consultant position. Clients that Matchtech work with include Business & Decision, Contemporary and IMgROUP. Business & Decision are an international consulting and systems integration company, with key activity segments of BI, CRM & e-Business. With turnover up by 43% and profits by 25% in 2007, they plan to recruit over 800 staff worldwide in 2008. Business & Decision’s Recruitment Manager explains that ‘by investing in the THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS training of staff and organic growth’, they are able to consider all levels of Consultants. “We see the potential in candidates, rather then just recruiting at the most senior level.” ConsuLTing oPPoRTuniTies WiThin iT soLuTion PRoVideRs This is supported by a successful graduate intake programme. Time and money are invested to develop consultants via internal/ external training and ‘certification’. IMgROUP has been Microsoft’s global BI Partner of the Year for the last three years running and continues to expand rapidly. Nigel Ridpath, Principal Consultant with responsibility for recruitment, states: “We place a huge emphasis on our Consultant Development Programme, which targets both technical and consultancy skills. This Development Programme – offering formal training, certifications and workshops – spans all grades of consultant and has helped us maintain our place in the top tier of IT employers.” David Whitehead, Managing Director of Contemporary, comments that the ‘candidate transition from End User to Solution Provider can be a very difficult one to make’. Contemporary, a Microsoft gold Partner & Business Objects Platinum partner, are based in Berkshire, and currently employ 45 staff. David has assembled an extremely high quality team, focused on working with the latest technology. Contemporary pride themselves on quality, and have forged strong relationships with vendors and an extensive customer base: “Our main recruitment challenge is in selecting the right calibre of consultants, and we focus on 3 areas: candidates must be very intelligent; have good interpersonal skills for client-facing work and be mobile. [Candidates moving into the consulting arena for the first time] are often unfamiliar with the full concept of what a consulting role is and the amount of travel involved.”  THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS ConsuLTing oPPoRTuniTies WiThin iT soLuTion PRoVideRs Consultants deciding to focus on BI can consider a move without necessarily having comprehensive experience as calibre is more important, although in Matchtech’s experience, it is rare that candidates are successful with no BI exposure at all. To attract candidates, many Solution Providers deliberately do not try to compete head to head against the larger corporates, feeling they have something different to offer – ‘many consultants do not want to be just a cog anymore’. Having said that, packages are becoming more and more attractive. The recognised shortage of pretrained senior candidates has led many to significantly improve pension schemes, bonus structures, relocation packages and basic pay (with the value of offers received at Matchtech up 8% on 12 months ago). More innovative benefits such as childcare vouchers and cycle to work incentives are also becoming more common. erp and the role of the ‘agent’ For senior candidates, Solution Providers are often looking for indepth ERP consultancy and implementation experience with a recognised solution, but this can be replaced with an End User background, which includes direct involvement with an ‘implementation’. A specialism in Finance, Manufacturing, Logistics or Distribution is normally required. Most of our clients are open to offering cross training from one ERP product to another. TSg are one of the fastest growing companies in the UK, with 440 staff operating from 14 locations. group HR Director, Maurice Langford says: “For certain areas such as Dynamics NAV, TSG have to take on the finished article. We need qualified and experienced NAV Consultants; for other areas we can definitely consider cross training.” ERP recruitment highlights the importance of registering with the right agents. Many expect investment in ERP systems such as SAP, Oracle, Sage, Microsoft, and Infor to be a key priority for the next 5 years and beyond. The development of new business delivery models is driving R&D within the vendors, and in turn more and more new projects, towards the Solution Providers network. Candidates with ERP experience greatly outnumber BI, which moves the recruitment agent’s bias (slightly) from one of ‘search’ to one of  THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS ‘selection’, particularly when considering candidates for cross training. Matchtech are particularly well positioned to offer candidates feedback on employability and cross-training opportunities within the Microsoft ERP channel. graham Ashley, group Operations Director, Touchstone (a leading UK provider of integrated business software and consultancy services) says: “We find that there are generally lots of candidates on the market with relevant qualifications and experience. Most ERP consultants know of Touchstone and are keen to work for us.” ConsuLTing oPPoRTuniTies WiThin iT soLuTion PRoVideRs The quality of the candidates is harder to determine and for a company such as Touchstone, Matchtech’s role is to work with the candidates and the client, to short-list only those applicants where a strong mutual ‘fit’ exists. As a final pointer for those looking at the potential of ERP, BI, or any Consultancy role in IT, it should be remembered that although the best candidates will have a choice of companies, the best companies have a choice of candidates. We advise candidates to take a ‘traditional view’ when writing their CV and preparing for interviews. “A significant part of the interview is selling the company to the candidate; we know our competitors are selling hard … but … it is still very much about the candidate selling themselves to us.” Regardless of any candidate shortages, recruitment is still very much a two-way process and always has been. Sentiment amongst our clients is clear: “It is important for the candidate to go away wanting the role and wanting to work in the team. They must expect tough interviews, given with respect.” Feedback is that most are prepared, although when recruiting at this level it is surprising how many interviewees fall down due to poor preparation. The right agency can help. Clients now work closely with smaller numbers of niche providers, who understand their business, and can accurately represent them in the market: ‘using many different agencies on the same role does not help’. This 9 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS ConsuLTing oPPoRTuniTies WiThin iT soLuTion PRoVideRs is born out by Matchtech’s stats, with 87% of our ERP recruitment handled on a sole agency basis. Taking time out to identify the right job boards and the best agents to work with, before you start ‘surfing’, will ultimately lead you to the best opportunities. n Stuart Feest manages Matchtech’s IT Division and has over 11 years experience of recruiting IT Consultants. Prior to joining Matchtech, Stuart worked for Barclays, Pfizer and IBM, and graduated from Brunel University in 1993 with a First Class degree in Computing Science. 2838_efficio_recruit_ad4_FAZ 14/7/08 11:40 Page 1 Management Consultants Strategic Sourcing & Procurement London based, international projects Are you interested in a challenging consulting career with the fastest growing strategic procurement consultancy? Founded in 2000, Efficio is a dynamic force in the consulting procurement space, winning ever more market share in a highly competitive arena. To support our rapid, international growth we are consistently hiring to fulfil our Business Analyst, Consultant and Manager roles. What we do Efficio is a results-focused procurement consultancy, with a track record for helping leading organisations achieve more value from their procurement. Through our team of experienced professionals with blue-chip consultancy heritage we provide a range of clienttailored services including: • Procurement Transformation • Strategic Sourcing Execution • Supplier Relationship Management • Private Equity and Post-Merger Integration Support • e-Procurement Strategy and Implementation What can Efficio offer you? Our work provides the variety of world-class consulting with direct client interaction that will challenge, motivate and provide the opportunities to reward you. Working with talented, experienced people you will receive pro-active support for your development through our mentoring and training programme, as well as a biannual assessment process where your contribution is regularly recognised and rewarded. Our friendly, down to earth culture brings closer relationships and better opportunities. Ideal candidates for these roles will have the following profile: • Exemplary academic background with a minimum 2:1 degree in either Engineering, Business, Economics or Science • Procurement and category experience across at least two or more industries • Previous consulting experience within blue-chip organisations • Demonstrated rapid career success and continual growth • Outstanding written and oral communication skills • Strategic thinker with proven numerical and analytical skills • Fully flexible in terms of travel for assignment locations • Fluent written and spoken English, ideally with a second European language Remuneration Depending on the experience and skills you bring you can look forward to earning a total package competitive with leading blue-chip management consultancies. To apply Send a covering letter with your CV by email to Jayne Pellatt at Recruiting@efficioconsulting.com, quoting reference: TCDG2008 To learn more about different roles and responsibilities with Efficio, visit the career pages on our website, www.efficioconsulting.com or contact Jayne Pellatt, HR Manager on +44 (0)20 7553 6917. 0 Chapter 10 movinG from inDusTry inTo manaGemenT consulTinG Kate Walrond, Astbury Marsden Have you ever thought about a career in Management Consulting? For some it is a career path that enables one to work with teams of very bright, motivated individuals all the time, solving complex and interesting problems. Some believe the consulting path may provide consistently thought-provoking dialogues and intellectually stimulating challenges, varied projects and access to and influence over the power brokers inside leading brands and companies. On the flip side it may mean that your job is to make someone else look good, no matter how incompetent they may actually be. You will do great work and somebody else will get the credit. You will be assigned a desk in a cupboard (if you’re lucky and the client likes you). In many cases, the client won’t like you. You’ll work obscene hours and probably travel incessantly. Whatever your stance, you can’t deny that for several years now the management consulting recruiting boom has been in full swing, fuelled in the UK largely by three of the Big Four Firms (PricewaterhouseCoopers, KPMg and Ernst & Young) who have rebuilt the consulting businesses that were sold at the beginning of the century. From boutiques and advisory firms to system integrators, software houses and giant outsourcers, the industry has grown considerably, drawing upon talent from all walks of life. Since late 2003 market demand for talented and experienced new recruits has largely outstripped supply of experienced candidates resulting in the often quoted war for talent in the sector. Firms have slugged it out to attract and hire from a very limited pool of candidates, to some extent creating a buyer’s market. Because of this, over the last three years there has never been a better time to plan and execute a move from industry to the professional services sector. If you are considering a move into Management Consulting but have not yet had direct experience, then read below. 1 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS Jamie Stokes, Leader of Astbury Marsden’s Management Consulting Practice, suggests: moVing fRom indusTRy inTo mAnAgemenT ConsuLTing “Even the most selective of Consulting firms with the highest bars to entry have been open to recruiting a portion of their new hires direct from industry, looking at candidates with no formal consulting experience.” Jamie goes on to say: “Many of the clients that retain my team’s services have benefited considerably from candidates with both consulting and real-world experience.” So what advice does he have for aspiring consultants currently employed elsewhere in other industries? “As you start to think about management consulting, the first thing you need to consider is your skills. I have had many conversations with people who tell me that they want to become project or change management consultants. The only problem is that they don’t have any project management experience. Formal training, and even formal certification, normally won’t suffice. You almost always need to have experience. You don’t necessarily have to be a guru in an exotic arena to be employable as a consultant. For instance, people with straightforward good mainframe skills became very valuable in the two years leading up to Y2K, as did compliance and regulatory experts with the more recent Basel II gold rush. But you do need to work out what your most transferable skills are, what is going to be marketable and how to position these in the best possible light. Skills such as analysis, report writing, implementation, project management, budgetary management, presentation and communication of all kinds.” To shed more light on the trials, tribulations and opportunities that a move to Management Consulting might bring, Jamie Stokes asked some of his clients and candidates who had made recent moves from industry direct to management consulting for their thoughts. 2 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS Peter Cousins, who was not so long ago a senior manager of change and finance with a global Pharma giant, is now a Senior Manager in Finance with a prominent Big Four firm. He comments: “I found my project management and presentation skills the most relevant of all; no real difference to industry in fact. The biggest difference was learning that consultants are ‘sold’ into clients sometimes with very little experience of the particular issue and yet can provide value in very real ways. A characteristic of consultants is the speed that they can learn and use the rest of the firm. It is not as ‘cut throat’ as I thought it would be. There are a lot of methodologies and concepts which can be a bit overwhelming but save a great deal of time and money for the client when applied properly. Everyone on this side is very confident.” moVing fRom indusTRy inTo mAnAgemenT ConsuLTing And what does Peter enjoy most about his consulting career? “Having a new challenge and beginning new projects every six to nine months can be extremely revitalising. I would definitely recommend the move for some people. It is a fast-paced and sometimes pressured environment that can be very draining. You must manage yourself and ensure that you switch off when you can. You also need to enjoy learning new ideas and challenges.” One of the key differences between traditional line roles and even from internal change management or internal consulting roles is the sales aspect. Peter suggests: “To sell people to a client for thousands of pounds per day is difficult to comprehend from industry. Initially this is one of the key differences. Once I overcame this barrier, it gets easy. Don’t sell something you do not think the client needs. Discuss with the client where you can help and where you cannot and it will soon fit into place and you’ll really enjoy it.” Jamie Stokes also spoke with other recent consulting industry joiners. Dominic Boon, formerly of a leading global Telecommunications player and now thriving within Deloitte’s HR and Business transformation practice, made the move from industry to consulting at the beginning of 2007. Dominic wanted to put into practice his project 3 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS based experience and wanted the opportunity to be part of a fastpaced and agile organisation bold enough to be truly meritocratic. He enjoys creating new operating models for clients and helping them unlock latent potential. The business-as-usual component of work that inevitably comes with the territory in line management was far less attractive for him. As a young professional with a talent for languages and strong people skills, he can now practise his art with Deloitte’s clients all over Europe. Andrew Wright, Senior Manager in Performance Improvement, moved to Ernst & Young from a leading banking institution where he held a global role fixing big problems and creating new product offerings in new countries. Currently working on assignment somewhere in the Middle East, Andrew is also excelling in his new role and enjoying the experience thoroughly. In his banking role he had derived most pleasure working under pressure in project or product launch scenarios. In effect he now does this for a living all over the globe applying his experiences to new organisations and new challenges. He currently works with the leadership of a number of prominent banking institutions advising on topics such as growth strategies, revenue enhancement, new product design, operating model design and post integration. He gets to focus on these issues full time utilising both his direct banking experience and his innate consulting and influencing skills Another of Jamie’s contacts, now a Partner at Accenture, discusses her move to consulting a few years ago: “When I went into management consulting, the most eye-opening experience for me wasn’t on the ‘business’ side of things. I didn’t have an MBA (still don’t), but I knew I understood my area of expertise much, much better than they [my new firm] did, and they understood how to deploy these skills and apply a consulting ‘wrapper’. I knew they would be focusing on a whole different level of business strategy than I had seen in the corporate world. However the real difference was in the care and attention my new firm paid to the consulting aspect of things. They put a tremendous focus on how you build trust with a client, the political mechanics of how you sell and close a big project, etc.” moVing fRom indusTRy inTo mAnAgemenT ConsuLTing 4 Jamie also asked a number of Partners and Vice Presidents with recruitment responsibility from a variety of Big Four and Strategy THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS firms what they thought it took to move from industry to consulting. A common view it seems is that whatever your background and wherever you have worked, it can take as long as two years to properly acclimatise to the networking culture of a consulting environment. Obviously there are exceptions and some people are better equipped than others or just plain lucky. Jamie says that often people experience a kind of culture shock – in consulting, everything you do is about change and the mandate for change is almost never clear. It can be difficult if you haven’t operated that way before – negotiating with the client and influencing them to do something. The skills used in industry are similar to those needed in consulting, but applied differently. A Senior Partner at the strategy consultancy, Oliver Wyman, says: “Consulting is all about a group of people working together in short-term projects to solve a problem. It is a different environment to running a business. People from industry tend to be used to leading projects, whereas in the consulting role it is more about influencing, about showing people what can be done.” moVing fRom indusTRy inTo mAnAgemenT ConsuLTing  However, as previously alluded, there are real advantages in employing somebody with a few years’ industry experience. Those people can have real business understanding – there is a knowledge base and some sort of proven people management capability. They will be able to communicate to different types of people and they understand the politics of working in a business. If you already have a first degree, some work experience and you’re pursuing a graduate or business degree, you could try to be included in the consultancy’s business analyst recruiting process. It may seem like a step backwards but it may be your only chance if you simply don’t yet have the project-based experience. The odds are always better after business school (MBA) though. The technology/process industry-to-strategy consulting move in particular is a very difficult one to pull off in practice, despite being one of the most frequent requests Jamie Stokes receives from his candidate base. The strategy divisions like to hold themselves apart, and the much more populous technology divisions are reluctant to create a defined promotion/transfer path that way. They want your incentives aligned to excel in technology, not to get out of it. Part of the difficulty in moving from technology to strategy really is THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS sometimes perceived as a little snobbery. There are a lot of folks in that world who won’t look twice at you if you don’t have an MBA from a high-profile school. On the other hand, an open-minded business consultant is still going to look at someone who didn’t go through the same growth process they did, and worry about whether you’re going to be as manically careful about the details of your analysis as they would, whether you understand how to cultivate a pipeline, and whether you know how to predict and manage a project profitability. Whatever the consulting specialism, all partners and consulting leadership spoken to agree that in order to really progress you will have to not only take part in, but excel at, revenue origination or sales in some capacity. Our advice is to embrace this; do not try to overstate your experience if it’s limited but do point out your hunger and desire to get involved. Try and relate associated experiences such as internal selling or perhaps your ability in bringing about consensus in awkward or disparate situations. Know how to measure the value of your contribution. For example: What is the monetary improvement to the bottom line? What has been the increase in share price or shareholder value? What are the savings made? In conclusion, Jamie comments: “The biggest suggestion I can make is: wherever you get hired, find a ‘champion or sponsor’, someone a few levels up in the chain of command who likes you and is willing to help you out as quickly as you can. Without someone looking out for you, it’s easy to get lost and overlooked in a big firm, and overlooked is bad because overlooked means no jobs, no jobs means bad utilisation and bad utilisation means limited pay rise and limited bonus opportunities.” moVing fRom indusTRy inTo mAnAgemenT ConsuLTing  good luck. n Kate Walrond is a Marketing Executive with Astbury Marsden, who have recently achieved the honour of appearing in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 list for two consecutive years. Astbury Marsden were also ranked #2 in the 2008 top 10 Consulting Recruitment Firms, as voted by readers of TopConsultant.com. Chapter 11 expecTeD hirinG paTTerns in The uk markeT Tony Restell, Top-Consultant.com UK recruitment patterns within the consulting sector have been on a roller-coaster ride over the last few years. Having crashed in the face of a severe recession in the early part of the decade, the sector then experienced a period of sustained growth and buoyant hiring from late 2004 until late 2007. As this guide goes to press in summer 2008, it is clearly the case that media coverage of the credit crunch and the resulting fears for the global economic outlook have caused both consulting growth estimates and hiring intentions to be scaled back. The current situation is quite different from the dot-com recession though – and our expectations are not that we’ll see redundancy rounds become commonplace again or see hiring dry up for all but the most business-critical of positions. This time round there is far less spare capacity within consulting organisations – and demand for consulting services is holding up rather better. So recruiting will slow from the recent ferocious highs – but it will not collapse and is unlikely to be accompanied by any significant waves of redundancies. As this piece will conclude, UK hiring activity levels are expected to level out at about half what they were in the most buoyant years of 2006 and 2007 – but this still equates to several thousand consultants being hired each year in both 2008 and 2009. So whilst the war for talent will be a little less fierce, there will be no shortage of vacancies for experienced hires looking to find a new consulting employer. The three drivers of hiring activity – growth, utilisation and staff attrition To understand why this is the case, we need to examine the three key drivers that stimulate hiring demand in a consulting firm. An extremely buoyant hiring environment will see all three factors working in unison to prime demand for consulting hires. This was  THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS the backdrop to the recruitment frenzy we witnessed until the latter months of 2007. Equally a period of very low hiring and/or mass redundancies will usually require all three factors to be simultaneously slashing the hiring demand at consultancies. This was the case in the dot-com crash period. Looking at these three factors in turn, we will see that the 2008/2009 period looks like producing a slowdown in hiring demand rather than any kind of collapse. So what are the three key drivers and how do they interact? Firstly we have the market growth rate in consulting – that’s to say how much consulting industry revenues are expected to grow year-on-year. In recent buoyant years this figure has been as high as 16% per annum and has been a significant source of hiring demand in its own right (Source: MCA). More explicitly – in terms of hiring demand – we’re interested to know what revenue growth is going to be achieved through growth in the volume of billable days (rather than growth achieved through rises in fee rates). In the 2006 and 2007 years fee rate growth was more or less stagnant – so the 16% revenue growth was achieved almost entirely through a growth in volumes sold, and greater volumes of course mean a greater number of consultants potentially need to be employed to deliver that volume growth. The second consideration is the staff utilisation rate that’s being achieved in the industry. Utilisation is the percentage of a consultant’s working days where time is actually being charged out to clients. Utilisation cannot be sustained anywhere near 100% because all consultants need time for non-billable activities like training, interviewing of new hires, working on proposals to win new business and taking holidays. When utilisation is high then any growth in volume of work sold can only be delivered by employing more consulting staff – stoking the demand for new hires. Conversely if utilisation is low, then a considerable amount of new work can be won without this triggering the need for new hires as the assignments can all be fulfilled by the existing consulting workforce. In the boom recruitment years of 2006 and 2007 there were very high staff utilisation levels across the industry – meaning 16% growth could only be achieved by hiring more staff. By contrast, in the dot-com crash, firms had recruited so fast that utilisation plummeted when client demand fell away – which at a certain point triggered the need for redundancies to keep utilisation at a financially viable level. exPeCTed hiRing PATTeRns in The uK mARKeT  THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS The third factor is staff attrition – that’s to say the proportion of a consulting firm’s headcount that needs to be replaced each year just to make up for staff resignations in the period. This is essentially the amount of hiring that needs to be undertaken just for the firm to stand still. In a buoyant market where opportunities to join the competition are widespread and lucrative, this can be a significant source of demand for new hires. In 2006 and 2007 many of the major consulting brands were experiencing staff loss of 15% or more, fuelling the recruitment flames quite considerably. By contrast, in the darkest years of the dot-com downturn the range of consulting job opportunities dried up – and so many more consultants were inclined to stick things out with their existing employer. A severe recession and the widespread fear of redundancies are needed for staff attrition to fall off this much – in a subdued market like we’ve seen in 2008, a much more modest decline is the norm. summary of expectations for 2008/9 What I hope is clear by now is that when these three factors all pull in the same direction, the resulting demand for new consulting hires can be insatiable or can collapse, depending on the direction in which the forces are pulling. By a similar token, though, a market in which the forces are not all pulling in the same direction leaves us with hiring demand that remains healthy without being spectacular. This is essentially the situation upon us as we look at the 2008 and 2009 scenario. The table below shows the expected outcomes for each of these factors. The overall hiring volumes needed as a % of existing headcount are around 12% in 2008 and in 2009, which compares with 24% during the most recent buoyant period but only 4–5% during the dot-com meltdown. Expected market growth (fees) from fee rate increases from volume growth (billable days) Spare capacity Recruitment to fuel growth Attrition rate Overall hiring volumes as a % of headcount 6% 2% 4% –2% 2% 10% 12% exPeCTed hiRing PATTeRns in The uK mARKeT 9 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS exPeCTed hiRing PATTeRns in The uK mARKeT 0 Seen in this context, the outlook for recruitment within the consulting sector looks encouraging for the coming 18 months – though admittedly unspectacular when set against the backdrop of 2006/7. footnote: expected winners and losers Within this overall pattern of more subdued but still healthy recruiting volumes, there are inevitably going to be some types of hires bucking the trend. Our view is that the area of greatest hiring weakness is likely to be in the graduate recruitment space. Our 2008 survey of consulting recruiters showed that firms expect to increasingly focus their attentions on the recruitment of experienced hires at the expense of new graduate intakes. This is part of a longer-term trend in which consulting firms’ clients are demanding that projects be staffed by consultants with deep industry expertise rather than fresh-faced graduates. Areas of above-average demand are expected to be the senior executive space and the IT consulting practice areas. With the Big 4 accounting firms rebuilding their consulting practices and Indian firms like Infosys, Tata and Wipro expanding rapidly in Europe, there is an ongoing tussle to attract and retain those senior consulting professionals with a proven track record of selling new consulting business. IT consulting, meanwhile, was the type of consulting which last year struggled the most to grow fee volumes through the successful hiring of staff. Instead greater fee volumes were achieved by raising utilisation rates, which is not sustainable indefinitely and so points to greater hiring demand in the coming year. n Tony Restell is a former strategy consultant and one of the Founding Directors of Top-Consultant.com. He has an extensive network of recruitment contacts within the UK consulting sector and is a regular speaker and commentator on the state of the UK consulting industry. Chapter 12 assessinG your career opTions Time to spread your wings? Soraya Janmohamed, FreshMinds Talent A background in consultancy equips you with an invaluable armoury of transferable skills. Even a typical Associate will already have experience of dealing with high-profile clients, analysing data and solving complex problems. You are commercial, innovative and switched on. And you know it. There are probably more options today for consultants looking to spread their wings than ever before. Businesses increasingly value the assets you bring with you, a sentiment expressed by Dr Theresa Crowley, Senior Research Fellow at the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (or NESTA). “Good consultants are very skilled at coming in, diagnosing a problem and adapting to unfamiliar situations and work in order to solve them. They also tend to have recent experience of a wide range of sectors, which means they bring with them both a network of contacts we can use, and unique knowledge from those sectors that can inform our own.” in demand The question is what to do next. One of the most popular options is to hop on board a so called ‘Super Brand’. The appeal of a fasttrack route towards a position of responsibility helps multinationals lure more than their fair share of consultants every year. These huge international companies are always on the look out for people with transferable skills to bring a fresh perspective to the way they do business. ‘Many former consultants are already well-equipped to deal with the challenges in the retail sector,’ suggests one senior recruitment manager for high-street supermarket Tesco. ‘They have experience 1 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS Assessing youR CAReeR oPTions: Time To sPReAd youR Wings? 2 of persuading stakeholders both externally and internally across different functions. They are flexible, able to acclimatise quickly to a number of different projects, and they have the analytical skills to work through ideas conceptually and the drive to follow them through in practice.’ Retail is just one sector where these transferable skills come into play. We work with clients in the financial services who love people with a background in pharmaceuticals because of the relevant skill sets the roles share. Another IT consultancy actively looks to recruit candidates from completely different sectors for a fresh pair of eyes. There’s no doubt that consultants are better geared than anyone to plug gaps in these firms given the breadth of their experience and exposure to different working environments. executive hire schemes An important recent development in the more senior echelons of recruitment is the rise of the Executive Hire scheme. Consultants have always had the scope and desire to branch out into other areas of business. But now there is a specifically designated channel for you to enter the corporate sphere and reap the benefits of clearly structured career progression at the same time. BT is among the first companies in the UK to pioneer a Fast Track Leadership Programme. ‘From our perspective, these schemes offer candidates broad exposure to different parts of the business, something we have found to be essential to help drive the business forwards,’ says Karly Crewe, manager of the programme. ‘Because our Fast Track scheme is sponsored at a senior level, it also offers candidates visibility at the top, and we very much expect them to get noticed and go on to senior roles in the company on completion of the scheme.’ This is clearly a great opportunity for consultants who are looking to branch out. Executive Hire schemes offer more choice, generally accommodating a rotation that will let you test the water in several different roles and departments. They also provide tangible progression and, best of all, sought-after access to an elite ‘internal talent pool’ – those employees earmarked as the future leaders of the business. THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS executive assistants Executive Hire schemes may offer a clearly defined route up through a company, but there is an even quicker way to gain access to key decision makers and senior management. The title ‘Executive Assistant’ (or its common abbreviation ‘EA’) may conjure images of a glorified secretary. But this is a common and vast misconception. The reality of the Executive Assistant role is very different. Reporting directly to an executive team that generally includes high-profile figures such as the CEO, Managing Director and partners, the EA’s job is to take on key projects and report back. Victoria Edwards is currently looking to add an Executive Assistant to the team at London law firm Olswang: “The role provides the successful candidate with the opportunity to be involved in a wide range of activities using a variety of skills from financial, people management through to strategic planning and implementation. The workload is varied and interesting and no one day is the same as the next.” Assessing youR CAReeR oPTions: Time To sPReAd youR Wings? Whether it is at Olswang or another prestigious employer, your consultancy skills make you better qualified than most to take on these different tasks. And with so much exposure to the figureheads of the business, there are few better platforms to exhibit your skill sets in the business world. Well paid and highly regarded internally, the only hurdle will be landing one of these positions once word gets out that making the tea is not part of the job description. make a difference Many consultants are looking for precisely those roles that, like an Executive Assistant, allow you to have a visible impact within a company. And working for an SME or innovative start-up lets you do just that. Not only will you be able to make a tangible difference to the way they do business, but you’ll even be on a fast-track route to the top – as long as things are going well. At bigger companies, there are plenty of hoops to jump through before you can progress, and an awful lot of jumpers. At an SME, there are far fewer glass ceilings. 3 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS Assessing youR CAReeR oPTions: Time To sPReAd youR Wings? 4 But be warned, there are risks in swapping your secure job at a consultancy goliath for a more meaningful role in one of the 40,000 new companies that open for business in the UK each year. 20,000 of these new companies fail. Go it alone If you think you have the business skills to help build up a successful SME, why not apply that knack to your very own start-up and reap all the rewards for yourself? Consultants are in an excellent position to capitalise on the knowledge and networks they have built up over their careers. Many people have outstanding ideas, but don’t have the know-how to bring them to life. Consultants, on the other hand, will have had exposure to a wide variety of business models which should help you get your start-up off the ground – and the extensive contact book to know where to turn if you’re stumped. The world of work is your oyster It is easier than ever to swap job function and industry in today’s workplace. Not only are there countless opportunities out there, but employers increasingly value the skill sets you pick up along the way in different jobs. The result is the birth of the portfolio career. The idea of a job for life with suit, tie and company car is quickly going out of fashion. Instead, most people want to test the waters in lots of different jobs and maintain their enthusiasm by constantly applying their skills to new challenges. The opportunity is there; your future boss won’t mind, so why not start your own company or try your hand at marketing for a funky consumer goods brand? You have nothing to lose. Through seizing the initiative you will have learned some valuable lessons and new skills along the way. And those, rather than the zeros on your balance sheet or job titles under your belt, are like gold dust to potential employers. n Soraya Janmohamed is an Account Manager with FreshMinds Talent and focuses on helping clients within financial and professional services and the oil and gas sector. Chapter 13 life afTer consulTinG Dave Watkin, Holker Watkin Limited Whether a 2-year Analyst or a 20-year Partner, almost all management consultants will at some stage consider building their professional careers outside of consulting. What are the career options that consultants can credibly aspire to? What do hiring organisations look for? And how should consultants evaluate and assess companies and roles? We’ll discuss each of these in turn. But firstly: why leave a successful consulting career? Consultants tell us that they want: • • • • to ‘do’, not ‘advise’ see strategy through to implementation to hold a P&L; to fulfil a line role a better lifestyle; change work–life balance If you recognise – and empathise with – these sentiments, what are the post-consulting career options open to you? where consultants work after consulting Consultants leave consulting to pursue careers in several sectors: • • • • Corporates: both publicly listed and privately-held Private Equity and Venture Capital Public sector and not-for-profit Their own businesses. The majority of consultants take roles in the first two sectors; and so these will be the focus of this discussion. Over the last decade we’ve seen UK plc’s appetite for management consulting talent steadily rise. Some of our largest and most successful companies – like BHP Billiton, HBOS, Cable & Wireless,  THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS Life AfTeR ConsuLTing Mothercare, Standard Chartered, Hiscox and John Lewis – are today run by former consultants. But, assuming that you’re not going to move directly from consulting into a FTSE-100 CEO position, what are the roles that you could be a credible candidate for? Typical corporate roles post consulting Your first role after consulting will directly leverage the functional and technical skills that you’ve developed as a consultant. So, for example, if you’ve worked as a strategy consultant then you’ll likely be hired into a group (or Business Unit) strategy and business development role. Or if you’ve worked in business transformation consulting, then you’ll probably be recruited into a large change programme, or project office, position. So, it’s highly unlikely that you will be hired directly into a P&L or line position. And this holds true whether you’ve spent 2 or 20 years in consulting. This may be a disappointing insight! From the business’s perspective, it’s too high a risk to appoint someone who’s an unknown quantity to them, and without proven line experience, directly into a line role. And this holds true regardless of their tenure in consulting. Instead, what most corporates offer to consultants joining them is an option on future roles with line or P&L accountability. The typical proposition is that one can expect to spend anything from 18 months to 3 years in your first ‘strategic/advisory’ position postconsulting: before moving on elsewhere within that organisation into a role with a greater operational, or line, remit. So why are these businesses prepared to offer such a career path to someone who still will not at that stage possess line experience? Well, by spending (say) 2 years working in business development in that organisation, you will have built considerable knowledge of its strategy, business model and culture. But even more importantly, you will likely have worked closely with – and hopefully impressed! – senior line managers from across the business. With the sponsorship and support of one or more of these decision-makers, you have a real chance of transitioning into an operational or commercial position.  THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS private equity roles post consulting Moving into a Private Equity firm is an aspiration of many consultants: but one that’s rarely realised. Whilst there’s undoubtedly a trend within some parts of this sector to recruit more talent with strategy consulting skills into investment roles, this still accounts for a tiny proportion of the post-consulting market; and the recruiting bar is very high! Another trend we’ve observed is for PE firms to build small ‘operating’ teams. These will focus primarily on the firm’s existing portfolio of investments (rather than on new deals), working closely with their management teams to drive improved operating performance. Typical hires will have significant operational experience in addition to a consulting background. But again, this is a career move that only a very few consultants are successful in making. Perhaps the most likely way in which consultants can move into the Private Equity world is to take a role within a portfolio company of a Venture Capital or PE investor. Such businesses offer similar postconsulting positions to their listed counterparts; the principal difference is that your tenure with that firm may end when the investors realise their exit. Hence it’s somewhat less likely that your career path will ultimately take you into a line or operational role. But you may consider this to be an acceptable trade-off if you’ve negotiated equity participation on joining the firm, and hence can share in (hopefully) the subsequent value creation. what corporates look for when hiring consultants It’s your industry sector experience, your functional skills, and the pedigree of your professional and academic profile that will win you a place on a headhunters’ or corporates’ shortlist. Then it’s your soft skills that will get you a job offer. Industry sector At Analyst or Associate Consultant level, and an industry sector generalist, most corporates will not demand specific sector expertise when hiring. But at Manager level and above, it’s rare for hiring businesses not to require some, and usually considerable, consulting experience in their industry sector. For example, a media corporate Life AfTeR ConsuLTing  THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS recruiting a Strategy Development Director will NOT consider candidates who’ve primarily consulted in Financial Services or Utilities. Functional skills Life AfTeR ConsuLTing Again, hiring businesses will rarely compromise if candidates do not bring relevant consulting skills to the role. If your consulting expertise is in, say, business transformation, you simply won’t be considered for a market-facing strategy and new business development position. Pedigree Hiring clients – particularly those who are themselves former consultants – often have strong views about the consulting firms that they will, and will not, recruit from. As a candidate, if the brand of your consulting firm or business school does not resonate with the recruiting manager, the process will likely stop there. Do however remember that you’re most likely to be hired by an alumnus of the same consulting firm that you’ve worked for! Soft skills Fulfilling a strategic role successfully for 2 to 3 years within a corporate requires different – and new – skills compared to being an effective external advisor. So when interviewing candidates, hiring managers are typically seeking evidence that the consultant: • can engage with people effectively both up and down the organisation • has excellent communication skills – beyond Powerpoint and Excel • is truly willing to ‘roll their sleeves up’ • understands how to ‘make things happen’ in organisations • has future general management potential.  THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS how consultants should evaluate corporate career opportunities A headhunter approaches you with a strategy role in industry, or maybe a job ad catches your eye in the press or on-line. You may not be actively seeking to exit consulting, but this has captured your interest. How do you evaluate the opportunity? Ultimately, all career-change decisions are a trade-off across many dimensions: the company, the role, timing, lifestyle, compensation, long-term career potential … but in our experience there are issues that are specific to moving from consulting to a corporate that you should keep front-of-mind throughout your interviewing and due-diligence. The role/the team • What is the strategy team’s internal positioning/credibility? Is it respected and valued by senior P&L-holding executives … or perceived primarily as a support function? • What is the mix of work? M&A, senior executive support, new business development, Business Unit monitoring and control, managing the planning cycle … • What is the profile and calibre of my potential manager and peers? Will I be working with people from whom I can learn and grow? • Who are the senior decision-makers at group and Business Unit level with whom I will build relationships? The company • The brand: will it add or dilute the current brand equity on my resume? • Is its strategic agenda aligned with my professional interests? • Is its geographic footprint congruent with my longer-term aspirations? Many businesses’ strategy teams are London-based but their operating businesses (and therefore your likely next career step) are outside the South-East … Life AfTeR ConsuLTing 9 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS The future • What is the company’s track record of moving people out of the strategy team and into line roles? • Are there ex-consultants in senior roles in the business? Life AfTeR ConsuLTing conclusion A career in consulting can open many doors, and for some it will be a path to the most senior of executive roles. By understanding how corporates and PE recruiters perceive and evaluate consultants, you can better focus your job search, play to your strengths, and secure the right career move after consulting. n Dave Watkin is a Director at Holker Watkin Limited, an executive search firm he co-founded nine years ago. Holker Watkin is the leading specialist in headhunting strategy consulting talent into senior roles within FTSE-100 and Fortune global 500 corporates, and leading Private Equity firms and their portfolio companies. Dave started his career in the oil industry, gained his MBA from INSEAD, and then worked as a strategy consultant for five years. 0 LisT of ConsuLTAnCies secTion 2 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm 4C Associates About our company 4C is an award winning procurement solutions company working closely with multinational and FTSE 350 organisations to drive added value, increase flexibility and reduce costs. Established in 2000 we are one of Europe’s leading procurement solutions providers, with success based on a unique combination of industry knowledge, procurement expertise and technology. We have a three-pronged service offering: • 4C Consulting; • 4C Outsourced Procurement Services; • 4CX – A Procurement and Logistics partnership with DHL. Our capabilities cover every aspect of today’s purchasing and supply management functions. We operate from 11 offices across the world from Europe to Asia with over 150 staff based in the UK. We are committed to excellence in our work and focus on delivering the best outcome for our clients through the provision of teams of the highest quality in terms of: • Professionalism and expertise; • Offering long-term solutions to deliver sustainable benefits; • Fair and transparent commercial arrangements; • Flexibility and creativity in our approach; • Commercial models that align to meet our client’s objectives. These core values have enabled 4C to win major projects with multinational organisations and achieve third place in the Sunday Times Virgin Atlantic Fast Track 100 in 2006. We also won the 2007 CIPS Award for ‘Best use of Technology’ in partnership with our client AstraZeneca. 4C’s mission is to become the leading provider of procurement solutions to global organisations, so both the short- and long-term growth opportunities for people joining 4C today are exceptional. The experience of being part of a fast growing company such as 4C will provide you with a unique and challenging challenging environment in which to develop your career. 3. Types of clients we serve 4C AssoCiATes We work with some of the leading companies in the UK with our client base predominantly comprising FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 businesses. We also work with a number of multinational organisations across a variety of industry sectors. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months MBA campus recruiting Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because 4C is a successful and very fast growing company. This growth provides limitless opportunities for talented and motivated professionals looking for the chance to work with some of the world’s leading companies within an environment that will allow them to grow. 4C has invested heavily in putting a professional development and recognition/reward system in place to maintain a challenging, but fun and rewarding environment. 6. Locations of our UK office(s) London and Manchester 3 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 7. Weblinks with career details of our firm If you are interested in a career with 4C Associates, please go to www.4cassociates.com/ careers for further information. 8. Key contact details Do you want to be part of our exciting future? Please send your CV and covering letter to: yes@4cassociates.com or contact Mara Cabrelli, Group HR Manager on 020 7605 1600. Main office address: The Kensington Centre, 66 Hammersmith Road, London W14 8UD, UK; Tel: +44 (0)20 7605 1600 (Switchboard); Fax: +44 (0)20 7605 1601; go to http://www.4cassociates.com/download/4c_london_office_map.pdf for directions. 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Distribution/Logistics Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management HR Consulting Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy 11. Awards won in the last 2 years • 2006 – CIPS Award for ‘Most improved purchasing operation – Start-Up’ in partnership with our client B&Q; • 2006 – Awarded 3rd position in the Sunday Times Virgin Atlantic 2006 Fast Track 100; • 2007 – CIPS Awards for ‘Best use of technology’ in partnership with our client AstraZeneca 4C AssoCiATes 4 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm 5one Marketing Ltd About our company 5one is a leader in consumer behaviour analysis and in strategic customer segmentation, delivering these services to major UK and international retail organisations. Founded in January 2002 and part of Laser Group since 2007, the company has quickly established itself as a growing force in the market place. 5one currently employs approx 50 staff at its headquarters in London. We welcome applications from people who are entrepreneurial, flexible and able to manage change in their stride. 3. 4. Types of clients we serve Major retail companies in Europe, UK and South Africa Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … they recognise that the work they will do at 5one will make a difference, being able to see the outcome of your work is a huge benefit of working for a company like 5one. Employees also benefit from a highly autonomous environment where entrepreneurial behaviour is encouraged. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Locations of our UK office(s) Hammersmith, London Weblinks with career details of our firm For information on our current vacancies please see our website www.5one.co.uk Key contact details Candidates can also email careers@5one.co.uk for details of current vacancies Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Retail/Consumer Goods Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Project/Programme Management Strategy one mARKeTing LTd 11. Awards won in the last 2 years  THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm A.T. Kearney About our company A.T. Kearney is an innovative, corporate-focused management consulting firm which was established in 1926 to provide management advice concerning issues on the CEO’s agenda. A.T. Kearney’s offices are located in major business centres in 34 countries. The UK’s office is based in London and has approx 160 staff. 3. Types of clients we serve We provide a broad range of service experience with deep industry knowledge and experience within the following sectors: Sports and Entertainment; Aerospace and Defence; Automotive; Comms and High Tech; Consumer Goods and Retail; Pharma; Financial Institutions; Public Sector and Process Industries 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) MBA campus recruiting Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because They have been impressed by: (i) fast career with a steep learning curve; (ii) diversity of projects; (iii) multicultural office environment; (iv) variety of professional development 6. 7. 8. 9. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm www.atkearney.com Key contact details A.T. Kearney, Lansdowne House, Berkeley Square, London W1J 6ER Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Distribution/Logistics Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation A.T. KeARney 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology  THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 11. Awards won in the last 2 years • CIO 100 Award; • Consulting Magazine: The Top 25 Consultants of 2007 Consulting Magazine; • Consulting Magazine Achievement Awards: Excellence in Diversity A.T. KeARney  THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm ABB About our company ABB is a leader in Power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employees about 111,000 people. ABB Global Consulting is an international technical consultancy providing a range of services to customers in the Chemical, Petrochemical, Oil&Gas, Metals, Power Generation, Pharmaceuticals, Manufacturing and Consumer industries worldwide. In order to meet our customers’ needs, we have 8 product areas which cover all disciplines including Safety, Energy, Maintenance & Reliability, Integrity Management, Project Services, Operational Improvement, Environment and Validation. ABB Engineering Services is an international technical consultancy, providing a range of services to customers in the chemical, petrochemical, oil & gas, pharmaceutical, manufacturing and consumer industries worldwide. In order to meet our customers’ needs, we have 8 product areas which cover all disciplines. 3. Types of clients we serve Our client base is comprised predominantly of private sector organisations – typically major global corporations including BP, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, ExxonMobil, Tata and Diageo. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because ABB offer stimulating, challenging job opportunities with personal development, the possibility of travel, and the chance to learn from knowledgeable and experienced colleagues. Good salaries and excellent benefits are also part of the deal. ABB encourage personal initiative and entrepreneurial behaviour and seek to offer challenging and rewarding work environments. In return we look for dedicated, hardworking individuals who will thrive within a fast-paced, dynamic industry. 6. 7. Locations of our UK office(s) Warrington, Teesside, Scotland Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.abb.com Key contact details Miss Toni Inkersole, Recruitment Facilitator, Daresbury Park, Daresbury, Cheshire, WA4 4BT UK; Phone: +44 (0)1925 741455; Telefax: +44 (0)1925 741212; email: toni.inkersole@gb.abb.com Abb 8. 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Chemicals Oil & Gas Metals Power Generation Life Sciences Consumer  THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Technical Consultancy Strategy Project/Programme Management 11. Awards won in the last 2 years The Royal Society for Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) award scheme is one of the UK’s primary schemes for the monitoring and rewarding of health and safety programmes undertaken by British businesses. The Gold Award recognises a consistently high standard of health and safety performance sustained over a number of years. Abb 9 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm ABeam Consulting (UK) About our company ABeam Consulting provides business transformation services that create strategic advantage, improve business processes, leverage technology innovation, and enhance organisational performance for leading multinational and domestic companies worldwide. ABeam is one of the top three management consultancies in Japan, born from Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu in 2003. ABeam’s success in Japan propelled its growth worldwide. In less than five years, ABeam has more than doubled in size, with 3,500 professionals serving more than 700 clients throughout the Americas, Asia and Europe. Types of clients we serve ABeam has over 700 clients, spanning industries from automotive to utilities, and include AIG, Brother Industries, Kao, Kingston Technology, Mitsui, Mitsubishi UFJ, Northrop Grumman, Scottish Water, Tokyo Metro and Volvo. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because ABeam is truly a firm where ‘talent attracts talent’. Where everyone is excited by the opportunities to deliver lasting value to companies all over the world. Where collaboration happens with colleagues and clients. Locations of our UK office(s) London and Oxford Weblinks with career details of our firm For more information about the opportunities available at ABeam, please see http://www.abeam.com/careers.htm Key contact details For candidate enquiries, please email: careersUK@abeam.com Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Distribution/Logistics Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management HR Consulting IT Consulting Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. AbeAm ConsuLTing (uK) 9. 10. 90 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Accenture About our company Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company. With more than 178,000 people in 49 countries, we combine unparalleled experience with comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions. With extensive research on the world’s most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. 3. Types of clients we serve What really makes Accenture stand out are the diversity, scale and groundbreaking nature of their projects. They’re all unique, but each one features the very latest thinking for leading clients. Accenture collaborates with clients to help them realise their vision and achieve high performance. 80 of the FTSE 100 are our clients. In revenue terms, Accenture UK is the equivalent of a FTSE 50 company. And clients include 91 of the Fortune Global 100 and nearly two thirds of the Fortune Global 500. Some names you will recognise include BA, BT, BP, Virgin Wines, Prudential, DVLA, Orange and Selfridges. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) MBA campus recruiting Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because We offer: • Exceptional talent. Accenture has more of the world’s most talented people assembled under one roof than any other organisation. It’s stimulating, productive and great fun too. • Continuous learning and training. Ultimately this is a knowledge-based enterprise. Joining Accenture means committing yourself to lifelong learning and personal development. • High quality work. Our ability to deliver exceptional job satisfaction and career development is directly linked to the breadth and diversity of our clients – and the scale of projects we tackle. Our people are driven to provide new solutions on how to improve businesses and work with our clients to help them seize new opportunities. • A collaborative approach. Openness and collaboration are integral to the way we work. To enable our clients to move to a higher level of performance, we develop a deep understanding of all aspects of their business and how they interconnect. • An entrepreneurial spirit. Accenture was created by entrepreneurs with a vision of the future. It’s driven forward by future-focused individuals who are eager to share in the success of a global business leader. • A diverse workforce. You will work closely with colleagues from a wide range of cultural, educational and geographic backgrounds. Alongside this, we are committed to a number of key constants: we believe in stimulating environments – ones that are supportive, engaging and fun. Experience tells us that these are the basic ingredients of creativity and innovation. We believe in flexible working conditions that fit in around our people’s lives. We believe in sharing knowledge throughout the network – a feature of life you’ll discover at every level within Accenture. We practise what we preach when it comes to building more collaborative-enabled businesses. It’s this mix of new ideas with key constants that fosters swift decision-making and purposeful leadership. In turn, they close the gap between thought and action. We are especially proud that, even within a global organisation of over 178,000 people, we have created a company with a genuine sense of identity and belonging and this is what attracts candidates to Accenture. ACCenTuRe 91 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 6. 7. Locations of our UK office(s) London, Manchester, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Aberdeen Weblinks with career details of our firm For graduate careers in Consulting visit www.accenture.com/ukgraduates. For experienced hire careers visit www.accenture.com/ukexperience. For internships and placements visit www.accenture.com/ukschemes 8. 9. Key contact details Graduate helpline 0500 100189 Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Distribution/Logistics Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management HR Consulting IT Consulting Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology 11. Awards won in the last 2 years No. 1 company in Consulting 2008 – Times Top 100. Best graduate brochure 2008 – Times Top 100. Top 50 employer for women as voted for by Where Women Want to Work. Winner – Management Consultancies Association (MCA) Corporate Social Responsibility Award. Business in The Community (BITC) Index Gold Standard. Top 20 employer in Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index ACCenTuRe 92 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Alpha Financial Markets Consulting (Alpha FMC) About our company Alpha FMC was founded in 2003 and is a leading provider of consulting, benchmarking and implementation services to leading financial institutions in the UK, Continental Europe and globally. Alpha FMC currently employs 23 full-time consulting staff and a number of approved Associates. Based in the UK, we have recently opened an office in Luxembourg. The company is wholly owned by the Directors and employees. 3. Types of clients we serve Our client base consists of leading financial institutions in the UK, Continental Europe and globally with a particular focus on the asset and wealth management industries and the companies that service them – we have worked for over 45 major clients. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … they’ve been impressed by a number of things including: • The varied and interesting work we undertake – employing the highest quality consultants coupled with our low overheads enables us to deliver cost-effective advice and win interesting and varied work, especially against our larger competitors; • The culture and people – a very open culture at Alpha encourages a strong team spirit in the company both in work and out of work; • Career progression and potential rewards – with no quotas restricting promotion or progression, Alpha offers focused career development, giving employees opportunities and ‘space’ to develop. An inclusive profit share scheme means that all employees share in the benefits of our success. ALPhA finAnCiAL mARKeTs ConsuLTing (ALPhA fmC) 6. 7. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm For further detail on recruitment at Alpha FMC, please see the following link: http://www.alphafmc.com/recruiting.html 8. Key contact details Our main office address and contact number: 8 Frederick’s Place, London EC2R 8HY; Tel: +44 (0)20 7796 9300; Fax: +44 (0)20 7796 9307 For general enquiries: enquiries@alphafmc.com For recruitment enquiries: recruitment@alphafmc.com 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) 93 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management IT Consulting Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology ALPhA finAnCiAL mARKeTs ConsuLTing (ALPhA fmC) 94 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Alsbridge plc About our company Alsbridge plc is the award-winning global advisory firm, providing unbiased advice and assistance on outsourcing, shared services and offshoring. With a presence across Europe, North America and Asia Pacific, we offer clients unmatched functional expertise and industry knowledge of sourcing solutions. Alsbridge consultants are subject matter experts with experience from a range of industry backgrounds and functional disciplines. Together, this enables us to offer a unique blend of advisors that have experience from both the client-side and supplier-side of the sourcing industry. 3. Types of clients we serve Our clients span all industries and sectors, and are typically major global or FTSE 100 listed organisations. In addition, we have a strong presence in the UK public sector. We offer our clients independent sourcing advice around the functional areas of HR, IT, F&A and Procurement. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … they are looking for the kind of consultancy where talented and committed advisors can thrive, without the usual red tape and bureaucracy of a traditional Big firm. They will be skilled in any aspect of outsourcing and shared services across the FA/HR/IT or procurements functions and are looking for the opportunity to work as part of a high performing, supportive and collegial team that values close collaboration with clients and colleagues. We offer an excellent remuneration package to include flexible benefits and bonus dependent on the candidate’s competency, skills and level of expertise. 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm To search our latest vacancies please visit http://www.alsbridge.eu/jobs-in-outsourcing.html Key contact details Alsbridge plc, 22–24 Ely Place, London EC1N 6TE; Tel: +44 (0)20 7242 0666 Email: recruitmentuk@alsbridge.eu ALsbRidge PLC 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Public Sector Telecoms, Media & Entertainment 9 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management HR Consulting IT Consulting Outsourcing 11. Awards won in the last 2 years MCA Management Awards – Shortlisted for the outsourcing Consultancy Award 2007 MCA Management Awards – Runner-up Best Partner/Director 2007 NOA Awards – Winner of the Outsourcing Professional of the Year 2006 NOA Awards – Winner of the Outsourcing Advisors of the Year 2006 Black Book of Outsourcing – Top Outsourcing Advisory Service of 2006 HRO Europe – HRO Superstar 2006 HRO Today – Top Sourcing Consultants 2006 ALsbRidge PLC 9 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Amdocs Consulting About our company Amdocs is a growing, profitable public company (NYSE: DOX), with revenue of $2.84 billion in fiscal year 2007 and a workforce of more than 18,000 professionals in over 50 countries. A division of Amdocs, Amdocs Consulting is a global management and technology consulting organisation committed to helping services organisations transform their business to deliver an intentional customer experience, drive additional revenue streams and reduce costs. Amdocs Consulting combines deep industry knowledge with end-to-end consulting offerings to advise, transform and optimise business and technology processes while lowering risk through an unrivalled track record of success and a commitment to close collaboration. One of the leading consulting firms in the industry, backed by over 18,000 professionals, Amdocs brings industry best practices, visionary thought leadership, and highly practical solutions to our clients. Amdocs Consulting has offices worldwide with over 1500 employees globally. 3. Types of clients we serve Amdocs Consulting’s engagements with world leading service providers vary widely, ranging from high-level strategy, though business process optimisation, to end-to-end business transformation, including change management, business process integration, training and testing. As a part of the planning phase, Amdocs always works closely with clients to identify quick wins that are low in cost and high in impact. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) MBA campus recruiting Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because With over 2500 successful projects and implementations, and over 25 years of experience in delivering large scale transformation programmes, Amdocs brings in unmatched experience, expertise and best practices in managing large scale transformations. Amdocs has unparalleled industry experience with many of the leading tier 1 service providers. This impressive client list provides employees with accelerated opportunities for advancement and access to some of the world’s leading telecommunication companies. AmdoCs ConsuLTing 6. 7. 8. 9. Locations of our UK office(s) London, Reading and Bath plus international locations Weblinks with career details of our firm www.amdocs.com/careers Key contact details Please contact the Consulting Recruitment Team on consultingjobseurope@amdocs.com Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Telecoms, Media & Entertainment 9 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management IT Consulting Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology 11. Awards won in the last 2 years Named one of the Fastest Growing Consultancies by Top Consultant Magazine AmdoCs ConsuLTing 9 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm AMTEC Consulting plc About our company AMTEC Consulting is a leading independent supplier of management and IS consultancy, interim management and resources, with particular strengths in the public sector. We focus on enabling business change and work alongside our clients to realise the benefits of their investment in change and technology. Founded in 1986, AMTEC ranks in the top 40 UK consultancies overall and the top 3 SME consulting firms in central government (www.managementconsultancy.co.uk). 3. Types of clients we serve Our extensive track record spans right across central and local government, police, criminal justice, health, education, welfare, environment and defence. We also work with blue-chip clients in: finance, banking and insurance; retail and distribution; and IT and telecommunications 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because They recognise our enviable position in the UK public sector market place and our ability to leverage from a significant track record to offer interesting and varied projects. 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) Farnham Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.amtec.co.uk/about_amtec/corporate/vacancies/internal.xhtml Key contact details AMTEC Consulting plc, Excalibur House, 2 The Millennium Centre, Crosby Way, Farnham, Surrey GU9 7XX; Tel: 01252 737866; Fax: 01252 737855; Email: post@amtec.co.uk; Web: www.amtec.co.uk AmTeC ConsuLTing PLC 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management Technology IT Consulting Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy 99 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Applied Acumen Limited About our company An award-winning company founded in 2002, Applied Acumen serves the wiser and more astute users of consultancy, interim and recruitment services in the UK and Europe, where cost, speed and reliability of delivery are important. 3. Types of clients we serve The Applied Acumen structure and approach enables them to work with a diverse client base, from £1m turnover through to £ billion multinationals, and includes sectors as diverse as sports, education, finance, manufacturing, transportation, retail fulfilment and catering. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because They recognise that the assignments are defined well, expectations are clear, the challenge is invariably significant and exciting, exposure is total, support is there, the space to perform and excel is given, and the reward is equitable. 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) Leeds and the Cotswolds Weblinks with career details of our firm See www.appliedacumen.com Key contact details Candidates Contact: jobs@appliedacumen.com; Client/PR Enquiries: enquiry@appliedacumen.com 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Distribution/Logistics Retail/Consumer Goods Transportation APPLied ACumen LimiTed 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management HR Consulting Project/Programme Management 11. Awards won in the last 2 years XpertHR/Personnel Today Award for Innovation 2007, for work undertaken with the 45,000 student Park Lane College in Leeds. 100 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Archstone Consulting About our company Formed in 2003 by leading partners from top-tier firms, Archstone Consulting is an exciting firm focused on delivering independent, strategic advice and operational results to corporations. Our team is a blend of seasoned consultants and industry leaders with extensive knowledge of the consumer packaged goods, life sciences, manufacturing, and service industries. Archstone Consulting professionals focus on assisting the c-suite and executive management of top marquee clients with business transformations and growth initiatives. Specific areas of interest include: business strategy, supply chain improvement, strategic sourcing, procurement, strategic planning and execution, collaborative commerce, customer and product excellence, pricing strategy, marketing and sales force effectiveness, business process design, organisational restructuring/transformation, business/financial management, cost reduction and IT strategy/effectiveness. Archstone Consulting is headquartered in Stamford, CT (USA) with offices in New York, Chicago and San Francisco, Amsterdam, London and Toronto. Archstone Consulting was launched with the backing of Lake Capital, a Chicago-based private equity investor. 3. Types of clients we serve Our clients are marquee names in the industries that we target. According to the latest Fortune lists, we provide consulting services to 24 of the top 100 companies and 58 of the top 500 and 65 of the top 1000. As a general guideline, about one third of our clients are Global Fortune 500. The rest of our business is with privately held companies or categorised as very large divisions of companies. We are also very proud that our clients are pretty evenly distributed across our practice areas and industry groups. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because ARChsTone ConsuLTing One or more of the following resonates: 1) an entrepreneurial spirit that encourages consultants to grown the firm through client service, business development or thought leadership; 2) a smaller, more nimble, less bureaucratic environment; and 3) the ability to work with seasoned consultants who are passionate about building a new firm. 6. 7. 8. 9. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm www.archstoneconsulting.com Key contact details Email questions, resumés and cover letters to: recruiter@archstoneconsulting.com Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Distribution/Logistics Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Retail/Consumer Goods Transportation 101 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management HR Consulting IT Consulting Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy 102 ARChsTone ConsuLTing THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Atkins About our company Atkins at a glance – Number of employees (as of April 2008) 18,000; Turnover (2006) £1.26 billion; Established in 1938; More than 200 permanent offices worldwide; UK’s largest engineering consultancy; Europe’s largest multidisciplinary consultancy; 5th largest global design firm; Chief Executive: Keith Clarke; Atkins has topped the league of UK engineering consultancies for the last 10 years and has been ranked in the top 10 over the last 14 years (NCE Consultants File 1994–2008). 3. Types of clients we serve Management Consultancy in Atkins works with a range of public and private sector clients across a diverse range of sectors. For a list of those organisations please visit our website www.atkinsglobal.com to find out more. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because As a consultancy, Atkins is a people business and our continued success depends upon recruiting and retaining talented professionals from a multitude of backgrounds. We are as committed to diversity as we are to excellence. We recognise that individuals want to progress in many different ways. At Atkins all career routes have equal status, whether they are in project management, in a technical discipline or in business management. We aim to be an employer of choice and provide an environment in which our people can flourish and succeed. 6. 7. 8. 9. Locations of our UK office(s) London, Epsom, Cheltenham, Chelmsford, Ipswich, Cardiff Weblinks with career details of our firm www.atkinsglobal.com/graduates; www.atkinsglobal.com/careers Key contact details Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence ATKins Automotive/Aerospace Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation 103 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management IT Consulting Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology 11. Awards won in the last 2 years Ranked 13th: Best Big Companies to Work For 2008 – The Sunday Times (UK) Ranked 43rd: Top 100 Graduate Employers The Times (UK) 2008 Top 50 places Where Women Want to Work – The Times (UK) Best Places to Work in IT – Winner: Best of the Best, Construction and Mining Category – Computer Weekly (UK)2007 Atkins was named as Engineering Consultancy of the Year 2008 at the Building Awards (UK) National Energy Awards Winner: Educational Awareness Category UK Centre for Economic and Environmental Development 2007 (UK) 104 ATKins THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Atos Consulting About our company Atos Consulting is an international consulting company providing business advisory, business transformation and IT programme management solutions. 3. Types of clients we serve We work across all sectors, predominantly with Tier 1 and 2 clients, and a large number of Central Government Departments. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because When candidates choose to join our firm, it is usually because we are acknowledged leaders in a number of our solution areas, such as Procurement, Lean, People & Change and International Funding. Candidate feedback tells us that speed of response and quality of interviewers are two key factors in candidates deciding to join Atos Consulting. Another factor is that Atos in the UK is one of the few genuine end-to-end service providers, from Business Advisory Consulting through Systems Integration to Outsourcing and Managed Operations. 6. 7. 8. 9. Locations of our UK office(s) Reading, Andover, London, Birmingham, Runcorn, Leeds, Edinburgh Weblinks with career details of our firm www.atosconsulting.co.uk; www.atosorigin.com Key contact details Atos Consulting, 4 Triton Square, Regent’s Place, London NW1 3HG; 020 7830 4444 Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Distribution/Logistics Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods Transportation ATos ConsuLTing 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management HR Consulting IT Consulting Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology 10 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 11. 12. Awards won in the last 2 years 9 MCA awards, including Best Public Sector Project in 2008 Additional comments Atos Consulting is one of the few companies able to provide true end-to-end client solutions, from Business Advisory through Systems Integration and Managed Operations services. If you want a company that thinks differently, talk to us and find out why Atos UK outperformed most of our competitors with its 2007 performance, and is continuing to do so in 2008. 10 ATos ConsuLTing THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Avail Consulting Ltd About our company Avail Consulting, part of the Tribal Group, is an independent premium consultancy focused on the practical application of leading-edge thinking to the modernisation of the public sector. We provide practical advice and tools to help our clients improve performance, save money and prepare for the future across the following solutions: Strategy and Business Planning, Performance Improvement, Partnering & Procurement Services, Supply Chain and Enterprise Architecture. Avail was founded in 2004 and is the fastest growing public sector consultancy growing from 2 to 55 in just 4 years. We pride ourselves on our people, our values and our work. 3. Types of clients we serve We work purely within the public sector and have a strong, high-profile client base. In an ever-changing strategic and operational landscape, we are making a significant contribution to respond to the latest challenges in reform across Health, Justice, Security, Tax & Welfare, Education and Local Government, providing expertise from all our solutions. Clients include Home Office, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, NHS, Ministry of Justice, Crown Prosecution Service, Association of Chief Police Officers, Dept. of Children, Schools and Families, Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs and Dept. of Work & Pensions. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months We are currently recruiting from Analyst level through to Managing Consultant. For some junior positions, consulting experience is not essential. 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because People choose Avail based on three main reasons: our People, our Values and our Work. 1) Here at Avail, we offer the opportunity to work with an exceptionally talented team from a range of backgrounds to work with a group of people who are committed to the business and to work in a collaborative and innovative environment. 2) Our values create a dynamic and positive culture where there is open, honest communication between each other and with our clients. We provide people with the platform to take professional and personal responsibility in managing work–life balance as well as career development. 3) And finally, our work. We offer the opportunity of working with a wide range of high profile public sector clients meaning our people get to work on a diverse range of projects, across many different sectors, something that we are continually building on for the ongoing and future success of Avail. AVAiL ConsuLTing LTd 6. 7. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm For further details about Avail in general and careers with us, please see www.tribalavail.co.uk 8. Key contact details Main office address: 87–91 Newman Street, London, W1T 3EY; Tel: 020 7079 9000. If you are interested in applying or would like further information, please email us at: careers@tribalavail.co.uk 10 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Across our five key accounts: Security Justice Health Education Tax and welfare 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Strategy & Business Planning Performance Improvement Procurement & Supply Chain IT Strategy 11. Awards won in the last 2 years MCA Change Management Consultant of the Year – 2008 10 AVAiL ConsuLTing LTd THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm A-ViA Interim and Consulting Ltd About our company A-ViA Interim and Consulting Ltd has years of experience working for and with industrial and automotive VMs/OEMs, automotive suppliers, industrial manufacturing and blue chip organisations. With expert experiences in business development, operations, finance and sales management, A-ViA I&C Group’s career interim directors, managers and consultants are working with many clients to deliver tangible results in the areas of: Business Development, Operations, Finance, Sales, Project Management, Marketing and Strategic Analysis/ Enhancement, 3. Types of clients we serve The A-ViA Interim and Consulting Group has leveraged its affiliations with members of the MIIM, SMMT and The Department of Trade and Industry (Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform). Clients include: Global Vehicle Manufacturers and Tier 1 Automotive Suppliers. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because They have the background and experience to meet our clients’ tough requirements and have a suitable profile to meet our needs. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Locations of our UK office(s) Near Birmingham, Stratford upon Avon Weblinks with career details of our firm www.a-via.co.uk Key contact details Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management Project/Programme Management 109 A-ViA inTeRim And ConsuLTing LTd THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Axios UK About our company Axios has grown from a true passion for the delivery of excellence. Axios was originally formed on the foundation of many years successful change management at Managing Director level coupled with the support of excellence in the delivery of results through consulting. This unique background of the founders has enabled a true empathy at Director and Chief Executive level and a true understanding of what actually matters to a business as it strives for continuous improvement. Not only does Axios provide the technical support required to implement change, it also has the tools to understand and support the change management process. In everything we do, the depth of our expertise combined with the pragmatism of our people means we deliver results, not simply reports. Our team ‘do the doing’ – clients rarely engage us on strategy-only assignments. So when Axios is engaged on behalf of a client, we stay with the client until the solutions are in place and the savings can be traced to the P&L. 3. Types of clients we serve Our client base is both public sector (notably local government and NHS) and private sector (medium-sized business) all of which have a true desire to change. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because Axios offers candidates the opportunity to work on a variety of high profile client engagements. Our culture balances high standards and an expectation of excellence together with a flexible and respectful environment. Our closely-knit team work together in a collaborative manner to bring the best of the firm to bear on each and every client. Axios work with full- or part-time associates and employees seeking a career path within the company. We are currently experiencing significant growth and are always looking for talented individuals who can make a contribution to our business. At Axios we intentionally sought to build an organisation that better leveraged aggregate capabilities of the whole team compared to that of a traditional consulting firm. We believe that everyone has something to contribute. This therefore creates opportunities for our consultants to get involved in a variety of projects and activities resulting in a strong bond across the consulting team. We strongly focus on effectively developing skills to reflect capabilities and experience and you are recognised and rewarded accordingly. Axios uK 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) Worcestershire, Avon Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.axiosuk.com Key contact details We can best be contacted by email at info@axiosuk.com 110 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Distribution/Logistics Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy 111 Axios uK THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Axon About our company Axon delivers SAP-enabled Business Transformation programmes for large organisations. Founded in 1994, Axon was built on the principle of employing the best consultants in the market and delivering programmes using small teams of experts. As an organisation we now employ over 2,000 of the most experienced SAP implementation professionals across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific, including 750 consultants based in the UK. We apply our business and technology expertise to the challenges of making change happen. Our success is measured according to the outcomes experienced by our clients, such as cost reduction, service improvement or effective corporate restructuring. Our total focus on SAP means that our clients are able to leverage our methodologies, tools, accelerators and templates – all of which have been designed to deliver SAP best practices – with no compromise to the requirements of either alternative ERP packages or more generic systems’ development methodologies. Our approach and supporting tools dramatically accelerate SAP implementations, delivering projects many months – and often years – ahead of the original schedule. 3. Types of clients we serve Axon delivers SAP-enabled Business Transformation programmes for large organisations such as Transport for London, Xerox, BP, Vodafone, TXU Energy, Birmingham City Council, NATS, Goodrich, Pratt & Whitney, to name but a few. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months MBA campus recruiting Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … they are looking to move from being a number within a larger consultancy and want to develop and broaden their consulting skills. Typically consultants will have at least 2 years of SAP experience prior to joining Axon and will be looking to join one of the largest global SAP consultancies in order to gain exposure to some of the largest SAP implementation projects. 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) Egham Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.axonglobal.com/pages/careers.asp Key contact details recruitment@axonglobal.com 112 Axon THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Distribution/Logistics Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management IT Consulting Project/Programme Management 11. Awards won in the last 2 years SAP Pinnacle Award – Regional Excellence (EMEA NEWS) 113 Axon THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Bain & Company About our company Entry compiled by Editorial Team Bain & Company is a global business consulting firm with offices in all major cities. They help management make the big decisions: on strategy, operations, mergers & acquisitions, technology and organisation. Bain London has been helping make companies more valuable since 1979. They work with ambitious UK and European management teams to generate substantial, lasting financial impact. Their preference is to align their economics with those of their clients so that they prosper only if their clients prosper. In other words, they are advisors who put their money where their mouth is. 3. Types of clients we serve The company’s clients are typically bold, ambitious business leaders who think and act like owners. They have the talent, the will and the open-mindedness required to succeed; that’s why they pick Bain. They may be heads of large companies or entrepreneurs, or private equity and venture capital investors. All share the company’s passion for results and are prepared to act decisively to achieve them. This has made Bain & Company one of the leading business consulting firms in the UK: they have worked with many corporate clients of different sizes (including more than 30% of FTSE 100 companies) and, with their European colleagues, advised on over 45% of larger European private equity deals since 1997. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Please see Bain’s website When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … they are eager, driven, committed and passionate and push themselves to make things happen. They are also down to earth, friendly and approachable; highly competitive for their clients, but very supportive with each other … 6. Locations of our UK office(s) 40 Strand, London WC2N 5RW Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.bain.com/bainweb/join_bain/join_bain_overview.asp 8. 9. Key contact details Bain & Company, 40 Strand, London WC2N 5RW, UK Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Strategy Operations Mergers & acquisitions Technology and organisation 10. 11. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Please see Bain’s website Awards won in the last 2 years Financial Times Best Workplaces 2006: 1st place in UK – Overall 2006: Top 10 Workplaces in Europe 114 bAin & ComPAny 7. THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Bellamy Associés s.a.r.l. About our company The company was first formed in India in 1998, and later incorporated in France in 2007. We have two staff members and we are best known for business consulting in third world countries, market entry, start-ups, remedial management, and so on. We are also a General Business Consultant, Risk Management Company, and registered insurance brokers. Our geographical focus is Middle East India and South Asia. 3. Types of clients we serve Our client base is predominantly private sector organisations, usually multinational Insurance brokers or underwriting Agents, although we have had involvement in Government-based projects 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … the quality of consulting assignments that they see will be staffed on when they join our firm 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) None Weblinks with career details of our firm www.bellamy-associes.com Key contact details La Polka, 86200 Pouant, France; Tel: +33 5 49 98 04 47 bellamy@bellamy-associes.com beLLAmy AssoCiés s.A.R.L. 9. 10. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Transformation/Change Management 11 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Booz & Company About our company Entry compiled by Editorial Team Booz & Company is the oldest management consulting firm still in business, the first to use the term ‘management consultant’, and the only firm to be a top-tier provider of consulting services in both the public and private sectors around the world. Booz & Company work closely with the world’s leading institutions to create and deliver the essential advantage they need to survive and thrive in a changing world. Booz Allen Hamilton takes its name from their three founding partners, Edwin Booz, James Allen, and Carl Hamilton. In 2001, they updated the firm’s name worldwide, dropping the punctuation between the founder’s names (previously, there had been a dot between Booz·Allen and an ampersand between Allen & Hamilton, so older references to the firm’s name typically read Booz·Allen & Hamilton). In July 2008, Booz Allen Hamilton separated its two major core businesses – US government consulting and commercial management consulting – into two companies, Booz Allen Hamilton and Booz & Company, respectively. 3. Types of clients we serve Every day, government agencies, institutions and infrastructure organisations rely on Booz Allen’s expertise and objectivity, and on the combined capabilities and dedication of their exceptional people to find solutions and seize opportunities. They combine a consultant’s unique problem-solving orientation with deep technical knowledge and strong execution to help clients achieve success in their most critical missions. 4. 5. 6. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Please see Booz & Company website When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because Please see Booz & Company website Locations of our UK office(s) 7 Savoy Court, Strand, London WC2R 0JP Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.booz.com/global/home/join_us 8. 9. Key contact details Booz & Company, 7 Savoy Court, Strand, London WC2R 0JP; Tel: +44 (0)20 7393 3333 Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Organisation & Strategy Economic & Business Analysis Supply Chain & Logistics Intelligence & Operations Analysis Information Technology Systems Engineering & Integration Assurance & Resilience Modelling & Simulation 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in As above booz & ComPAny 7. 11 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Boston Consulting Group About our company The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is a global management consulting firm and the world’s leading advisor on business strategy. We continue to experience unprecedented growth and are seeking highly talented individuals to join our world class team and drive this momentum forward. At BCG you will collaborate daily with the world’s leading businesses on a wide range of high-level strategic challenges. The knowledge, experience, and skills you’ll gain will provide the springboard you need to excel in any field within BCG or beyond. Your potential with us is limited only by your talents and ambitions. 3. Types of clients we serve BCG clients are the leading organisations in their fields. They include multinationals, growth companies and top-tier public sector and not-for-profit organisations. We work with their CEOs and Executives on their most interesting and complex issues. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months We are currently recruiting broadly within the next 18 months and entrants will include graduates, PhDs, MBAs, other experienced and industry hires. For further details please review our website. 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because BCG will support you throughout every step of your career. You will be mentored, stretched and intellectually challenged. You will work in close-knit teams on a wide variety of projects in different industries and our international training programme will help you develop a comprehensive toolkit of business and management skills. BCG consultants believe in making a difference, not just to our clients but also by changing the world in which we live for the better. Our consultants are passionate about supporting the causes they believe in, and we support them at every stage along the way. Within BCG you’ll find a career of challenge and reward. If you have excellent analytical abilities balanced with impressive interpersonal skills, as well as drive and curiosity, you can realise your potential at BCG. bosTon ConsuLTing gRouP 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) London and 65 other offices worldwide Weblinks with career details of our firm For information on BCG or to submit an application, please refer to www.bcg.com Key contact details The Boston Consulting Group, Devonshire House, Mayfair Place, London W1J 8AJ 11 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Consumer Energy Financial Institutions Healthcare Industrial Goods Insurance IT Private Equity Retail Social Impact & Non-Profit Technology, Media & Telecommunications 10. 11. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Strategy Awards won in the last 2 years Ranked 11th on The Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For (2008), Rank #1 for The Fortune 100 Best Small Companies to work for, Ranked Top 100 for Best Companies for Working Mothers 11 bosTon ConsuLTing gRouP THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Bourton Group About our company Bourton Group is an independent, international management consultancy with over 40 years’ experience and an excellent track record in achieving sustainable performance improvement and organisational change in both the private and public sectors. We significantly improve business processes, the capability of an organisation and its people to deliver excellent performance and ensure sustainable improvement. We deliver results that increase profitability, effectiveness and boost value to an organisation’s customers. Using the best aspects of Lean Thinking and Six Sigma, the engagement and development of people and the transfer of ownership and building of organisational capability, our experts provide the necessary support and challenge in a tailored, responsive and flexible programme to ensure that our clients are self-sufficient when we complete a programme. We assure our professional standards through ISO 9001:2000 and membership of the Management Consultancies Association. We are also an approved centre for the Institute of Leadership and Management. With sister offices in the USA and Europe, we can add an international perspective to all of our assignments. 3. Types of clients we serve We have a range of private and public sector clients covering a variety of industries. However, we are particularly experienced in the Financial Services, Construction & Infrastructure and Defence & Aerospace sectors. Example clients include Balfour Beatty, Carillion, DE&S, Defence Aviation Repair Agency, Edmund Nuttall, Eon, HBOS, Highways Agency, HM Revenue & Customs, Ministry of Defence, National Savings & Investments, Nationwide, Network Rail, Post Office, Rolls Royce, Siemens Business Services, The Army, Royal Air Force, Wellstream. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because we offer excellent conditions of employment and our remuneration and benefits packages are competitive, comprehensive and designed to attract the very best people. Our people create our success and we strongly believe they should share in that success. We provide a stimulating environment and the necessary training and development that encourages our employees to develop and grow their careers with us. bouRTon gRouP 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) Rugby, Warwickshire Weblinks with career details of our firm For careers information see http://www.bourton.co.uk/info/careers.aspx Key contact details Main Office Address: Bourton Hall, Bourton on Dunsmore, Nr Rugby, Warwickshire CV23 9SD; Tel: 01926 633333 119 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Public Sector Transportation 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management 11. Awards won in the last 2 years 2006 National Training Award for Six Sigma training at Network Rail. 120 bouRTon gRouP THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Bridgehead International Ltd About our company Founded in 1994, Bridgehead has grown to be a respected supplier of due diligence, market access and technology strategy consultancy focussed on medical products and markets. The company has 30 staff in the UK and is expanding rapidly in the USA in New York and Boston. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Types of clients we serve Pharmaceutical and medical device companies from the very largest to start-ups. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because …of the fascinating projects in advances in medical science that we carry out worldwide. Locations of our UK office(s) London and Melton Mowbray Weblinks with career details of our firm www.bridgehead.com Key contact details 01664 503700; info@bridgehead.com Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Strategy Technology bRidgeheAd inTeRnATionAL LTd 11. Awards won in the last 2 years Queen’s Award for Industry April 2007 121 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm buyingTeam About our company Established in 1994, we are a team of over 100 procurement specialists. We work with our clients to find, implement and manage opportunities to increase their profitability and efficiency through improved purchasing. We manage in excess of £55bn of client data expenditure and with offices in the UK, Belgium and Germany are able to help our clients across Europe. We focus on indirect costs, where many businesses lack the experience, market knowledge and expertise to buy most effectively. Through working with us, clients can access our specialist capability; enabling them to buy better. Procurement is all that we do. buyingTeam is one of just nine organisations worldwide to be accredited to Gold Standard by the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS). 3. Types of clients we serve Since 1994, we have helped organisations across the private, public and charitable sectors to buy better. We are able to transfer purchasing best practice both across and within sectors. Our people come from diverse industry backgrounds and bring not only their procurement skills to clients but also invaluable experience and knowledge of their sectors. It’s an approach that works, as demonstrated by the results we deliver and the clients for which we deliver them. Our clients include 3i, British Airways, Barnardo’s, O2, Man Group, NCH, Reuters, RoadChef, Royal & Sun Alliance, and Universal Music. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because of 1) the range of sectors and clients we work with; 2) our commitment to our staff in terms of training and development as shown by our inclusion in the Best Companies guide two years in a row; 3) our commitment to a good work–life balance, charity and community programmes. 6. Locations of our UK office(s) London and Leeds Weblinks with career details of our firm www.buyingteam.com/careers Key contact details buyingTeam, Eagle House, 16 Procter Street, London WC1V6NX; careers@buyingteam.com Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment buyingTeAm 7. 8. 9. 122 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management Strategy 11. Awards won in the last 2 years The CIPS Supply Management Awards 2005 Overall Winner – 2005 Shortlisted for The CIPS Supply Management Awards 2007, and ProcureCon European Awards – 2007 2008 Best EU Global Outsourcing Excellence Award winner from Outsourcing Center – 2008 Included in Best Companies Guides 2007 and 2008; Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Gold Accreditation 123 buyingTeAm THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Capgemini Consulting About our company Founded in 1967, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, and enables its clients to transform and perform through technology. Capgemini provides its clients with insights and capabilities that boost their freedom to achieve superior results through a unique way of working – the Collaborative Business Experience – and through a global delivery model called Rightshore®, which aims to offer the right resources in the right location at competitive cost. Present in 36 countries, Capgemini reported 2007 global revenues of b8.7 billion and employs over 83,000 people worldwide. Capgemini Consulting is the Strategy and Management Consulting division of the Capgemini Group, employing 5,000 consultants worldwide. Leveraging its deep sectorial and business expertise, Capgemini Consulting advises and supports organisations in transforming their business, from Strategy through to Execution. Capgemini Consulting delivers successful outcomes by working side by side with clients to identify the best solutions to critical business challenges. 3. Types of clients we serve Capgemini Consulting’s client base is comprised of leading private and public sector organisations, with representation from many sub-sectors: Retail, Consumer Products, Energy, Utilities, Chemicals, Life Sciences, Aerospace & Defence, Manufacturing, Central Government and Local Government. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because When candidates choose to join Capgemini Consulting it is usually because of: 1) Our culture – this is consistently quoted as the reason people choose to join Capgemini Consulting and remain with the organisation. The culture is open, friendly and meritocratic. 2) Capgemini Consulting’s organisational structure: consultants work in functional teams and have the opportunity to work on both public and private sector engagements, but can also specialise if from a career perspective this is their preference. 3) Training & development: Capgemini Consulting encourage continuous learning with individuals, recognising individuals’ differing personal learning style and career direction. Individuals are offered a wide variety of learning and development programmes, both here in the UK and at our Paris University (Les Fontaines) to aid their development. CAPgemini ConsuLTing 6. Locations of our UK office(s) Woking (UK Headquarters), Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Inverness, London, Rotherham, Sale, Swansea 7. Weblinks with career details of our firm For graduate careers information see http://brighteraltogether.uk.capgemini.com/ For the latest vacancies see www.uk.capgemini.com/careers/ 8. Key contact details Capgemini Consulting, 76 Wardour Street, London W1F 0UU; Tel: 020 7434 2171 124 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Distribution/Logistics Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management HR Consulting IT Consulting Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology 11. Awards won in the last 2 years MCA Individual Winner: ‘Performance Improvement Consultant of the Year 2007’ One of the Top 50 Places for ‘Where Women Want to Work (2007)’ 12 CAPgemini ConsuLTing THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Celerant Consulting About our company Celerant is the largest independent global firm working in the operations management sector of the consulting market. It delivers operational transformation and helps leading companies worldwide achieve and sustain world class performance from their business operations. Celerant’s difference is simple: it believes that once it has fixed a problem for a client, it should stay fixed. The essence of Celerant’s approach is that its consultants work side-by-side with people in the front lines of business – from the boardroom to the shop floor – to ensure the delivery of sustainable and measurable benefits. Celerant embeds long-term behavioural change into the culture of its clients’ organisations – the key to sustainable change – a unique approach called Closework®. Last year Celerant delivered over b600m/$1bn in annualised sustainable savings to its clients and over the last 20 years it has become the largest independent firm of business operations consultants, with annual revenues of over b110/$170m in 2007. 3. Types of clients we serve Celerant works with some of the world’s leading companies to create more profitable, more capable and more competitive organisations. Our people help companies – and the people within these companies – achieve and sustain real gains in bottom-line performance. Celerant works across a range of industries, including: Aerospace, Automotive, Chemicals, Energy, FMCG, Financial Services, Government, Life Sciences and Healthcare, Manufacturing, Metals, Mining, Pulp & Paper, Retail, Telecommunications and Utilities. Clients include: Adisseo, Akzo Nobel, Bayer, BBC Worldwide, BT Wholesale, BP, Celanese, Church & Dwight, DSM, GSK, Honda Racing F1 Team, Lanxess, Norsk Hydro, Pioneer, Premier Oil, Powergen Renewables, Reuters, Rhodia, Rohm & Haas, Scottish Water, T-Mobile, and Wyeth. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because They have: • Previous consulting experience, but want to join a firm that gets them closer to the action and makes a real difference to the way people (and business) work; • Experience in industry, which they want to apply from a broader perspective, by combining their business experience with a consulting approach that delivers measurable change; • A desire to learn from the breadth and depth of consulting assignments they will be deployed on where they engage with clients at all levels on a daily basis, driving real change where the work gets done. CeLeRAnT ConsuLTing 6. 7. Locations of our UK office(s) Richmond, Surrey Weblinks with career details of our firm For general information: http://www.celerantconsulting.com For careers information: http://www.celerantconsulting.com/Careers/careers.aspx 8. Key contact details 12 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Distribution/Logistics Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management Project/Programme Management 12 CeLeRAnT ConsuLTing THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Change Management Group Ltd About our company Change Management Group (CMG) is a leading Business Change Consultancy to the Retail and FMCG industry. Founded in the late nineties, CMG helps retailers drive process and functional improvements across commercial and supply chain activities. We work alongside our clients’ teams to lead and develop their capability to successfully land change initiatives. CMG delivers projects across the change spectrum, including culture change, organisational design, business recovery, systems implementation and relationship management to our clients. Our partners, consultants and associates have worked extensively across the globe, on a wide variety of programmes and bring to the table a wealth of experience and knowledge. We have developed our own methods and toolset that help our clients and our associates implement complex solutions to resolve their business problems. Having doubled in size in 2007, we are poised for significant growth in the next few years. 3. Types of clients we serve Our client base spans well known international and UK based retailers, including a number of UK Tier 1 retailers, of electronic goods, DIY, fashion, grocery and general merchandising. Our offering has also recently been extended into the public sector. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months MBA campus recruiting Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because 1. They are excited about our high quality projects; 2. They want to work for top tier clients; 3. They are keen to share our approach of consulting – ‘creating lasting value’; 4. They want to learn about our tools and methodology; 5. They are enjoying our Talent Pool network; 6. They prefer a good work–life balance ChAnge mAnAgemenT gRouP LTd 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm www.changemanagementgroup.co.uk Key contact details Change Management Group, Island Studios, 22 St. Peter’s Square, London W6 9NW; Tel +44 (0)20 8748 8311; info@changemanagementgroup.co.uk 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management IT Consulting Project/Programme Management Strategy 12 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Changescape Limited About our company Founded in January 2002, Changescape’s focus is on helping businesses to run better. Changescape is headquartered in the South of England but operates on a national and global level as required by our clients. Our client approach is entirely holistic. We work cross-sector and inter-discipline to bring best-of-breed consultancy, project management and people development practices together in a single integrated service. We take what we learn from previous assignments and apply it to innovating the next, always recognising that it is the client who is central to the assignment. Whether we are engaged in consultancy, project management or training, or increasingly in a mix of all three, our aim at the end of the assignment is to leave our client with the skills and resources to deliver a higher level of performance than before our intervention. As a result, we enable our clients to realise their own goals, however diverse they may be. Changescape boasts a sizeable team of consultants, all of whom have excellent pedigrees having been employed in the past by some of the UK’s top consulting and commercial organisations. We do not have the structure and overheads of some of our ‘larger’ competitors and therefore our clients find Changescape to be much more flexible and truly excellent value-for-money. 3. Types of clients we serve We are engaged by clients working across a wide variety of business sectors. From major financial institutions and media consultancies, manufacturing industry and the Public Sector, we bring a reservoir of best practice and expertise tempered by our own real world experience. We are proud to have helped these organisations to achieve their individual goals, no matter how diverse they might be: Financial Services: Allianz Clerical Medical Esure, Generali, HBOS, Royal Bank of Scotland, Sirius Group, Scandia Zurich; Charities & Public Sector: Volunteer Development, Scotland Department for Transport, States of Guernsey, Teacher Support Network, Guernsey Training Agency; Retail: Dyrberg, Kern, Republic of Fritz Hansen; Travel & Transport: British Airways, Thai Airways; Technology & Pharmaceuticals: BT, Radianz, Mettoni, Novartis; Legal: Marks & Clerk Solicitors, Indemnity Fund; Manufacturing: British American Tobacco, IT Consultancy Services: Capgemini; Property & Construction: DTZ, Laing O’Rourke, SEGRO (Slough Estates Group); Broadcast & Media: British Sky Broadcasting, Joshua, G2, 141 Worldwide ChAngesCAPe LimiTed 4. 5. 6. 7. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because They want the flexibility, professionalism and attractive rates of pay we provide Locations of our UK office(s) Ringwood Hampshire Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.changescape.com 129 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 8. Key contact details Changescape Limited, New House Market Place, Ringwood, Hampshire BH24 1EN; Company Registration Number: 04346569; International DUNS Number: 423589626; VAT Registration Number: GB 787 3104 13; Gary Homes, Managing Director Phone: +44 (0)1425 656665; Mob: +44 (0)7880 790815; Email: gary.homes@changescape.com 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management IT Consulting Project/Programme Management 130 ChAngesCAPe LimiTed THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Chaucer Group Limited About our company Formed by our Global CEO, Bob Laslett, in 1987, Chaucer currently operates in the UK, North America, Russia and the Asia Pacific Region. With Offices in Kent, Houston, Chicago, New York, Michigan, Moscow, Dubai and Hong Kong employing 150 Consultants worldwide, we have expertise in project and programme management, change delivery and business process improvement. We have industry expertise focusing in the finance, oil, gas & petrochemical and pharmaceutical industry sectors. We are flexible and have a breadth of resource that enables us to deploy large or small delivery teams with appropriate controls and delivery assurance. Types of clients we serve Our key client sectors are: Oil, Gas and Petrochemicals, Pharmaceuticals and Life Sciences and Financial Services. 3. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months MBA campus recruiting Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because Chaucer Consulting is one of the fastest growing, independently-owned, management consultancies in the UK. We support large, global organisations within the Oil & Gas, Pharmaceutical or Financial Services Sectors through the effective implementation of change working as an integrated part of client teams. Our approach to relationship management and service delivery is paramount to our success and we pride ourselves on quality, flexibility and assuring the delivery of goals and objectives. When Consultants join us it’s because they share this passion and have a demonstrable track record in this area. We are looking for talented and experienced individuals to join us as senior consultants to support the company in achieving its growth objectives. Whilst consultancy experience is desirable, we value and welcome those from non-consulting backgrounds who have an aptitude for and demonstrable skills in project and programme management, especially where this relates to large scale business change and transformation. Locations of our UK office(s) All our Consultants are ‘remote workers’ but our Headquarters are in Kent. Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.chaucerconsulting.com/ Key contact details Chaucer Group Limited, 67 Preston Street, Faversham, Kent ME13 8PB; Tel: 01795 542500; jobs@chaucerconsulting.com. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management Project/Programme Management ChAuCeR gRouP LimiTed 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 131 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm CIO Consulting About our company CIO Consulting works with IT executives to optimise the performance and business value provided by their department. We deliver cost-effective and business-aligned Information Services by helping our clients establish effective governance structures for service management, technology, projects, information security and compliance. 3. Types of clients we serve Our clients include a number of FTSE250 companies, prominent central government organisations and local authorities. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) MBA campus recruiting Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … they are attracted by the high calibre professionals they will be working with, and the quality of consulting engagements they will be undertaking. 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm Key contact details Website: http://www.cioconsulting.com; Main Contact Number: +44 (0)20 3008 7555; Email enquiries: enquiries@cioconsulting.com; Main office address: Central Court, 25 Southampton Buildings, Holborn, London WC2A 1AL 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Distribution/Logistics Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation Cio ConsuLTing 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management IT Consulting Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology 132 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm CityIQ Ltd About our company CityIQ is a specialist consultancy that has been providing advisory and delivery services to our many clients in the Financial Services Industry for over ten years. We are seen by our clients as partners, providing them with the advice and assistance they need at a price they can afford. We believe in long-term business relationships. Most of our client relationships have evolved over many years. We attribute this to the consistent quality of service we deliver and our willingness to choose long-term reputation over short-term gain. Types of clients we serve CityIQ works primarily with Financial Services organisations based in London and the major offshore locations. In the last three years we have worked with over 30 leading institutions providing experienced consultancy advice and expert implementation assistance. 3. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because Candidates choose CityIQ as their career partner because: • We are committed to building long-term business relationships with our consultants, contractors and candidates. • We specialise in the Securities Industry and have a thorough understanding of our sector and the companies that make it work. • We spend time getting to know all our consultants, contractors and permanent candidates and what they want from their careers. • We are small enough to care about individual candidates, offering a personalised service that is relationship, not numbers, driven. • We are sufficiently well known in the market to attract large, prestigious clients offering significant opportunities with highly competitive packages. • We understand the market and can provide career advice; and advise on CV presentation, interview techniques, rates and salaries, and the advantages of choosing either a contract or permanent placement. • We provide cross-training events and an active social network. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm For details about CityIQ’s services and news about CityIQ’s events please go to www.cityiq.com. For details of CityIQ’s latest vacancies go to www.ciqresourcing.com Key contact details CityIQ Ltd, Token House, 11–12 Tokenhouse Yard, London, EC2R 7AS; Tel: +44 (0)20 7073 2925; Fax: +44 (0)20 7073 2926. General enquiries: enquiries@cityiq.com Vacancies: resourcing@ciqresourcing.com Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology 6. 7. CiTyiQ LTd 8. 9. 10. 133 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm CMEurope Ltd About our company CMEurope Ltd (a subsidiary of the Chandler Macleod Group, one of Australasia’s largest and most diverse HR outsourcing and recruitment companies), offers comprehensive consulting services encompassing psychometric assessment, management and organisational development, executive coaching, outplacement, career transition, talent management and deployment. Chandler Macleod Group operates a network of 65 offices across Australasia and the UK and employs approximately 985 branch and head office staff, 2000 permanent field staff and 14,000 on-hired employees. It is a market leader in the areas of: Blue-collar/white collar recruitment services, Psychological assessment and consulting, HR outsourcing 3. 4. 5. Types of clients we serve Our client base is a selection of public and private sector. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because a) they are interested in how by becoming accredited in our products and services they can grow their own client base; b) without the restrictions of working for an employer they can work as part of a project team on large public and private sector consultancy projects; c) They get to meet like-minded consultants 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) Guildford, Surrey Weblinks with career details of our firm www.cmeurope.eu; www.chandlermacleod.com; www.mettle.com.au Key contact details CMEurope, Crossweys House, 28–30 High Street, Guildford, Surrey GU1 3HY Tel: +44 (0)1483 243440; info@cmeurope.eu CmeuRoPe LTd 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Public Sector 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Transformation/Change Management HR Consulting Project/Programme Management Strategy 134 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Coalition About our company Coalition (www.coalition.com) launched in Sept 02 as a Business Intelligence data provider with a core skill in providing ‘intelligent data’ to Financial Services firms. With offices in London, New York and Mumbai, and 150 employees, we are backed by 3 of the largest global Investment Banks. We provide data, analytics, process and technology that allow our clients to map their market: Coalition Client Services to map their client (wallet, key decision maker map, detailed relationship maps); Coalition Competitor services to map their competitors (revenues, headcount, expenses, capital); Coalition Colleague services to map their own internal assets (mobility, skills, succession). Our bespoke technology DNA is designed to serve financial institutions, although we have applications that are highly effective across any industry where Human Capital is the most important contributor to revenue. Our service is delivered through our teams working on-site with the client to build a knowledge repository in their database. The client then has the opportunity to leverage central Coalition resources to expand or clarify their internal business intelligence. 3. Types of clients we serve Our clients include leading investment banks in Europe and North America as well as buyside firms and service providers to the financial industry. Coalition is backed by JP Morgan, UBS and Deutsche Bank. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because Coalition is an exciting and rapidly-growing company, which caters for those with an entrepreneurial spirit. We are acknowledged as being at the leading edge of dynamic market analysis. Our employees are highly motivated individuals who all recognise and believe in Coalition’s aspirations and goals, and who thrive on working as a team to achieve them. Coalition’s management team work to support and maintain an entrepreneurial and collegiate environment where our employees have the opportunity to contribute to the company’s development, and to maximise their personal potential. Through our existing businesses and growth plans, we are able to offer unique opportunities and challenges to the right people. CoALiTion 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm www.coalition.com Key contact details One Newhams Row, London SE1 3UZ. Contact: Jenny George, Email: jg@coalition.com; Tel: 020 7378 3918 9. 10. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Outsourcing Strategy 13 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Commercial Advantage Consulting About our company Commercial Advantage is an international management consultancy based in London with strong experience of the consumer goods industry. They believe that consulting services should be focused on moving ‘from what to how’, which means striking the right balance between setting strategic objectives and actually delivering them. They help clients deliver commercial advantage by working with teams to break free from inhibiting practices, overcome barriers to execution and embed improved organisational behaviour. Offering a fresh take on consulting, Commercial Advantage choose not to use ‘off-the-shelf’ solutions. Instead, their approach ensures that strategy is grounded in the realities of the client’s business. This means that their projects are designed to deliver results by inspiring client teams into better ways of working and making decisions, not writing snazzy reports that just gather dust on the client’s shelf. 3. Types of clients we serve Commercial Advantage’s client base is comprised of prestigious consumer goods companies such as Coca-Cola, Kimberley-Clark, Nestlé, Diageo, Energizer Wilkinson Sword, Unilever. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months MBA campus recruiting Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because …Commercial Advantage’s truly unique approach to consulting attracts fun, down-to-earth, intelligent people. The hands-on culture empowers consultants to help out on anything to do with building the company from within. This non-hierarchical environment fosters an atmosphere in which people work together to solve big, real business problems and assuming client deliverables are met, consultants are also largely in control of their work–life balance. As Commercial Advantage works with large, global, blue-chip consumer goods companies, consultants are exposed to a variety of work which means there is always a new challenge. In addition, the flat structure and small teams allow for good relationships with senior management and more than enough interaction with clients. CommeRCiAL AdVAnTAge ConsuLTing 6. 7. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm Why join Commercial Advantage? Take a look at http://www.commercialadvantage.com/ careers/index.asp 8. 9. 10. Key contact details career@coadc.com Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Retail/Consumer Goods Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Transformation/Change Management Strategy 13 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Concise About our company Founded in 2001, Concise is a London-based boutique strategy consultancy that specialises in the leisure and retail sectors. We help corporate clients make more money, as well as assisting private equity firms with commercial and operational due diligence. 3. Types of clients we serve We span a diverse mix, from large multi-nationals; small entrepreneurial privately-owned businesses through to large and small private equity firms. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months MBA campus recruiting Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because You’re likely to have joined a large consultancy straight from a good university and having received a solid grounding in consulting, you are finding a large corporate consultancy a bit too restrictive, cumbersome or monotonous. We offer a truly dynamic environment where you will be given direct ownership of clients much quicker than larger consultancies can offer as well as a young, informal environment. 6. 7. 8. 9. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm www.concise-consultants.co.uk Key contact details info@concise-consultants.co.uk Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Retail/Consumer Goods 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Transformation/Change Management Project/Programme Management Strategy ConCise 11. Awards won in the last 2 years We don’t go in for these sort of nonsense awards. 13 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Consulting Stream Ltd About our company Consulting Stream is an independent management and technology consultancy. We advise organisations on how to successfully manage complex technology-based programmes and are experienced in delivering tailored IT consulting services. We assist with programme design and management, supplier management and methods for ensuring programme benefits are fully realised. We are passionate about delivering value for our clients and are able to deploy teams with the right blend of skills and experience to each assignment. We offer accomplished consultants, with practical experience within the public and private sector. Headquartered in Central London, Consulting Stream provides consulting services across the UK and has conducted assignments around the world. 3. Types of clients we serve Many central government and blue chip corporate clients have drawn upon our expertise and experience to support the design and delivery of their major programmes. We are trusted advisors to the Transport, Telecoms, Public and Financial Services sectors. We have built an enviable client base and much of our new business comes as a result of referrals from our existing clients. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because they see an opportunity for responsibility and development, which allows the individual to make an impact within consultancy. 6. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm www.consultingstream.com/careers.asp Key contact details Consulting Stream Ltd, First Floor Elizabeth House, 39 York Road, London SE1 7NQ; Tel: 020 7593 0400; careers@consultingstream.com ConsuLTing sTReAm LTd 7. 8. 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Public Sector Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Transformation/Change Management IT Consulting Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Technology 13 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Convergys EMEA Ltd About our company At Convergys, we’re a global leader in relationship management. We deliver a broad range of customer and HR solutions, backed by technology, business analytics and consulting services that help create valuable relationships between our clients, their customers and their employees. Convergys is uniquely and exclusively focused on helping our clients make smarter decisions about enhancing their relationships with customers and employees to improve business performance. We help our clients recruit, service and retain customers and employees using innovative technologies that increase efficiencies, satisfaction, loyalty and workforce effectiveness – while decreasing costs. This approach has made us a global leader for 25 years. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Convergys employs nearly 75,000 employees who serve clients in over 70 countries, speaking more than 35 languages, from 79 sites across the globe. Convergys has been named a Fortune Most Admired company for seven consecutive years, and more than half of the top 50 Fortune 500 companies are Convergys clients. 3. Types of clients we serve We serve the following industries: Communications, Financial Services, Government, Health Care, Manufacturing, Retail, Technology, Transportation 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months MBA campus recruiting Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because 1. Given the relatively recent establishment of the Consulting practice, there are opportunities for highly motivated individuals to play a pivotal role in the shape and growth of the organisation moving forwards. 2. We have developed an enviable track record, driven by our ability to Outthink and Outdo our competition. 3. We expect candidates to demonstrate their value towards continuing this success. ConVeRgys emeA LTd 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) Cambourne, Cambridge Weblinks with career details of our firm www.convergys.com Key contact details Convergys EMEA Ltd, 1020 Cambourne Business Park, Cambourne, Cambridge CB23 6DN; Email: recruitment.emea@convergys.com 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment 139 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management HR Consulting Outsourcing Technology 11. Awards won in the last 2 years 2006: • Excellence in Learning Silver and Bronze Awards – Brandon Hall • Top 20 Company in Learning Outsourcing – TrainingOutsourcing.com • America’s Most Admired Companies – Fortune • Lifetime Achievement Award – Customer Interaction Solutions • Outsourcing Services’ Service Leaders Award – CRM Magazine • Best Overall Company Excellence Award – TeleStrategies’ Billing and OSS World • Product Differntiation Innovation Award in the Billing Software Market – Frost & Sullivan 2007: • InformationWeek 500 • KLD Domini 400 Social Index • 20 Most Influential Training Professionals Award – TrainingOutsourcing.com • Outsourcing Services’ Service Leaders Award – CRM Magazine • America’s Most Admired Companies – Fortune 140 ConVeRgys emeA LTd THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm CPC Ltd About our company CPC is an established Project Management and Business Consulting company operating from a head office in London and regional offices in Cardiff, Glasgow and Manchester. We offer our clients innovative, pragmatic and comprehensive solutions that meet their business needs and properly address the interests of all stakeholders – a ‘one-stop-shop’ for advice, guidance and delivery. Capital Project Consultancy Ltd is a private independent company with the board members being the shareholders. 3. Types of clients we serve Our client base is comprised predominantly of public sector organisations – typically local government and local authorities. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … they are excited by the opportunites to work on the various projects we offer and are impressed by the calibre and culture of the people that work at CPC. 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) London, Cardiff, Glasgow, Manchester Weblinks with career details of our firm www.cpcltd.com; www.cpccareers.com Key contact details CPC Ltd, Fountain House, 130 Fenchurch Street, London, EC3M 5DJ; Tel: 020 7015 8500 Contact: Siobhan Delany; email:siobhan.delany@cpcltd.com 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Transportation 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management IT Consulting Project/Programme Management Strategy 141 CPC LTd THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Crelos About our company Crelos is a people change consultancy that works with leaders whose aim is to differentiate their businesses through people and to make a difference to hard business metrics and processes – positioning, differentiation, performance and change. We make this differentiation a reality, by blending business nous and precision business psychology: focusing on the precise behaviours of people that are needed to bring about the desired change. Our consulting model is well-researched and proven but our practical use of it means that we are constantly refining our application of it to new client challenges. Our clients see us as delivering highly valuable, workable, insightful solutions that are coupled with a refreshingly unstuffy approach. Crelos is the new name for the consulting arm of Getfeedback – Getfeedback continues to support our consulting work as well as working directly with clients by delivering online tests and surveys from a range of providers through our own world-class assessment system. We’re based in Henley with approximately 30 permanent staff – and a further 50 Associate staff. We’re growing rapidly – but only when we get the right people to join us. We know that our mix of permanent and associate team enables us to both deploy rapidly the right blend of project team for an assignment and to provide opportunities for exchange and transfer of knowledge across the consulting team. 3. Types of clients we serve Our client base spans both private and public sector including O2, HSBC, Carillion and RWE npower. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because People who work at Crelos all have similar reasons for choosing us as their next career move. Firstly, they want to be part of an entrepreneurial and rapidly growing consultancy and have the opportunity to create and implement innovative solutions in an exciting market. Secondly, they are impressed by our culture – the work–life balance our consultants all have, the informal relaxed work environment and our straight talking approach. And finally, they know that in a rapidly growing organisation they will get development opportunities that will take years to build up elsewhere. Locations of our UK office(s) Henley-on-Thames Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.crelos.com Key contact details Telephone: 01491 845535. Crelos, Chiltern House, 45 Station Road, Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire, RG9 1AT. For career opportunities email talent@crelos.com Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Built Environment Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Transformation/Change Management HR Consulting 4. 5. 6. CReLos 7. 8. 9. 10. 142 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Crimson & Co About our company Founded in 2003, Crimson & Co is a fast-growing supply chain consultancy with an excellent reputation for developing and implementing end-to-end solutions wherever our clients need us throughout the world. We exploit our deep supply chain process understanding to focus on performance improvement and cost reduction, generating tangible and sustainable benefits for clients in a pragmatic and cost-effective way. We have a team of full-time employees, rather than a loose network of associates, giving us total control over quality, a unified purpose and significant benefit for our clients. This team is highly skilled, having had successful careers within blue chip organisations and the major consultancies, and includes specialists in physical logistics, order management, manufacturing operations, purchasing, supplier management, planning, supply chain strategy and business appraisal, amongst others. The Crimson & Co culture is unique, and is often remarked upon – we work well together as a team, and we work well with our clients, providing new ideas, robust solutions and constructive challenge in an approachable way. 3. Types of clients we serve Our clients are typically FTSE 100 organisations and other major global businesses. Our client base is referenced on the company’s website; please check for recent updates 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months MBA campus recruiting Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because they seek the challenge and recognition of working for a highly regarded, fast growing, specialist supply chain organisation with a unique culture. What really sets us apart is the following: • Our team ethic is strong; • Individuals are encouraged to take responsibility for delivery and are all client-facing from day one; • When interacting with clients, our style and professionalism is unique – they enjoy having us around (clients’ words, not ours!) CRimson & Co 6. Locations of our UK office(s) Staff are based all over UK and we have an Administration centre in Chester. Crimson & Co believes in work–life balance so when not working with clients, staff are not expected to travel to work at our offices 7. 8. Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.crimsonandco.com Key contact details Head office phone number 0870 750 3761. Candidate enquiries should be addressed to careers@crimsonandco.com, or information@crimsonandco.com 143 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Distribution/Logistics Energy & Utilities Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management Project/Programme Management Strategy 144 CRimson & Co THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm CTG (UK) Limited About our company For 40 years, CTG has delivered information technology (IT) services that provide real business value to our customers. Our fully integrated array of IT staffing, application management outsourcing, and industry-focused IT solutions is backed by a time-tested suite of formal methodologies, a proprietary database of best practices, and a wide range of strategic alliances and partnerships. Our international network of offices in North America and Europe is staffed by thousands of business and IT experts committed to helping our clients use IT to achieve their business objectives. CTG has fully integrated our solutions to closely parallel the changing landscape of business today, with services aligned to best serve clients in areas that include: • Staffing: CTG uniquely facilitates IT staffing and resource management by creating custom supply chain models driven by e-business solutions. • Application management outsourcing: CTG’s application management expertise encompasses the management of single or multiple applications, facilities management, and help desk. • Development and integration: our full range of software development services include project management and system enhancement, conversion, upgrade, implementation, testing, and maintenance. • Consulting: CTG consultants perform staffing, outsourcing, or infrastructure assessments and business and IT process analysis. 3. Types of clients we serve CTG in the UK specialises in services that improve the management and delivery of both business and information technology (IT) projects. With consulting expertise that bridges business and technology, CTG is uniquely qualified to help clients realise the maximum benefits in both areas with speed and quality. CTG operates primarily within the health care, telecommunications, retail, life sciences and financial services sectors. Consultants are recruited based on their background and experience in those industries as well as in IT, enabling us to apply and share both business and technical knowledge during each project assignment. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … at CTG we understand that their success is our success. CTG professionals represent CTG to our clients. As a result, we work hard to support our employees by providing the programmes and processes needed to perform their jobs, hone their skills and advance their careers. There are opportunities at CTG for those who want to make a difference. In return, we offer competitive compensation and benefits, state-of-the-art training and education, intensive career coaching, a rewarding work atmosphere and challenging assignments. CTg (uK) LimiTed 6. 7. Locations of our UK office(s) Reading, Berkshire Weblinks with career details of our firm For further information and to search our global careers site, visit http://www.ctg.com/ careers-at-ctg 14 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 8. Key contact details Our address is 11 Beacontree Plaza, Gillette Way, Reading, Berkshire RG2 0BS. Contact email address for careers enquiries is: recruitment.uk@ctg.com or call 0118 9750877 and ask to speak to the Recruitment team. 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Telecoms, Media & Entertainment 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management IT Consulting Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology 14 CTg (uK) LimiTed THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Curzon & Company LLP About our company Curzon & Company helps clients identify, design and implement business improvements faster, more sustainably, with less risk and more financial benefit than they could on their own, or with anyone else. Our approach to delivering results for our clients is profoundly pragmatic and is a partnership between client and consultant. Curzon & Company currently has a team of 50 consultants working with business leaders on the most urgent issues facing them and their organisations. 3. Types of clients we serve Typically FTSE 100 companies including MFI, Anglo American, BSkyB, Homeserve, Bank of Scotland etc… 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because they want to be part of one of the fastest growing Management Consulting firms in the UK which still preserves the entrepreneurial energy, commitment to leadership and passion for quality. Curzon is like joining a family of high calibre people. They stand side by side for respect and support. 6. 7. 8. 9. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm www.curzoncompany.com Key contact details justine.gonshaw@curzoncompany.com Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Distribution/Logistics Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment CuRzon & ComPAny LLP 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Transformation/Change Management Project/Programme Management Strategy 14 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Dascam Consulting Ltd About our company Dascam was founded in 2002 and, despite being a British company, is based in the United Arab Emirates. With offices in Abu Dhabi, the capital, and Dubai, Dascam provides consultancy services in the field of organisational development, training, crisis management, business continuity and safety & security. Dascam employs 110 people, from 10 different nationalities. Many have a UK Armed Forces and Police background. Dascam intends to expand into other Gulf countries in 2008. 3. Types of clients we serve Dascam’s client base is predominantly government based, simply because most sectors (oil & gas, construction, utilities, transportation, etc) are government owned. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … they relish the challenge of delivering top class professional services for a well-run and managed British company in an exciting and rapidly developing part of the world. The fact that all income is tax free, the sun shines and it is one of the most tolerant countries in the Gulf has nothing to do with it! 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) Salisbury, Wiltshire Weblinks with career details of our firm www.dascamconsulting.com Key contact details Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Energy & Utilities Public Sector Transportation dAsCAm ConsuLTing LTd 9. 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management HR Consulting Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy 14 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Defence Strategy & Solutions LLP About our company Defence Strategy & Solutions is a top tier specialist strategic advisory firm, focusing on the provision of policy and strategy advice to clients at the senior-most levels of government and industry, primarily in the areas of Defence and National Security & Resilience. DS&S was founded and is led by a highly experienced Partnership team with backgrounds from the foremost global consulting businesses and the firm’s Advisory Board includes Paddy Ashdown (recently retired UN High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina) and Charles MillerSmith (former Chairman of ICI and Scottish Power). 3. Types of clients we serve DS&S’s client base includes key UK central government departments and agencies, such as The Cabinet Office, Ministry of Defence and Security Services, and the blue-chip commercial organisations that serve them. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because The DS&S environment is dynamic, fast-moving and highly collegiate, with a non-hierarchical structure that accords people roles in engagements based on their skills and experience rather than a level or grade. As a Limited Liability Partnership, DS&S employs an extended Partnership model whereby senior members of the team can join the LLP and participate in the leadership of the firm. All staff participate in the firm’s profit sharing scheme and the levels of compensation we offer reflect the exceptional quality of the talent we seek. DS&S’s consulting team comprises a diverse group of exceptionally talented individuals who bring a broad, but complementary range of technical, analytical and domain expertise. All of our consultants possess: • A strong intellect underpinned by a first class academic track record. • Outstanding strategic, analytical and creative skills, with the capability to develop innovative but highly practicable solutions to complex problems. • A natural empathy with and sensitivity to the culture, ethos and modus operandi of the defence, government and national security and resilience communities. • Exemplary presentation and communication skills. • Gravitas, insight and maturity. An ability to rapidly establish trust and credibility within the client base. • An interest in the ‘bigger picture’ – the geopolitical context in which the defence and national security and resilience communities operate. • A passion for delivering to the highest levels of service, impartiality and ethical behaviour. defenCe sTRATegy & soLuTions LLP 6. 7. Locations of our UK office(s) Farnborough Weblinks with career details of our firm www.defencestrategy.com 149 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 8. Key contact details Tim Underwood, Defence Strategy & Solutions LLP; tim.underwood@defencestrategy.com +44 (0)1252 531670 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Public Sector 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Strategy 10 defenCe sTRATegy & soLuTions LLP THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Dell Corporation Ltd About our company Headquartered in Round Rock, Texas and founded in 1984, over the last 10 years Dell Corporation grew revenue from $12 billion to $61 billion – a remarkable achievement by any count. In fact, in terms of organic growth we stand apart as the fastest-growing technology company in history. Dell Corporation now has approximately 89,000 employees worldwide, the Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific with manufacturing facilities in the United States, Brazil, China, Malaysia, India, Ireland and Poland. At Dell we work with our customers to simplify the management, deployment and support of their IT infrastructures so they can put more focus on expanding their business. Our comprehensive portfolio of IT management services helps customers to lower annual service costs and enhance performance without sacrificing control. We focus on IT simplification – where organisations struggle with IT complexity, Dell is forging a new path to simplify IT by building a low-touch uniform infrastructure spanning the desktop to the data centre. Dell IT simplification helps reduce the cost and complexity of maintaining systems, enabling organisations to reclaim the time, money and personnel needed to drive true innovation into daily business processes. Dell Infrastructure Consulting focuses on IT simplification and utilises innovative tools, automated analysis and our own intellectual property to give customers insight into what is driving IT complexity. We can deliver a set of practical executable plans for simplifying IT infrastructure, helping reduce operating costs while freeing up resources for new business initiatives. We seek better answers than traditional service models, based on our belief that consulting should not need armies of people. Our Consulting Methodology is based on intellectual property and reference architecture developed through proof of concept testing in our solution centres, expanded with field-experience through supporting many customer implementations. We take advantage of innovative tools and automated analysis to avoid labour or time intensive consulting engagements and can deliver rapid results. We offer end-to-end solutions to provide a single source and point of contact for hardware, software, service and on-going support. In a time when many providers aspire to do everything, we focus on IT Infrastructure services excellence. Infrastructure Consulting from Dell can help our customers maximise the value of their information technology investments and create an efficient, effective and scalable IT infrastructure. deLL CoRPoRATion LTd 3. Types of clients we serve Every Fortune 100 company does business with Dell. Corporations large and small, as well as public institutions, partner with Dell. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting 11 BRING YOUR INTO PLAY TALENTS Driven. Ambitious. Eager to work with the best. That’s how we achieve success at Dell. And they are the same qualities we look for in our people. If you’re good, joining our £multi-billion business here in Bracknell will ensure you get even better. You want to build on your experience gained across large-scale projects and you want your strong communication, advanced planning and solid organisational skills to shape your success. We hear what you’re saying and will give you everything you need to succeed. As well as, of course, industry leading benefits and rewards. TO HEAR MORE, VISIT DELL.CO.UK/Careers THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because At the heart of Dell is a mobile, driven culture that continuously strives for improvement. Motivated by our team and fuelled by the success around us, we’re always encouraging each other to develop better solutions and reach higher goals. • Diversity at Dell – At Dell, Diversity is characterised by both similarities and differences … those things that bind us together into one workforce and flexibility around individual uniqueness. At Dell, we attract and retain the best talent from a range of diverse backgrounds. Dell is known as a company that thrives on bringing diverse thinking to business issues, we respect the individual needs of our workforce. We were recently voted in the top 50 organisations where women want to work in a poll run by The Times in the UK. This is just one example of Dell’s ongoing commitment to driving the Diversity agenda in our workplace. • Direct relationships – Our environment and ultimate success are founded on candid, twoway communication. Global team member surveys, such as Tell Dell, help extend our business philosophy into all we do. Empowerment; Making decisions; Creating your own success; Driving your future and ours. Join the Dell team and enjoy the latitude to explore every possibility in reaching your goals. 6. 7. 8. 9. Locations of our UK office(s) Bracknell, Glasgow, Edinburgh Weblinks with career details of our firm www.canyousimplify.com; www.dell.com/simplifyit; www.dell.com/careers Key contact details Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Distribution/Logistics Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation deLL CoRPoRATion LTd 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in IT Consulting Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Technology 11. Awards won in the last 2 years Dell is committed to service excellence and in October 2007 the SSPA (Service and Support Professionals Association) awarded Dell, Inc with Service Excellence in Mission Critical Support, Hardware. Honorees in this category provide technical support in mission-critical environments where ‘system up-time’ is imperative, typically for enterprise customers. Technical support from these support organisations is a critical part of keeping customers ‘up and running’ 24/7. The winners have demonstrated how their technical support effectively maintains their customers’ mission critical systems in continuous operation. Sunday Times, Top 50 organisations where women want to work. 13 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Deloitte About our company ‘Deloitte’ is the brand under which tens of thousands of dedicated professionals in independent firms throughout the world collaborate to provide audit, consulting, financial advisory, risk management and tax services to selected clients. With 11,000 exceptional people across the UK and Switzerland, Deloitte has the broadest and deepest range of skills of any business advisory organisation, and we have a straightforward goal: to be recognised as the pre-eminent and most trusted professional services firm, famous for the calibre of our people and respected for the exceptional quality of our work. At Deloitte we foster a collaborative culture where talented individuals can produce their best work. We value innovative thinking, diverse insights and we strive to offer an exceptional level of customer service through our expertise and professionalism. 3. Types of clients we serve The Consulting practice at Deloitte has deep expertise and a broad spectrum of service offerings that enable us to provide high value business advice on a range of issues, from strategy through to implementation. Deep industry expertise in a number of key market segments in both the private and public sectors ensures that the advice we provide to clients is tailored to that particular sector’s needs. Our presence throughout the UK via our London and regional office network enables us to support a variety of organisations, from the largest global multinationals or government departments to smaller, local companies and local authorities. Our consultants have valuable expertise in market analysis, organisational design, operational performance improvement, performance measurement, risk management and project and change management, both assisting Governments in improving business performance and shareholder governance. The Deloitte Difference: we are the one organisation whose people understand business issues from every perspective which enables them to deliver more comprehensive solutions for their clients. There are two elements in the way that we do business that help us to stand out from our competitors: 1. The breadth and depth of expertise we bring to each engagement, allowing us to solve even the most complex business challenges. 2. The collaborative way in which we work with clients and with each other, creating solutions with our clients by bringing a multidimensional perspective, global reach and deep understanding of their businesses. Our key service areas are: • Operations; • Strategy; • Human Capital; • Enterprise Applications; • Technology Integration deLoiTTe 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) MBA campus recruiting Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … they are impressed by the outstanding leadership of the practice coupled with the quality and diversity of consulting assignments they will be working on when they join. This is combined with the firm’s commitment to helping employees make the most of opportunities around them and the constant investment in their development in conjunction with our talent agenda around employee well being, diversity, respect and inclusion. 14 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 6. Locations of our UK office(s) Aberdeen, Bath, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Channel Islands, Edinburgh, Gatwick, Glasgow, Isle of Man, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Nottingham, Reading, Southampton, St. Albans 7. Weblinks with career details of our firm http://careers.deloitte.com/experienced.aspx; http://careers.deloitte.com/studentgrad.aspx; http://scholars.deloitte.co.uk/index.cfm 8. Key contact details Stonecutter Court, 1 Stonecutter Street, London EC4A 4TR, UK; Tel: +44 (0)20 7936 3000; Fax: +44 (0)20 7583 1198 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Distribution/Logistics Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management HR Consulting IT Consulting Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology 11. Awards won in the last 2 years deLoiTTe Winners and Finalists at the 2008 Management Consultancies Association (MCA) Management Awards; 2008 Britain’s best business-to-business brand; Sunday Times Top 100 ‘Best Companies to Work For 2008’ (12th place); 38th Place in the ‘Workplace Equality Index’; The Times Top 50 ‘Where Women Want to Work’ award; ‘Professional Services Firm of the Year’ at the BVCA Private Equity Awards; Gold rating in the Business in the Community 2007 Corporate Responsibility Index; second place in The Times Highfliers Graduate Employer of Choice survey 2007 and 2008; ‘Top UK Corporate Career Website’; 2007; 2008 Web Globalization Report card has rated Deloitte.com as the best professional services website for the fifth consecutive year; One of the 50 best green companies (inaugural Sunday Times Green List); 2008 Professional Services Firm of the Year in the prestigious British Venture Capital Association Private Equity Awards. 1 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Detica About our company Detica is the only business and technology consulting company to specialise in helping clients reveal valuable information and actionable intelligence in their data. From our roots in national security, we have developed in-depth experience in financial services, government, media and telecoms – information-intensive industries that benefit from our expertise in turning complex information into relevant intelligence. It is our deep understanding of these industries that helps us see our clients’ needs and issues more clearly and deliver greater business value. By combining industry experience with technological innovation, we have developed a world-class capability in delivering solutions within the areas of security and resilience, fraud containment, risk management and customer management. In these areas we offer a broad range of services from strategy formulation, people and process change to the delivery and support of technology solutions. 3. Types of clients we serve Detica’s clients are major commercial and government organisations in the UK, USA and across mainland Europe. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … they recognise the excellent opportunity to shape their own career, working with likeminded individuals on a range of business-critical projects. 6. 7. 8. 9. Locations of our UK office(s) London, Guildford, Gloucester Weblinks with career details of our firm www.detica.com/careers Key contact details Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Public Sector Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management IT Consulting Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology deTiCA 10. 1 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Diamond Management & Technology Consultants About our company Diamond is a leading management consultancy that advises senior executives at top-tier firms on improving the growth and performance of their businesses, while providing execution support to deliver lasting results. Our distinctiveness lies in our ability to blend strategy, operations and technology in our thinking, and implement change in a complex environment. Our clients expect us to provide objective and independent advice and to deliver solutions that create real value. Founded in 1994, Diamond is headquartered in Chicago, with offices in London, New York, Washington D.C., Hartford and Mumbai. Diamond has 500+ consultants globally, including 40 consultants in the London office. Diamond is publicly traded on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol ‘DTPI’. 3. Types of clients we serve Our global client base comprises blue-chip corporations from a wide variety of industry sectors, including Investment & Corporate Banking, Retail Banking, Private Equity, Payments, Retail & Consumer Goods, Insurance, Healthcare and Public Sector. The UK office has deep expertise in the Financial Services sector. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) MBA campus recruiting Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because Diamond organises in small, multidisciplinary teams giving junior consultants the opportunity for early responsibility, immediate on-site contribution and direct interaction with senior Diamond and client resources. All consultants are able to develop strong fundamental skills and build industry knowledge by working on projects at top levels of client organisations from a world-class client base. We have a strong emphasis on career development, guidance and training, and provide a varied range of training courses held regularly in both London and Chicago for all consultant levels. The quality and calibre of our people are the primary reason our employees enjoy working at Diamond. The UK office has a young, dynamic and collegial culture, with a strong sense of team spirit; colleagues are down-to-earth and supportive. Additionally, the entrepreneurial environment offers consultants the chance to proactively participate in building the UK practice, beyond client work. diAmond mAnAgemenT & TeChnoLogy ConsuLTAnTs 6. 7. Locations of our UK office(s) London (Covent Garden) Weblinks with career details of our firm For more information on graduate recruitment, campus events and to listen to Diamond consultants talk about life at Diamond (downloadable podcasts), please visit www.careers. diamondconsultants.com 8. Key contact details Main contact details: Diamond Management & Technology Consultants, 10th Floor, Orion House, 5 Upper St Martin’s Lane, London WC2H 9EA; Tel: +44 20 7959 7700; Email: ukrecruiting@diamondconsultants.com; www.diamondconsultants.com 1 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management IT Consulting Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology diAmond mAnAgemenT & TeChnoLogy ConsuLTAnTs 1 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Distinct Consulting About our company Distinct is a new breed of Management Consultancy and Outsourcing Provider. We use advanced data modelling techniques to improve operational performance, reduce costs and create growth and manage risk for our clients. We work with our clients in the areas of Customer Value, Enterprise Risk, Sales Performance and Operational Excellence. By taking the broad commercial view, we come up with innovative and effective ways for companies to cut cost, manage risk or reduce time to market. Established in 2005, Distinct has enjoyed double-digit growth quarter-on-quarter and currently employs 40+ specialists in customer, risk and operational re-engineering. Our people are passionate, innovative and committed to business performance improvement. Our reputation is built on professionalism, creativity and expertise. 3. Types of clients we serve Our clients include leading Banking, Insurance, and Healthcare organisations in Ireland and the UK. We measure our results by our clients’ success. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because When candidates choose to join Distinct it is usually because they’ve been impressed by one of three things: 1) the teamwork and collaboration we have engendered within our culture; 2) the genuine emphasis we place on training, mentoring and career development; and 3) the quality of consulting assignments and the exposure to key stakeholders/senior management. 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) Dublin and London Weblinks with career details of our firm www.distinct.ie disTinCT ConsuLTing Key contact details Distinct Business Consulting Ltd, The Academy, Suite 9, Pearse Street, Dublin 2, Ireland Tel: +353 (0)1 672 9025; Fax: +353 (0)1 672 9072 Distinct Business Consulting Ltd, The City Arc, 89 Worship Street, London EC2A 2BF Tel: + 44 (0)20 7392 7373; Fax: + 44 (0)20 7392 2602 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management IT Consulting Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology 19 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm ea Consulting Group About our company Formed in 1998 ea Consulting Group (eacg) is one of the fastest growing Management Consultancies in the UK. Having a dedicated function and market driven company, we design and deliver projects that enable you to achieve your goals. eacg have developed an enviable record in supporting and delivering major business change initiatives and projects with an experienced and dedicated team of consultants. Our people have typically held Senior Management and delivery positions within high-profile Management Consultancies or blue chip corporations. These include KPMG, PWC, IBM, Logica, Unisys, BT Syntegra, Fujitsu, DMR, Parity, Barclays, LloydsTSB, Centrica and Deutsche Bank. Our success is reflected by our exceptional performance. For example, turnover at eacg has grown over 10 fold in the last 3 years and we are now proactively looking to further strengthen our team with bright, capable, commercially astute consultants with a delivery and value focus. 3. Types of clients we serve Our primary market is the financial services sector with additional projects branching into the telecommunications and public service sectors. We work on a simple but solid philosophy, namely great people supporting great change delivery. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because Remuneration matches achievement and performance in a dynamic and team-based environment. 6. 7. Locations of our UK office(s) Twickenham, West London and Canary Wharf, East London Weblinks with career details of our firm To search eacg’s latest permanent and interim vacancies, please see www.eacg.co.uk. Key contact details For all candidate phone queries please contact 020 8898 0734 Please email candidate enquiries to careers@eacg.co.uk West London Office: 2 Oriel Court, The Green, Twickenham TW2 5AG Canary Wharf Office: 6 Cochrane House, Admirals Way, London E14 9UD eA ConsuLTing gRouP 8. 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Public Sector 10 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management HR Consulting IT Consulting Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology 11. Awards won in the last 2 years eacg has achieved two notable awards in 2007. Firstly, we were placed in the Sunday Times top 100 fastest growing companies in the UK. Secondly, we were the fastest growing consultancy in the UK over the previous 3 years. 11 eA ConsuLTing gRouP THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm EC Harris LLP About our company EC Harris is the leading international built asset consultancy generating value for clients, its people and the communities in which it operates. Employing more than 3500 people across 40 wholly owned international offices, the group turnover for 2007/2008 was in excess of £250m. A consultancy chosen by professionals who want to make a difference to their client’s performance, the focus is on delivering positive outcomes through the application of professional excellence for the world’s leading clients. EC Harris is a high performance international firm operating as a single entity to maximise the value of the group’s knowledge and relationships across the globe. Our Management Consultancy division is an essential part of driving our single entity approach, creating and delivering innovative solutions utilising a blend of our services to deliver exceptional outcomes for our clients. 3. Types of clients we serve EC Harris work for the world’s leading clients across a wide range of market sectors and geographical locations, including organisations such as Sama Dubai, Aldar Properties, Shimizu, HSBC Asia, BAA, Tesco, United Utilities and Barclays 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruitment Milkround recruiting (i.e. university graduates) 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because At EC Harris we aspire to be a company chosen by leading professionals who are inspired by our vision, share our values and who want to make a difference to client outcomes, enjoy personnel growth and receive better rewards. Just a few of the reasons why people tell us they join us are: • We provide the opportunity to work with the world’s leading clients on the most prestigious projects in our industry • The opportunity to grow the business and management consultancy team in an exciting period in our evolution • Our expanding geographical reach offers our people the opportunity to travel and to gain invaluable experience of working in different countries • Our structure and personal development system is designed to give real, measurable and objective opportunities to grow eC hARRis LLP 6. Locations of our UK office(s) EC Harris has 40 wholly owned offices worldwide. We are in the UK, Western and Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Asia. 7. 8. Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.echarrisjobs.com/ Key contact details careers@echarris.com 12 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Built asset consulting in sectors such as: Infrastructure – Rail, Aviation, Highways and Water Public – Local Government, Education, Health and Affordable Housing Retail Property Industrial – Oil and Gas 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Transformation Change Management Vision and Strategy Supply Chain Strategy and Management Organisational Design Performance Management Asset Strategy Strategic Research 11. Awards won in the last 2 years Shortlisted for the MCA Operational Improvement award category in 2007 for London & Continental Stations and Property St Pancras Shortlisted together with Lloyds TSB for the Procurement Leaders Award for the Best CrossFunction project in 2008 for the Lloyds TSB Property Capital Sourcing Review 13 eC hARRis LLP THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Edgar, Dunn & Company About our company Edgar, Dunn & Company (EDC) is an independent global financial services and payments consultancy. Founded in 1978, the firm is widely recognised as the world’s pre-eminent experts in the payments industry. From offices in San Francisco, Singapore, Atlanta, London, Sydney and Frankfurt, EDC delivers actionable strategies, measurable results and a unique global perspective for clients in more than 30 countries on six continents. 3. Types of clients we serve Our client base is comprised predominantly of private sector organisations – typically major global corporations, banks, payment processors, vendors who operate in the payments market 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because Our culture is based on teamwork, openness and commitment enabling the delivery of high quality professional services to our clients. Our core values are integrity, trust, superior quality, unique insight and positive results. Our people come from a multinational background and are often multi-lingual in order to support our international assignments. EDC recognise that the ability to work as a team is a key strength; therefore our compensation approach is based on individual and team contribution to the firm and is competitive in the marketplace. 6. 7. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm www.edgardunn.com/careers/ Key contact details First Floor, Candlewick House, 120 Cannon Street, London, EC4N 6AS, England Phone: +44 (0)20 7283 1114; Fax: +44 (0)20 7283 1007 edgAR, dunn & ComPAny 8. 9. 10. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Transformation/Change Management Project/Programme Management Strategy 14 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Edson Consulting About our company Edson Consulting Provides Programme and Project Management delivery and advisory services and SAP based Integration and Design services. Founded in 2003, the company has grown through delivery of SAP programes and services to Retail, Pharmaceutical and Media Companies across the UK and Europe. Our consultants and programme managers typically have 10+ years SAP project experience, Project Management Qualifications (Prince2tm), SAP certified and 5+ project lifecycles. We are best known for our project delivery services and for ‘Providing Certainty of Outcome in IT Projects’ 3. Types of clients we serve Our clients include: Global Pharmaceutical companies, Global and national retailers, Media and e-commerce companies, Service and outsource providers, Large consulting companies 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because When candidates choose to join Edson Consulting it’s usually: to work with some of the best delivery consultants in the industry; to learn from experienced Programme Managers; and to work with our well-known clients on their most prestigious projects. The supportive atmosphere and out-of-work events are also an attraction. 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) Nottingham and Devon Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.edsonconsulting.com/17185.html Key contact details In the first instance candidates should write to Chris Edson at the following address: chris.edson@edsonconsulting.com edson ConsuLTing 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Transformation/Change Management IT Consulting Project/Programme Management Technology 1 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Efficio Limited About our company Founded in 2000 by a group of sourcing experts, Efficio is a results-focused procurement consultancy, with a track record for helping leading organisations to maximise their value from their procurement. We have rapidly established ourselves as a major leading edge competitor with the breadth and diversity to deliver on an international level. Our particular strength is working for complex, fragmented organisations, often on a pan-European or global scale. When companies hire Efficio, they know that significant results will follow and through our collaborative and approachable style we ensure that the changes delivered are sustainable. Established in London, we have an office in Frankfurt and are rapidly developing our business all over Europe. With over 20 nationalities employed, we are able to deploy 70 consultants covering projects in Europe, North-America and the Asia-Pacific regions. 3. Types of clients we serve Efficio works with leading European and global organisations across a range of industries. Many of our clients are major global corporations, blue-chip and predominantly in the private sector. To name a few: Barclays, BP, Cadbury Schweppes, Dixons, DHL, Ford, Gap, Halifax Bank of Scotland, Land Rover, Norwich Union, NXP, Prudential…. We also work closely with private equity organisations, where their portfolios of mergers and acquisitions present significant synergy potential and procurement is a key lever for capturing this. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because When candidates choose to join our firm it is for a number of reasons: 1) the project work that provides the opportunities and visible recognition for rapid career development in an international arena; 2) our great culture where we have a down-to-earth, non-hierarchical and friendly team; 3) working alongside top-tier people with blue-chip backgrounds, ambition and professionalism coupled with ‘can-do’ flexibility; 4) our strong training and mentoring programme. effiCio LimiTed 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm www.efficioconsulting.com Key contact details Efficio Limited, Crusader House, 145–157 St John Street, London EC1V 4QJ; Tel: 020 7553 6900. For candidate enquiries contact: Jayne Pellatt, HR Manager 1 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Distribution/Logistics Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Transformation/Change Management Project/Programme Management Strategy 1 effiCio LimiTed THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Ernst & Young LLP About our company At Ernst & Young we’re committed to helping our people, our clients and our wider communities achieve their potential. It’s how we make a difference. It’s about 130,000 people working together to help each other develop and succeed professionally and personally. It’s about helping our clients deliver on their promises to their markets and stakeholders. And it’s about making a difference in the communities in which we live and work. With 10,477 people across our 21 UK offices, it starts with our people … By having a culture where we can enjoy rewarding and stretching experiences and feel valued and recognised as individuals, we can best deliver collectively on our organisational promise to our clients. 3. Types of clients we serve Our client base is comprised of major multinationals, smaller entrepreneurial, FTSE companies and the financial services sector. We work in the areas of asset management, automotive, banking & capital markets, biotechnology, consumer products, insurance, media & entertainment, mining and metals, oil & gas, pharmaceuticals, power & utilities, real estate, technology and telecommunications. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) MBA campus recruiting Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because We make Ernst & Young an enjoyable place to work. This is reflected in our values, which underpin how we work with colleagues and clients alike. We encourage and support people to take personal responsibility for achieving their own potential and helping other people to achieve theirs. We expect people to be accountable for their own decisions, actions and judgments while encouraging consultation and collaboration with others. We all want to work with bright, committed intelligent individuals who demonstrate integrity and teaming and have the courage to lead. In other words, people who live our values. We seek to recruit the best people in the market and recognise and reward effective teamwork. eRnsT & young LLP 6. Locations of our UK office(s) Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Guernsey, Hull, Inverness, Jersey, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Luton, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Reading, Southhampton 7. 8. Weblinks with career details of our firm www.ey.com/careers Key contact details 1 More London Place, London SE1 2AF; Main telephone: 020 7951 2000. Please ask for a member of the Business Advisory recruitment team. 1 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Distribution/Logistics Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management HR Consulting IT Consulting Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology 11. Awards won in the last 2 years • Ernst & Young was placed among the top five big companies in the highly prestigious Best Companies to Work For Awards, picking up a special prize for training and development. The firm was also one of only two accountancy firms to receive the prestigious 3 star accolade. • For the second year in a row, Ernst & Young was named the Best Accounting Firm at The Hedge Fund Journal industry awards. • Management Consultancies’ Association (MCA) Awards – Best Business Strategy Project • Ernst & Young is regularly recognised as one of the country’s top employers, including recognition from the Sunday Times, The Times and Investors in People, as well as for our approach to Corporate Responsibility through Business in the Community’s CR Index and our approach to Diversity through things like the Stonewall Equality Index. 10 eRnsT & young LLP THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm expw: consulting About our company expw: consulting is an independent business and technology consultancy that delivers business change and systems solutions to a blue-chip client base. Based in central London, expw: services clients across Europe and the Middle East. expw: consulting was founded in 2002 by a number of highly experienced CRM and billing consultants. Since then, the firm has experienced very strong growth and now numbers over 30 client-facing consultants. 3. Types of clients we serve expw: consulting provides expertise in business and technology professional services, including a wide range of Programme and Project Management capabilities across the EMEA region. Spanning telecommunications, media, government, utilities and financial services, expw: consulting has the experience, knowledge and commitment to quality that adds value to our clients’ businesses. Our excellence lies in being able to provide our clients with teams of high calibre consultants who have proven track records of working together as effective teams for our clients. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … they want to work in a young and fast-growing company where their contribution is valued and rewarded. 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.expw.com/careers http://www.expw.com/graduates Key contact details exPW: ConsuLTing 129–131 Great Guildford Business Square, 30 Great Guildford St, London SE1 0HS; t: +44 (0)845 880 6363; e: info@expw.com; w: www.expw.com 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Telecoms, Media & Entertainment 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management IT Consulting Project/Programme Management Technology 11 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Forrester Research Inc About our company Forrester Research, Inc. (Nasdaq: FORR) is an independent research company that provides pragmatic and forward-thinking advice to global leaders in business and technology. Forrester works with professionals in 19 key roles at major companies providing proprietary research, consumer insight, consulting, events, and peer-to-peer executive programmes. For more than 25 years, Forrester has been making IT, marketing, and technology industry leaders successful every day. Forrester focuses on the business implications of technology change. Uniquely, Forrester guides marketing executives, business strategists, and IT professionals to create a unified technology plan that gains business advantage. The company was founded in 1983 by George F. Colony and is headquartered in Boston (Cambridge, Mass., USA). It has been ranked in the top 75 on Forbes’ 200 Best Small Companies list for five consecutive years. For more information, please visit our website: www.forrester.com. 3. Types of clients we serve Forrester’s clients comprise three basic groups: Information Technology (IT, end users), Tech Industry (TI, vendors), and Marketing & Strategy (M&S). The client groups each focus on a number of professional roles: • Information Technology (IT, end users) – Application Development & Program Management; Business Process & Applications; CIO; Enterprise Architecture; Information & Knowledge Management; IT Infrastructure & Operations; Security & Risk; Sourcing & Vendor Management. • Tech Industry (TI, vendors) – Analyst Relations; B2B Market Research; Technology Product Management & Marketing; Vendor Strategy. • Marketing & Strategy (M&S, end users) – Consumer Market Research; Consumer Product Strategy; Customer Experience; Direct Marketing; eBusiness & Channel Strategy; Interactive Marketing; Marketing Leadership. These roles work in many of the largest and most successful commercial banks, pharmaceutical, financial services, IT, retail, telecom, etc. companies in the world. foRResTeR ReseARCh inC 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) MBA campus recruiting Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … they want to work with people who are inspired and inspiring; we welcome and reward intellectual excellence and curiosity and we make business leaders successful every day. 6. 7. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm For more information, please visit our career pages through our website: www.forrester.com 12 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 8. 9. Key contact details London office Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Strategy Technology 11. Awards won in the last 2 years • Forrester has been ranked in the top 75 on Forbes’ 200 Best Small Companies list for five consecutive years. • Forrester was recently named ‘#1 Analyst Firm of the Year’ globally, by the Institute of Industry Analyst Relations. • In 2007, Forrester was ranked in the top 100 on Fortune’s Small Business list. 13 foRResTeR ReseARCh inC THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Gartner About our company Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT) is the world’s leading information technology research and advisory company. We deliver the technology-related insight necessary for our clients to make the right decisions, every day. From CIOs and senior IT leaders in corporations and government agencies, to business leaders in high-tech and telecom enterprises and professional services firms, to technology investors, we are the indispensable partner to 60,000 clients in 10,000 distinct organisations. Founded in 1979, Gartner is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, USA, and has 4,000 associates, including 1,200 research analysts and consultants in 75 countries. 3. Types of clients we serve Gartner’s Consulting practice is the leading independent consultancy in the business of IT. Clients include over 80% of Fortune 500 with strategic advisory services to business unit CEOs and the group CIO. Gartner Consulting provides ongoing strategic consulting services for the central IT-organisation. We have assessed and advised the top 5 IT-related investment programmes. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months MBA campus recruiting Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually based on one of the following reasons: 1. The attraction of working for the world’s leading IT Research and Advisory firm; 2. The opportunity to work within major blue-chip corporations, at a senior level, on high level strategic engagements; 3. To work within a professional, intelligent organisation with the support of the world’s leading IT Analysts and Researchers; 4. The set progression of career development within our business units is renowned. 6. 7. 8. 9. Locations of our UK office(s) Surrey, Manchester, Edinburgh, Ireland Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.gartner.com/it/about/careers/index.html; www.gartner.com Key contact details EMEA Headquarters: Tamesis The Glanty, Egham, Surrey TW20 9AW Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Telecoms, Media & Entertainment 14 gARTneR THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management IT Consulting Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology 11. Awards won in the last 2 years 1. Gartner Netherlands a Great Place to Work® Award for third year running; 2. Gartner Consulting has been consistently ranked in the top 3 consulting firms by Computable ICT Services Guide (ranked #1 in 2006 and #3 in 2007). 1 gARTneR THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Hardiman Telecommunications About our company Hardiman Telecommunications Ltd is a boutique consultancy specialising in strategy development and in quantitative analysis of businesses and of business opportunities in the telecommunications, broadcast, media, technology and systems industries. We have three principal client bases. These are, respectively, in the Financial sector, the Telecommunications/Technology sectors, and the Legal sector. Our staff profile features business, engineering and financial professionals who have held senior commercial, technical, financial and operations responsibilities in major global telcos, manufacturers and systems houses. All of our staff have held Profit and Loss accountability at Divisional GM/Executive VP level. Established in 1994, we are active in Western Europe, Central/Eastern Europe, the Levant, the Gulf, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. 3. Types of clients we serve Our business is about identifying and maximising business opportunity for our clients. We work at the core of the telecommunications and associated industries in maximising operational effectiveness. We also work at the innovative leading edge in risk assessment, quantification and containment. In Western Europe, in Central/Eastern Europe and in Asia Pacific, our focus is on strategic investment and on financial investment, and, relatedly, on performance optimisation. Our skills are called upon in supporting Mergers & Acquisitions, Restructurings, Re-capitalisations and post-acquisition Performance Enhancement. We provide expertise across the continuum from corporate finance through valuation, operational audit, assessment of market potential, competitive analysis, and consulting engineering. In the Levant, the Gulf, the Middle East and Africa, our focus is on M&A, on international diversification strategies and on market entry strategies. Accordingly as deregulation has gathered momentum, our skills have been called upon in identifying and prioritising licensing and acquisition opportunities and in developing corresponding market entry and market share retention strategies. hARdimAn TeLeCommuniCATions 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because They have a strong multi-discipline track record (Commercial, Technology, Finance) and are looking for opportunity to combine their hands-on industry expertise with strategic level operational and investment roles. 6. 7. 8. 9. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm www.telecoms.net Key contact details Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Telecoms, Media & Entertainment 1 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology 1 hARdimAn TeLeCommuniCATions THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Harold Whitehead & Partners Limited About our company Founded in 1929, Harold Whitehead & Partners is the longest established, independent, professional management consulting firm in the UK. Our small team of management consultants, based in Windsor, are all highly experienced and share the common goal of always delivering client satisfaction. Our assignments focus on improving the effectiveness of our clients’ operations and our approach combines evaluation, analysis and diagnosis, with experience of implementing major organisational change. Implementation is a key element. We provide practical solutions, transforming potential benefits into real returns. 3. Types of clients we serve Our clients are predominantly mid-market, private sector organisations in a variety of industries but with a focus on consumer and packaged goods. Some are household names; others are less well known. All are committed to making improvements in their business operations. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … they have been attracted by both our informality and the opportunities a small firm offers to take on responsibility and really make a difference. 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) Windsor Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.hwp.co.uk Key contact details Harold Whitehead & Partners Limited, St Stephen’s House, Arthur Road, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 1RU; Tel: 01753 853336; Email: jmaddox@hwp.co.uk hARoLd WhiTeheAd & PARTneRs LimiTed 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Distribution/Logistics Retail/Consumer Goods 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Project/Programme Management Strategy 1 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Hay Group About our company Hay Group is a global management consulting firm that works with leaders to transform strategy into reality. We develop talent, organise people to be more effective and motivate them to perform at their best. Our focus is on making change happen and helping people and organisations realise their potential. We have over 2500 employees working in 86 offices in 47 countries. For more information please contact your local office through www.haygroup.co.uk. 3. Types of clients we serve In the UK alone, Hay Group works with over 2,000 clients. These include over 70 of the FTSE 100 companies and most large public sector organisations. They deal in all areas of the economy and their industry knowledge spans central and local government, chemical, energy, financial services, fmcg, health, manufacturing, media, pharmaceutical, retail, telecoms and utilities. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … they are engaged by the quality, depth and rigour of our approach and because they share our desire to help organisations work. They are also attracted by the autonomy and flexibility possible within our culture. 6. 7. 8. 9. Locations of our UK office(s) London, Windsor, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.haygroup.com/uk/careers/ Key contact details Hay Group, 33 Grosvenor Place, London SW1X 7HG; T: 020 7856 7000 Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation hAy gRouP 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management HR Consulting Project/Programme Management Strategy 11. Awards won in the last 2 years Runners-up in MCA consulting industry awards. 19 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm HDA About our company HDA has delivered world class human capital consultancy services across all sectors for over 25 years. We have eight offices throughout the UK and we are a member of CareerNet International (CNI), a network comprising leading management consultancies throughout Europe, North America, South America, Asia and Australasia; with world-class capability in outplacement, re-deployment and career consultancy. We deliver a broad range of human capital consultancy projects and services including consultancy in: a) Talent Management, Executive Coaching and Engagement (focus on people key to organisations); and b) Career Transition/Outplacement (focus on people leaving organisations). Types of clients we serve We are a quality accredited human capital consultancy, consulting to world class organisations including many of the largest and most successful organisations in the world, as well as to the public sector and SMEs. We work across the UK, and internationally, and develop long-term relationships with the organisations with which we work. Organisations work with us because of our blended offering, our established international network, our client relationship flexibility and our uncompromising outcomes-focused approach to everything we do. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because The team camaraderie we have engendered within the practice and the quality of consulting assignments that they see they will be staffed on when they join us 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) London, Bournemouth, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Manchester, Leeds, Swindon Weblinks with career details of our firm www.hda.co.uk; http://www.hda.co.uk/corporate/hda-overview/hda-vacancies.asp Key contact details London – Head Office: Golden Cross House, 8 Duncannon Street, London WC2N 4JF; Phone: +44 (0)20 7484 5065; Fax: +44 (0)20 7484 5100; llb@hda.co.uk – Luke Bennett, Senior Accounts Manager 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Distribution/Logistics Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation hdA 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Transformation/Change Management HR Consulting Outsourcing 10 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Mouchel Management Consulting Ltd (incorporating Hedra) About our company Mouchel Management Consulting Ltd is a consulting, solutions and managed services business and part of the Mouchel Group. Mouchel Management Consulting recently doubled the size of its business through the acquisition of public services specialists, Hedra plc. We are the largest consultancy working primarily for public services organisations and suppliers to the public services market. Our distinctive capabilities support the successful implementation and operation of technology, increase organisational effectiveness and help reduce costs. The Mouchel Group was established in 2003 as the result of a merger between two successful engineering firms, Mouchel and Parkman and currently has 11,608 staff. Each had a trading history of more than a century and the company that formed in September 2003 – Mouchel Parkman plc – quickly established itself as a credible force in each of its core markets. Both Mouchel and Parkman flourished during the post-war years; both ventured overseas and both expanded and diversified in the UK. 3. Types of clients we serve Our client base is comprised predominantly of Public Service clients, yet we offer a significant private sector capability. Our clients include central government, local government, education, aerospace, transport, utilities and energy and a wide range of public service agencies. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Graduates Experienced Hire Interns mouCheL mAnAgemenT ConsuLTing LTd (inC hedRA) 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because 1. Our reputation 2. They are impressed with our client credentials 3. Quality of firm (perceived tier on CV) 4. Quality of people working for firm 5. Quality of management (direct + senior) 6. The way we engage with our staff in relation to our core values 7. Mouchel is a Sunday Times Top 250 employer 6. Locations of our UK office(s) Our key offices include two in London – Matthew Parker Street and Holborn, Fleet, West Byfleet, Portsmouth and Edinburgh. The wider Mouchel Group has over 100 offices around the UK. 7. Weblinks with career details of our firm For careers information visit: http://www.mouchel.com/careers/ To search our latest vacancies visit: http://www.mouchel.com/careers/vacancy_search 11 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 8. Key contact details Key Office addresses: Mouchel Management Consulting – a Mouchel Group Company, 4 Matthew Parker Street, London SW1H 9NP; Tel: 020 7227 6800; Email: consult@mouchel.com 3 Waterhouse Square, 138–142 Holborn, London, EC1N 2HG; Tel: 020 7822 7654; Fax: 020 7822 7655 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Energy & Utilities Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Transportation 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Transformation/Change Management Customer Services Corporate Services HR Consulting IT Consulting Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology Commercial Services System Engineering Services 11. Awards won in the last 2 years Sunday Times list of the Top 20 Best Big Companies to Work For mouCheL mAnAgemenT ConsuLTing LTd (inC hedRA) 12 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Hitachi Consulting UK About our company Hitachi Consulting UK is a rapidly growing Business & Technology Consulting Firm, operating in Financial Services, Public Sector and Technology. We have the focus and energy of a small organisation, with the financial backing of a global player. Our strengths lie in Strategy and Organisational Effectiveness, Programme & Change Management, Carbon Management and Strategic Technology. We are a Microsoft Gold Partner, members of the Management Consultancies Association and Catalist accredited. 3. Types of clients we serve Financial Service clients include Lloyds TSB, Barclays, RSA Group and Legal & General. Public Sector Clients include: DWP, Carbon Trust, Metropolitan Police, Research Councils, MOD, Olympics, Home Office. Technology Clients include Microsoft and Mothercare. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because Our recruits tell us that the most significant factor in their decision to join Hitachi Consulting is the quality of people with whom they will work. This is consistent with results from our Employee Satisfaction Survey, which showed the ‘quality of our employees’ and the ‘ability to work on challenging and interesting projects’ as top reasons why they work at Hitachi Consulting. 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) Teddington Weblinks with career details of our firm www.hitachiconsulting.com/careers Key contact details hiTAChi ConsuLTing uK Office address is: Park House, Station Road, Teddington TW11 9AD. Switchboard number is 0870 850 6669. Candidate enquiries can be directed to cholloway@hitachiconsulting.com or 020 8614 4687 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Public Sector Transportation 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management IT Consulting Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology 11. Awards won in the last 2 years Mark Berman one of our consultants was a runner up in the MCA Change Management Consultant of the Year. 13 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Horizon Associates About our company We are a purchasing consultancy that focuses on helping organisations to become more profitable through better purchasing. We also provide training and recruitment to both the public and private sectors. Our fees are very competitive and we guarantee that our fees will never exceed the savings we achieve for you. In practice we target a return of between ten and twenty times our fees. Founded in 1995, we have built a strong practice and our combination of senior practitioners and experience of many leading City-based organisations enables us to offer our clients a wealth of practical experience coupled with the very latest management thinking and techniques. 3. 4. 5. Types of clients we serve Financial Services Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because We have a unique methodology, which achieves significant savings whilst at the same time improving the quality of the goods and services you buy. Our purchasing transformation projects invariably pay for themselves many times over, to the extent that we guarantee our fees will never exceed your savings. 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) UK-wide Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.purchasing-consultants.co.uk/ Key contact details info@horizon-associates.com Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) hoRizon AssoCiATes 9. 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management HR Consulting IT Consulting Outsourcing Project/Programme Management 14 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Hudson & Yorke About our company Hudson & Yorke is a specialist consultancy providing large end-user organisations with Strategy, Sourcing and Governance services in the business-critical area of telecommunications and networks. We are unique in our consulting focus. Our specialist area requires a rich blend of skills in strategy development, sourcing, telecommunications technology and service management. Our experienced team is unmatched in its knowledge of designing and managing complex outsource and managed service agreements. 3. Types of clients we serve Our clients are FTSE 100/Global 500 corporations and public sector organisations with complex national and international network infrastructure. These organisations have high levels of annual expenditure and intricate commercial arrangements. ‘I have been consistently impressed with the methodologies, professionalism, experience and intellectual capital of the Hudson & Yorke team. I would rate them among the best consultants that I have worked with’ – Global Head of IT Sourcing, SABMiller 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because We empower and enrich our people through investment in personal development and continuous learning. Hudson & Yorke provides an intellectually stimulating, caring, and positive environment in which our people can flourish and achieve their personal ambitions and goals. We celebrate and reward high performance and success. We have a vibrant team culture at Hudson & Yorke. We work hard together to deliver an exceptional service to our clients. In our daily work we value and respect each other’s contributions and ideas and we actively encourage individual flair and creativity. As a team, we are innovative, entrepreneurial and positive in our approach. We enjoy what we do and share a passion for our chosen field of expertise. Our team supports each other professionally and personally. We recognise the need to achieve a work–life balance and we support our people with appropriate flexible working arrangements. hudson & yoRKe 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.hudsonyorke.com Key contact details Hudson & Yorke Limited, 31 Southampton Row, London WC1B 5HJ; Tel: UK: 020 3008 5735, International: +44 (0)20 3008 5735; Email: recruitment@hudsonyorke.com 1 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in IT Consulting Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology Hudson & Yorke Hudson & Yorke is a specialist consultancy providing large, end-user organisations with Strategy, Sourcing and Governance services in the business-critical area of telecommunications and networks. Our people are our greatest asset and, therefore, we only recruit the best. As a Hudson & Yorke consultant you will work alongside high-calibre colleagues on a range of groundbreaking and important strategic projects for FTSE 100/Global 500 corporations and large UK public sector organisations. We are always interested to hear from top-calibre individuals with the appropriate skills. If you are excited about the nature of our business, please email recruitment@hudsonyorke.com with your career history. w w w . h u d s o n y or k e . c o m Strategy 1  Sourcing  Governance THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Huntswood About our company Huntswood’s consulting practice was formed in 2004 servicing a diverse range of high profile clients. In the last two years, Huntswood has expanded its breadth of services considerably and is now a broad-based professional services business. It provides regulatory driven consulting and customer services outsourcing to the highly regulated financial services industry. Headquartered in Reading, Huntswood also has offices in London and Strathclyde. The company now employs 300 permanent staff and in addition to this has engaged up to an additional 900 Associate staff members on projects around the UK. Huntswood’s strength is its people and its Board of Directors embody both its mission and commitment to excellence. 3. 4. 5. Types of clients we serve Our client base is made up of the leading retail financial services companies around the UK. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because When candidates choose to join our company it is usually because: • we employ remarkable people who are always professional, pragmatic and honest; • we are innovative, entrepreneurial and challenge conventional wisdom; • we have a 100% delivery record and are 100% referenceable 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) Reading, London and Strathclyde Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.huntswood.com/ConsultingHuntswood.aspx Key contact details Huntswood, Abbey Gardens, Abbey Street, Reading RG1 3BA; Tel: 0870 794 0794, www.huntswood.com, Laura Haycock, Recruitment Manager; lhaycock@huntswood.com; 0118 933 0809 9. 10. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management Outsourcing Project/Programme Management hunTsWood 11. Awards won in the last 2 years David Brownlow, Huntswood CEO, won Best Chief Executive for 2007, sponsored by Deloitte. David Brownlow, Huntswood CEO, named the Ernst & Young Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year 2005/2005. Huntswood ranked 7th in the 2006 Thames Valley Fastest-Growing Companies Survey. Huntswood won Best Outsourcing Provider for 2006 by the Compliance Register. Huntswood ranked 32nd in the 2005/2006 Sunday Times Atlantic Fast Track 100 Companies 1 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm i2a Consulting LLP About our company Founded in 2003, i2a is a consulting company that helps improve business performance. We challenge clients to find solutions to the strategic issues in their business; then support the rapid delivery of these solutions and the necessary change. We typically work in the areas of Strategy Mobilisation, Customer Management and Operations Management. i2a works with leading companies across multiple industry sectors. We provide objective, high quality advice in a flexible and pragmatic way. Our approach brings people together, enables knowledge and skills to be used effectively and follows through to results. 3. Types of clients we serve i2a Consulting works principally with major global corporations and FTSE 100 organisations. The firm has recently broken into the public sector, through a significant local government framework agreement. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because They have ambitions to shape their own destiny and remuneration through their ability to deliver high quality consulting; and because they enjoy the teamwork and sense of fun engendered by a growing firm. 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.i2a.co.uk Key contact details Please contact: Alan Holroyd alan.holroyd@i2a.co.uk; +44 (0)7739 138941; Partner, i2a Consulting, 288 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 4QP i2A ConsuLTing LLP 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Energy & Utilities Telecoms, Media & Entertainment 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management Project/Programme Management Strategy 1 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm IBM About our company At IBM Global Business Services, our expertise ranges across key business issues and deep into 17 industries in virtually every country and every culture worldwide. Our business experience is real. And so are the results we bring to our clients. We’ve helped them unlock value in areas such as HR, sales, marketing, finance, accounting, business strategy, supply chain, logistics and procurement. We’ve shown them new ways to transform their business, their thinking – and their bottom line. What makes IBM work? Undoubtedly, our people. Our human resource is our number one priority, the driver of change that shapes our organisation. In fact, our corporation is our employees. No wonder we care about them. No face is wrong for our frame; we include everyone and exclude no one. 3. 4. Types of clients we serve Our client list includes 675 of the Fortune 1000 companies. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) MBA campus recruiting Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because they want to be a part of some of the most interesting projects on the planet and take on mind-blowing challenges. Plus they want to enjoy a fantastic career, training and educational opportunities. 6. 7. 8. 9. Locations of our UK office(s) IBM has 27 office locations spanning the UK Weblinks with career details of our firm www.ibm.com/employment/uk Key contact details Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Distribution/Logistics Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation 19 ibm STOP START CALLING THEM COMPANIES. CALLING THEM CLIENTS. Think you know a better way of doing things? International Business Machines may not say it all, but IBM does a lot. We’re still leading the world with best-inclass technology, but we’re the world’s largest business consultancy too. With operations in 160+ countries across 17 industries, you will make a real impact – by solving complex business issues for the world’s leading clients, and giving them an advantage in the market. IBM IS NOW HIRING CONSULTANTS. Do you want to stay focused on the big picture? Do you want to experience a variety of assignments? IBM gives its employees the chance to gain expertise in multiple industries and sectors. Start showing what you can do at ibm.com/start/uk START@IBM THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management HR Consulting IT Consulting Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology 11. Awards won in the last 2 years IBM continues to win a range of accolades, including the Times award for ‘Graduate Employer of Choice’ in the Information Technology sector. For details of the extensive awards we have won please see: http://www-05.ibm.com/employment/uk/awards/index.html 191 ibm THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Icebreaker Executive About our company Welcome to Icebreaker Executive Interim Management. Rising costs, skills shortages, and slowing demand will make 2008 a tough year to improve profit and grow revenue. Are you up to the challenge? As leaders in the field of Executive Interim Management we are here to: • lead and support senior management and their teams through change; • develop a management team capable of moving the business forward; • establish a revitalised and leaner business offering; • deliver annualised year 1 returns of 10–20 × ROI; • leave a robust and enduring legacy 3. Types of clients we serve VCs, telecoms, FMCG, finacial services, banking, retail, consulting, automotive, service sector, public sector – looking to make significant changes 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months MBA campus recruiting Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because Our team are attracted to us because: we offer opportunity to use their seasoned executive interim management skills across sectors, and achieve a consistent quality of engagement and consistent top end daily fee, whilst delivering significant value for clients from day 1 6. 7. 8. 9. Locations of our UK office(s) UK based with global coverage Weblinks with career details of our firm www.icebreakerexecutive.com Key contact details interims@icebreakerexecutive.com; clients@icebreakerexecutive.com; 020 7193 5518 Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Distribution/Logistics Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment 192 iCebReAKeR exeCuTiVe THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management HR Consulting IT Consulting Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology 11. 12. Awards won in the last 2 years Runner-up Interim Manager of the Year 2007 Additional comments We collaborate with consulting partners looking for executive interim management support to enhance, embed the legacy and implement their programmes. 193 iCebReAKeR exeCuTiVe THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Ignite Consulting About our company Ignite started trading in 2003 and was the brainchild of Mark Long, a former senior manager at Partners for Change. Soon after its inception, Mark invited the two founders and former owners of Partners for Change, Tim Connolly and Mark Smith, to join him in building the new business. Ignite is an innovation consultancy. It excels in two things: enabling organisations to shape, develop and implement highly innovative solutions to complex business challenges, and embedding innovation capability in organisations. We are based in London and although we currently have less than ten staff, we are building a presence across the UK to meet the needs of our growing client base. 3. Types of clients we serve Our client work is split approximately 50/50 between private and public sectors. Our private sector client base is predominantly FTSE 100 from a range of industries. Our public sector work encompasses health, education and local authorities. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … they relate to our brand values (bold, liberating, inspirational) and share our vision and passion for making a real and lasting difference to the clients with whom we work. 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm Find out more at www.ignite.org.uk Key contact details Ignite Consulting Ltd, 18 New Concordia Wharf, Mill Street, London SE1 2BB; Tel: 020 7237 9975; email info@ignite.org.uk igniTe ConsuLTing 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Transformation/Change Management 194 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm InterConnect Communications Ltd About our company InterConnect Communications is a small but well-respected consultancy specialising in communications sector policy and associated regulatory frameworks. Since our formation in 1984, we have assisted various countries in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa to introduce telecommunications sector reform, establish independent regulatory authorities and develop fair and transparent regulatory processes together with supporting legislation. We have also assisted many communications companies establish and maintain competitive advantage within their marketplaces. Our key service areas include access and interconnection, licensing and authorisation, numbering, spectrum management, next generation networks and ICT development. In addition to our consulting services, InterConnect also organises the highly successful TRMC Master Classes for telecommunications professionals. 3. Types of clients we serve Our client base is extensive and features national governments, telecommunications regulators and radio spectrum authorities, international funding institutions, telecommunications network operators and service providers, regional development authorities, and other providers of professional services. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … they value the opportunity to work within a small but influential team, participating in a variety of consulting assignments that make a significant contribution to the onward development of the global ICT market. 6. 7. Locations of our UK office(s) Chepstow Weblinks with career details of our firm To learn about current opportunities with InterConnect, please visit http://www.icc-uk.com/vacancies.php inTeRConneCT CommuniCATions LTd 8. Key contact details InterConnect Communications Ltd, Merlin House, Station Road, Chepstow, Monmouthshire NP16 5PB, UK; Telephone: +44 (0)1291 638400; Fax: +44 (0)1291 638401; E-mail: info@icc-uk.com 9. 10. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Strategy Technology 19 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Invensys Process Systems About our company Invensys Process Systems, the world leader in asset performance management, is a business unit of UK-based Invensys plc. Invensys was formed in 1999 following the merger of Siebe plc and BTR. Other Invensys businesses include: Controls, Eurotherm, Rail Systems, and Wonderware. Invensys plc maintains administrative offices in London. Its stock is listed on the London exchange. Headquartered in Foxboro, Massachusetts, Invensys Process Systems is a major global supplier of instruments, systems, software, and services for industrial process automation, optimisation, real-time plant intelligence, and asset performance management. For fiscal year 2006/07, Process Systems (including Wonderware) reported sales of approximately US$1.6 billion, or about 30% of Invensys’ total sales from ongoing operations. Primary customer industries include: Refining and Petrochemicals, Upstream Oil & Gas, Pharmaceuticals & Fine Chemicals, and Power & Utilities. Invensys also serves the Pulp & Paper, Food & Beverages, and Mineral Processing industries. Invensys Process Systems brings together well-recognised product brands such as Foxboro, Triconex, SimSci-Esscor, and Avantis – plus world-class services, solutions, and consulting groups – into a single, cohesive global organisation. 3. Types of clients we serve ADIF, Aramco, BASF, Bayer, Bodycote, Bombardier, BP, Chevron, China Light and Power, Corus, CSX, Dacor, EDF, Electrolux, Enodis, ExxonMobil, Fisher & Paykel, Middleby, Network Rail, OCI Chemical, Pilkington, RasGas, Saint Gobain, Schering-Plough, Shell, Sub-Zero/Wolf, Taiwan Power Company, Total, UTAB, Viking, Whirlpool 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) Experienced hire recruiting inVensys PRoCess sysTems 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because Superb working experience and on-the-job training, job security and great people to work with. Most importantly, there are infinite career paths within Invensys, both in the UK and abroad. 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) Crawley, Warrington Weblinks with career details of our firm www.invensys.com Key contact details Candidate enquiries: Sophie Smethurst, Recruiting Specialist – sophie.smethurst@ips.invensys.com 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Energy & Utilities Transportation 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Project/Programme Management Strategy 19 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Inzenka About our company Inzenka is recognised as the number 1 growth and innovation consultancy in the UK. Since being founded less than 4 years ago, it has developed a formidable client list of FTSE 100 (and European equivalent) organisations for whom it has delivered over 100 new strategies and propositions. We are changing the shape of our clients’ markets and the UK growth and innovation landscape. With unprecedented demand for our services, we are growing rapidly and need outstanding people to add to our team. 3. Types of clients we serve Our clients are primarily FTSE 100 size organisations across a number of industries – including energy, telecoms, defence, consumer, postal and pharmaceutical. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because When candidates join Inzenka it is usually because they: a) are passionate about creating and delivering significant growth for clients; b) buy into the Inzenka ethos of challenging and supporting the client in a way that most consultancies are unable to do; c) see the variety, challenge and quality of projects that they will get to be part of; and d) get high levels of responsibility with senior board-level clients. 6. 7. 8. 9. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm www.inzenka.com Key contact details recruitment@inzenka.com; Inzenka, 7 Chalcot Road, London NW1 8LH Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation inzenKA 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Strategy 19 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 11. Additional comments (for candidates) You must have proven experience of building and launching successful products or businesses into the market for major organisations and can clearly demonstrate how you have: • Driven out new customer insights to redefine markets; • Created competitive differentiation; • Developed market leading propositions for growth; • Built compelling business cases; • Pushed investment decisions through at board level with exceptional communication, presentation and influencing skills; • Launched and scaled new business from a number of disciplinary perspectives. Our people have diverse backgrounds. Your track record of creating and delivering revenue from new propositions could come from a variety of sectors such as financial services, telecoms, utilities, retail, FMCG, manufacturing, health, aerospace and defence, technology or business services. 19 inzenKA THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Javelin Group About our company Javelin Group is a leading firm of specialist retail consultants operating across many countries. We provide a full range of consulting services to retailers and retail investors. Our services include retail strategy, retail operations, multi-channel retail and ecommerce, retail technology, retail locations and retail due diligence. Our clients choose us for our specialist expertise across all of the key retail disciplines in each retail channel. Javelin Group was founded in 1998, and our 70-strong team is chaired by Sir Geoffrey Mulcahy. 3. Types of clients we serve Our clients include many large retailers (e.g. Tesco, Marks & Spencer, Carphone Warehouse, B&Q, John Lewis) together with smaller businesses (e.g. Ann Summers, Charles Tywhritt, Selfridges, Harrods, Kurt Geiger) and private equity investors (e.g. Langholm Capital, Cognetas, Terra Firma, Change Capital Partners, Bridgepoint). 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months MBA campus recruiting Experienced hire recruiting Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because When candidates choose to join our firm is usually because of a number of reasons. Here are some of the reasons our recent graduate joiners have given: our meritocratic and entrepreneurial ethos; interesting and challenging work; project variety; responsibility and client exposure from the outset; the opportunity to work across all areas of retail; and a great team environment. 6. 7. Locations of our UK office(s) Central London Weblinks with career details of our firm For details of the Javelin Group Graduate Rotational Programme please visit http://www.javelingroup.com/careers/graduate.html. For information about careers and vacancies at Javelin Group please visit http://www.javelingroup.com/careers/careers.html jAVeLin gRouP 8. Key contact details Contact details for candidates: Helen Timmis, Javelin Group Ltd, 1 New Fetter Lane, London EC4A 1AN; Tel: +44 (0)20 7961 3200; helen.timmis@javelingroup.com 9. 10. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Retail/Consumer Goods Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology 199 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm JRBH Strategy & Management Ltd About our company JRBH Strategy & Management is a boutique strategy consultancy based in St James. We help our clients find and exploit new business opportunities that generate organic growth and work alongside them to deliver it. As well as commercial rigour, we bring fresh ideas and the entrepreneurial spirit to bring new initiatives to life. 3. Types of clients we serve We work across a wide variety of sectors, with a diverse range of clients, from established FTSE 100s to aspiring entrepreneurs. Recent engagements include a product innovation project for a large insurer, an executive development programme for a luxury yacht manufacturer and a corporate strategy project for a major electronics company. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) MBA campus recruiting Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … they want to feel that their contribution is having a direct impact on the growth and development of our organisation. Furthermore, they seek to be part of an exciting and entreprenuerial young business. 6. 7. 8. 9. Locations of our UK office(s) St James, London Weblinks with career details of our firm www.jrbh.co.uk Key contact details Rachael Halstead: rachael.halstead@jrbh.co.uk; 020 7192 8200 Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment jRbh sTRATegy & mAnAgemenT LTd 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Transformation/Change Management Project/Programme Management Strategy 11. Awards won in the last 2 years The Times Young Business Woman of the Year (Jennifer Harris); Management Today: Top 35 women under 35 200 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Kinetik Solutions About our company Kinetik Solutions is best known for its ability to deliver change within an operational context. We work for large ‘blue chip’ clients as well public sector organisations. We deliver the following solutions: • Process Improvement – a structured process for eliminating waste using ‘Lean’ techniques. • Facilitated Workshops – Fast informed decision making; from strategy to continuous improvement. • High Performance Team Creation – via cross-functional team coaching for immediate results. • Systems Implementation – leverage our deep experience of multiple ERP/MRPII rollouts. • Reduce Process Variability – with powerful techniques for data analysis and review. 3. Types of clients we serve Alfred McAlpine, BAA, Barclays Bank, EMI Music, Hertz, Office of National Statistics, Bedford Hospital Trust, Bolton Hospital Trust, Milton Keynes Council, NHS Information Centre 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because 1) They see the development potential in driving large change programmes; 2) They are delighted by the integrity and values of our people; 3) The ability from Day 1 to direct the future shape of the business 6. 7. 8. 9. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm www.kinetik.uk.com Key contact details Contact: bebetter@kinetik.uk.com Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Distribution/Logistics KineTiK soLuTions 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management Project/Programme Management Strategy 201 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Knox D’Arcy Ltd About our company Knox D’Arcy is a UK-based international consultancy that specialises in helping its clients achieve significant bottom-line financial improvements in performance by implementing operational change. Established in 1986, we have grown mainly by referrals and recommendations and now undertake work in North and South America, Southern Africa as well as in the UK and Europe. We recognise that our greatest strength is the quality of our people and operate solely through employees as opposed to sub contractors in order to attract and develop the best people. 3. Types of clients we serve The majority of our clients are large private sector organisations although there is an increasing level of public sector work. Knox D’Arcy consciously does not limit itself to any one industry or sector nor to any one particular specialism. Our ‘product’ is a quantified improvement in profit and therefore our programmes cover many areas depending upon the nature of the industry and the clients’ requirements; this includes sales, procurement, labour productivity, plant utilisation, inventory, organisation & overhead structure and site rationalisation. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because Firstly, they are attracted by the opportunity to be genuinely hands-on in the implementation of major change programmes as opposed to strategy or advisory consulting which is one step removed from the end result. Secondly, the great diversity of programme types which we afford our consultants means that everyone gets exposure across the sectors. As well as keeping things interesting, this also prevents stagnation and leads to the use of best practice from across differing industries. Finally, our consultants enjoy the challenge of working in a very entrepreneurial environment where they are encouraged to never accept that change cannot be succesfully delivered. 6. Locations of our UK office(s) We are internationally headquartered in the Isle of Man. Employees are based all around the UK and their primary place of work is their client’s premises. Knox d’ARCy LTd 7. 8. 9. Weblinks with career details of our firm www.knoxdarcy.com Key contact details See website Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Distribution/Logistics Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management 202 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm kour&kour About our company kour&kour is an independent, innovative strategic brand, marketing and business consulting firm. kour&kour provides services to a wide range of corporations across a number of industries. Operating in Europe and the Middle East, we are passionate about delivering innovative solutions with results. kour&kour collaborates with its clients to help them achieve high performance brands and businesses. Our professionals leverage original creativity, leading-edge thinking and tools to identify new opportunities and drive brand and business process improvements. The result is a brand and a business that is more focused and more valuable. 3. Types of clients we serve kour&kour’s clients are leading global and regional corporations, emerging growth companies, government agencies, and institutions that want to change their brands, businesses, organisations and the world for the better. Our clients have one major issue in common – they face daunting challenges and need to manage ever-deeper and faster change. They need to understand how mega-trends such as globalisation, industry consolidation, and discontinuities in traditional markets and products affect their organisations. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) MBA campus recruiting Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … they want to stand apart and become part of a team focused on creating tangible, lasting value in everything they do. Candidates join us because they are guided by the same simple premise: help clients succeed; help brands and business become more focused and more valuable. 6. 7. 8. 9. Locations of our UK office(s) London, Amman – Jordan Weblinks with career details of our firm For career information see http://www.kourkour.com/htmlsite/careers.asp Key contact details kour&kour, 145–157 St John St, London EC1V 4PY; info@kourkour.com Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Retail/Consumer Goods 203 KouR&KouR THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology 204 KouR&KouR THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm KPMG About our company Entry compiled by Editorial Team KPMG in the UK is a leading provider of professional services including audit, tax, financial and risk advisory and as such do not officially regard themselves as a consulting firm. They have been included in the guide because many readers will doubtless be considering them as a potential employer. During their lifecycles, KPMG supports businesses as they restructure and expand, whether organically or by acquisition. KPMG helps them to become more efficient and provides support as they adapt to demanding regulatory environments. 3. Types of clients we serve KPMG’s services focus on: Corporate Finance, Forensics, Government & Compliance, Performance, Restructuring and Transaction Services. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Please see KPMG website When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because KPMG has a ‘best choice for you’ strategy. By this they mean making KPMG the best choice for their clients and their people. They recognise that the two are intimately linked – in order to be the best choice for clients, they make KPMG the best choice for our employees who are proud to work for the company and their clients and have a rich pool of talent for clients to tap into. 6. 7. 8. 9. Locations of our UK office(s) KPMG has 22 offices across the UK including several London offices Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.kpmg.co.uk/careers/index.cfm Key contact details KPMG Head Office: 8 Salisbury Square, London EC4Y 8BB; Tel: (020) 7311 1000 Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Audit Taxation Risk Advisory 10. 11. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Please see careers section of KPMG website Awards won in the last 2 years Among its several awards, KPMG has, for the third consecutive year, been voted in the top three in the Sunday Times Best Big Companies to work for survey. In addition, they have been awarded Three Stars in the Best Companies 2007 Accreditation, a scheme recognising organisational excellence in the area of employee engagement. 20 KPmg THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Krauthammer Consulting About our company Krauthammer Consulting is the consulting arm of Krauthammer International – Europe’s largest behavioural training company, with over 160 consultants and 24 offices in 16 countries. Krauthammer International was founded in 1971, with Krauthammer Consulting being established in 2002. We help clients to deliver major change programmes to realise sustainable and distinctive improvements of performance and to build a great firm with exceptional people. 3. Types of clients we serve We work with clients of all sizes, helping them to deliver major change programmes, made sustainable through the experience of Krauthammer’s unique behavioural model, proven over 30 years. Recent client list includes Shell, Atlas Copco, Siemens, Delta Lloyd, Total, Oriflame 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because 1) They want to work with the people they meet during the recruitment process – and they can imagine themselves in that team. 2) They are excited by the opportunity to play their part in a business where they can shape the future – we are small enough still that everybody’s voice is heard. 3) They are motivated by the opportunity to work with major companies on high profile projects, where the client really welcomes their presence 6. 7. Locations of our UK office(s) London and nationwide Weblinks with career details of our firm For company information and to apply, visit http://www.krauthammerconsulting.com. For information about Krauthammer, visit http://www.krauthammer.com KRAuThAmmeR ConsuLTing 8. 9. Key contact details Contact for any enquiries: Natasja Warmerdam; Tel: (+31)71 364 3344 Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management 20 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Labovitch Consulting Limited About our company Labovitch specilises in strategic change consulting. Four sectors of work are: Business engagement of brand; Mergers and acquisitions; Private Equity; and Turnaround. Labovitch Consulting is best known for combining both business and ceative/design disciplines. Offices located in Canterbury, England. Company founded in 2004 and has 10 UK staff. 3. Types of clients we serve We have landmark projects in the private sector in Europe and Far East and Central Government in UK. Many clients are FTSE 100. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because 1. They want meaty and strategic projects where they can really make a difference. 2. They love working in both business and creative fields. 3. They are heavyweight change managers. 4. They have eclectic interests and relish other stimulating colleagues 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) Canterbury UK Weblinks with career details of our firm www.labovitch.co.uk Key contact details Main Office address: The Old Oast House, 8 Hackington Road, Tyler Hill, Canterbury CT2 9NF; Tel: + 44 (0)1227 471640; Mob: + 44 (0)7887 758116; email: info@labovitch.co.uk LAboViTCh ConsuLTing LimiTed 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management HR Consulting Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology 20 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Lausanne Consulting Group About our company We define and implement operational change programmes to improve financial and operational results, helping companies achieve sustainable improvements within existing structures and without major capital investments or changes in strategic direction. 3. Types of clients we serve • Aerospace & defence: EADS Airbus, Astrium, Safran, General Dynamics, BAE Systems, VT, MBDA, Doncasters • Airports: LAX, Zurich, Geneva, Basle, Berlin, Gatwick, Orly, Lisbon, Porto • Autos: Renault, Nissan, PSA, Valeo, Woco/Michelin AVS, Salzgitter AG, Draftex, Peguform, MAN, Caterpiller • Basic industries: BP, Total, Royal Dutch Shell, Siemens, Smurfit • Consumer industries: Group BEL, Cadbury, Diageo (Guiness), Kraft Foods, INBEV, Xerox, Campofrio, Nestlé, Masterfoods, Cafinco, Dartel, Josecudrvo • Drugs & healthcare: Smith Kline Beecham, Schering Plough • Energy Utilities Mining: Areva, EDF, Italgen • Financial services: Casa, AXA, Norwich Union, Societe Generale, ING Barings, Banque Populaire, Sofinco, Credit Lyonnais, DSCH, Banorte • IT: Compaq • Media & internet: Prisma Presse, Columbus • Retailing & leisure: Bally Shoes, Co-operative Group, FCI • Telecoms: Bosch Telecom, British Telecom, France Telecom, Telecom Italia, Telefonica • Transport: Swissport, Servisair, Globalia, Globeground, LTE, Lufthansa, Danzas, Exel, ADP, KLM/AIRUK, SNCF 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months MBA campus recruiting Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because 1. International company; 2. Fast growing; 3. Professional development; 4. Diversity in projects where they will be involved; 5. Very oriented in employees’ satisfaction LAusAnne ConsuLTing gRouP 6. 7. 8. 9. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.lausanneconsulting.com/en/ Key contact details consultingcareers@lausanneconsulting.com Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Distribution/Logistics Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management Project/Programme Management 20 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Lex Momentum About our company Lex Momentum is a small consultancy practice (11 consultants) owned by Lex, the UK’s largest vehicle leasing company. Lex has a business turnover in excess of £1bn annually and employs around 1,300 staff in the UK. It is part of Bank of Scotland Corporate (itself part of HBOS plc). The Lex Momentum practice consists of consultants with backgrounds in tax, finance, HR/C&B, and fleet operations. We work with Finance Directors, HR Directors, Procurement Directors and Operations Directors on strategic fleet issues such as cost reduction, policy effectiveness, environmental performance and fleet delivery approaches. Most projects are within the FTSE 300 arena. Our work is a blend of consultancy and professional services advice. 3. Types of clients we serve Private sector with operations in the UK. FTSE 100–FTSE 300 size. Some US and Euro-owned large companies with a major presence in the UK. Major footprint in IT/telecoms, utilities, construction and support services. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … they’ve been impressed with our vision, value proposition and huge market and long-term senior relationships we have at our disposal via Lex. 6. 7. 8. 9. Locations of our UK office(s) Amersham and Manchester Weblinks with career details of our firm n/a Key contact details paul.roberts@lex.co.uk Lex momenTum Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Distribution/Logistics Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in As in 3. above. 209 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm LOC Consulting About our company At LOC we pride ourselves on providing independent, skilled and experienced delivery capability for our clients across the public and private sectors. We take an intuitive approach when working with our clients to engender a delivery culture and a focus on business priorities. Whether delivering business-wide change, implementing a complex service or product against a tight budget and timescale, or reviewing an underperforming change programme, LOC can provide tangible difference. Our programme management expertise lies in our ability to de-risk complex change programmes and focus on outcomes whilst working in partnership. Our independence allows us to provide robust advice when required, using our experience to navigate programmes through challenging phases and difficult decisions through to successful completion. We are a London-based organisation, with 40 deployed consultants and associates in the UK and Channel Islands. 3. Types of clients we serve Our client base is comprised predominantly of private sector organisations – typically FTSE 100 companies. However we are equally comfortable working with more niche clients 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … They have in common three key attributes: 1) share our enthusiasm both for delivering client success and shaping & developing the firm; 2) embrace our values of trust, innovation, integrity, empowerment, and delivery excellence; 3) understand motivation and drive are essential traits of every LOC consultant. 6. 7. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.locconsulting.co.uk Key contact details Please contact Penny Stanley; email: Penny.stanley@locconsulting.co.uk; Tel: 020 7556 1058; LOC Consulting, Blackwell House, Guildhall Yard, London EC2V 5AE LoC ConsuLTing 8. 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement IT Consulting Project/Programme Management Technology 210 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Logica Consulting About our company Logica is a leading IT and business services company, employing 39,000 people across 36 countries. It provides business consulting, systems integration, and IT and business process outsourcing services. Logica works closely with its customers to release their potential – enabling change that increases their efficiency, accelerates growth and manages risk. It applies its deep industry knowledge, technical excellence and global delivery expertise to help its customers build leadership positions in their markets. Logica is listed on both the London Stock Exchange and Euronext (Amsterdam) (LSE: LOG; Euronext: LOG). More information is available at www.logica.com. 3. Types of clients we serve Our global client base comprises both public and private sector organisations of varying sizes. Key markets include; Financial Services, Telecoms & Media, Energy & Utilities, Industry Distribution & Transport and Public Sector. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months MBA campus recruiting Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because As Logica, we are one of the leading IT and business services suppliers in Europe, with a distinctive brand that sets us apart from the competition. We are known for our great local strengths, our reliable global delivery and for our deep industry knowledge. Logica staff are encouraged to be committed, innovative and open to our customers, to Logica and as individuals. This is a very exciting time to join Logica, with a recently-appointed Chief Executive who is taking the business forward dynamically. 6. Locations of our UK office(s) Larger UK offices are located in London, Leatherhead, Reading, South Wales, Birmingham, Nottingham, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Other Offices are located in major European cities. LogiCA ConsuLTing 7. 8. Weblinks with career details of our firm www.logica.com Key contact details Recruitment Team, Stephenson House, 75 Hampstead Road, London NW1 2PL, UK. Tel: +44 (0)20 7637 9111 211 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Distribution/Logistics Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management HR Consulting IT Consulting Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Technology 11. Awards won in the last 2 years Various awards won, consulting specific include MCA awards. 212 LogiCA ConsuLTing THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm LWS Communications Limited About our company LWS are a full service business and technology consulting company dealing with Enterprise, SMB and Government sectors. LWS deliver best in class transformational change, Business process improvement, outsourcing and delivery of major business and technology programmes and projects on behalf of clients, from strategy and inception through operational delivery and hand over. LWS work with clients in technology, business banking and Finance and Public sector. LWS – Leading in technology 3. Types of clients we serve FTSE 500 CLIENT, technology, commerce, support services, Government Depts, Networks and Application service providers, Banks, Private equity, Venture capital, Utility clients, Professional services, accounting, legal, consulting partners 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months MBA campus recruiting Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because LWS own the delinery of projects from end to end and create a genuine sense of delivering value and contribution to clients. We implement, not just consult. 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) Manchester Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.lwscomms.com Key contact details 11 Gawsworth Holmes Chapel Cheshire, CW4 7EP lee.slaughter@lwscomms.com; enquiries@lwscomms.com LWs CommuniCATions LimiTed 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Public Sector Telecoms, Media & Entertainment 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management IT Consulting Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology 213 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm McKinsey & Company About our company Entry compiled by Editorial Team McKinsey & Company is a global management consulting firm and arguably the most prestigious brand in the consulting industry. McKinsey helps leaders make distinctive, lasting, and substantial improvements to the performance of their organisations – tackling their most difficult issues and serious challenges. McKinsey provides an outstanding place to work, with opportunities for growth that are second to none. 3. Types of clients we serve Industry practices: Automotive & Assembly; Chemicals; Consumer Packaged Goods; Electric Power & Natural Gas; Financial Services; High Tech; Media & Entertainment; Metals & Mining; Payor/Provider; Petroleum; Pharmaceuticals & Medical Products; Private Equity; Public Sector; Pulp & Paper/Forest Products; Retail; Social Sector; Telecommunications; Travel Infrastructure Logistics. Functional practices: Business Technology Office; Corporate Finance; Marketing & Sales; Operations; Organisation; Strategy. Special initiatives: Climate Change 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Please see McKinsey and Company website When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because McKinsey & Company go to extraordinary lengths to support the people they hire to succeed. They have a passion for helping the people they work with. If you choose to join, you should share this passion and remain connected and loyal to the firm and its people and share a set of values and a culture of support, caring, trust, respect and interdependence. You should have outstanding capabilities and great potential in four areas viz: (1) Problem solving, (2) Achieving, (3) Personal impact and (4) Leadership. You should be accomplished and wellrounded, with diverse backgrounds and experiences and fun to work with. 6. Locations of our UK office(s) No. 1 Jermyn Street, London SW1Y 4UH 7. 8. 9. Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.mckinsey.com/careers/ Key contact details McKinsey & Company, No. 1 Jermyn Street, London SW1Y 4UH; Tel: 44 (0)20 7839 8040 Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive & Assembly Chemicals Consumer Packaged Goods Electric Power & Natural Gas Financial Services High Tech Media & Entertainment Metals & Mining Payor/Provider 10. As above. Petroleum Pharmaceuticals & Medical Products Private Equity Public Sector Pulp & Paper/Forest Products Retail Social Sector Telecommunications Travel Infrastructure Logistics mCKinsey & ComPAny Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in 214 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm MCP Consulting and Training About our company We enhance the performance of your people, your plant and your processes because we have over 30 years experience of specialising in asset management, maintenance, manufacturing and people development. Our head office is in the West Midlands, UK, with training facilities in Reading, Solihull, Birmingham and Warrington, and an international partnership network across Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia and the USA. We have delivered over 4000 improvement programmes, including our AMIS benchmarking audit worldwide, to blue chip and multi national organisations. Typically, these programmes deliver 200% return on investment. 3. Types of clients we serve Our clients include: Amey, AstraZeneca, BASF, Brisa, Coors, Chiltern Trains, Dairy Crest, Dalkia, Diageo, Eggborough Power, Emcor, Flexsys Robber Chemicals, GlaxoSmithKline, Greencore, Johnson and Johnson, Johnson Controls, Kraft, Northern Foods, Pepsico, Pfizer, Reckit Benckiser, Royal Mail, South Staffordshire Water, Thames Water, Thyssen Krupp and Uno Medical. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … of the diverse nature of the business. From upskilling technicians and operators in a manufacturing organisation to asset care and maintenance stategy in a facilities management company overseas to improving management techniques in a utilties company, our consultants and trainers are also always challenged and motivated. 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) Solihull, with training venues in Birmingham, Reading and Warrington Weblinks with career details of our firm www.mcpeurope.com Key contact details Blythe Valley Innovation Centre, Central Boulevard, Blythe Valley Park, Shirley, Solihull, West Midlands B90 8AJ, UK; Tel: +44 (0)121 506 9032; Email: info@mcpeurope.com; Website: www.mcpeurope.com mCP ConsuLTing And TRAining 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Distribution/Logistics Energy & Utilities Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement 21 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Medley Business Solutions Ltd About our company Medley was formed in 1997 and is based in Guildford, Surrey. We have over 40 permanently employed people. We provide client-side consultancy delivering business change and improvement. We work with our clients as trusted advisers reviewing their business operation, scoping new initiatives, capturing requirements, and defining and delivering effective business solutions and successful change. 3. Types of clients we serve Our client base comprises public and private sector clients based in London and the South East. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … they value: • the work–life balance that we offer; • having a voice in a smaller organisation; • the opportunity to help develop and contribute to our areas of expertise; • being able to work with experienced, friendly people. 6. 7. Locations of our UK office(s) Guildford, Surrey Weblinks with career details of our firm www.medley.co.uk Key contact details Duncan Stokes, Head of Client Operations; Duncan.stokes@medley.co.uk; Tel: 07947 690005 Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation medLey business soLuTions LTd 8. 9. 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management IT Consulting Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology 21 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Methods Consulting Ltd About our company Methods Consulting is a top 20 UK Business and IS consultancy, with an annual turnover in excess of £50 million. Our experience ranges from scoping, managing and implementing complex, major business transformation programmes, to the provision of short-term, strategic studies and technical advice. Our clients value the depth and breadth of our experience, and our flexible straightforward approach to delivery. Whether working through long-term, enterprise-wide partnerships for major organisations, or delivering short strategic reviews or procurement advice, we combine both value and quality in a single approach. Founded in 1990, Methods Consulting is one of the fastest growing consultancies in the UK, having achieved this through building long-term relationships with clients. Group revenues for 2006/7 were in excess of £50 million and our consultants currently manage contracts worth in excess of £10 billion. Our clients come from central and local government, the defence and healthcare sectors, a range of public service agencies, financial services and utilities. We currently have in place over thirty government frameworks (including Catalist, CIPHeR, the DGISS Catalogue and the Scottish Executive) through which we provide consultancy for a wide range of strategic and tactical assignments. 3. Types of clients we serve Methods’ clients are primarily in the public sector and financial services. Methods is included on 30 frameworks. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because Methods is able to offer candidates a friendly, flexible working environment where they will receive every encouragement to develop to their full potential. meThods ConsuLTing LTd 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm www.methods.co.uk Key contact details Methods Consulting, Floor 9, 125 Shaftesbury Avenue, London WC2H 8AD; Tel: 020 7240 1121; info@methods.co.uk 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector 21 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management IT Consulting Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology 11. Awards won in the last 2 years Fast 500 21 meThods ConsuLTing LTd THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm MGH Consulting Limited About our company Established in 1996, MGH Consulting is a privately-owned consultancy specialising in after-sales service and logistics in the High Tech sector (IT, Telecoms, Medical and Printing), working at the forefront of some of the most dynamic and exciting companies, shaping and driving real business improvement. In line with its customers, MGH operates globally. We pride ourselves on delivering real business improvement with a hands-on approach. Our differentiator is not just being able to write the strategic document, but the ability to manage its successful implementation. MGH operates through a large network of direct employees and associates, many of them former members of the leading consultancies. This model allows us to match the engagement requirements, without having the overhead of low utilisation. 3. Types of clients we serve Our client base is predominantly made up of major global corporations from the high technology sector. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because They are people who want the opportunity to take an entrepreneurial approach to their own career and can see that they will be rewarded for their effort and success. They can work closely as a team and wish to drive their career forward within a non-hierarchical structure. We believe that our people have the greatest impact when they understand all of the deliverables of a project, and work best when they understand where we are as a company. 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) Weybridge, Surrey Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.mghconsulting.co.uk/docs/06_current_vacancies.htm Key contact details MGH Consulting Ltd, Suite 5 & 6 The Monument Building, 45–47 Monument Hill, Weybridge, Surrey KT13 8RN; T: +44 (0)1932 823901; E: enquiries@mghconsulting.co.uk mgh ConsuLTing LimiTed 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Distribution/Logistics Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Telecoms, Media & Entertainment 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy 219 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Microsoft Consulting Services About our company Microsoft Consulting Services (MCS) is the consulting arm of Microsoft Corporation. Our Mission is to accelerate the adoption of Microsoft’s latest technology and maximising customers’ productive use of their technology investment. MCS work with enterprise customers on high profile projects. Offerings tend to fall into three main areas: relationship services; emerging technology projects and market moving projects. MCS has approximately 300 technical consultants. These range from Programme and Project Managers to Solution Architects to Consultants with deep technical knowledge of individual technologies e.g. SharePoint, Active Directory. 3. 4. 5. Types of clients we serve Our client base is comprised of private and public sector organisations Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because they have a passion for Microsoft technologies and a strong desire to enable customers to realise the business benefit the technology enables. They also have a strong desire to work with the key experts in the industry around their chosen technology. 6. 7. Locations of our UK office(s) Primarily Thames Valley Park, Reading, but also Manchester, London and Edinburgh Weblinks with career details of our firm To search our latest vacancies visit www.microsoft.com/uk/careers/ Key contact details mcscv@microsoft.com Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Distribution/Logistics Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation miCRosofT ConsuLTing seRViCes 8. 9. 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in IT Consulting Project/Programme Management Technology 11. Awards won in the last 2 years Sunday Times Best Companies to Work For 220 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Moorhouse Consulting About our company Moorhouse Consulting is a young and rapidly growing specialist programme and project management (PPM) advisory services firm. Founded in 2004, we now have over 40 consulting practitioners plus a small practice management function, based in central London. As experts in our field, we work closely with our clients to deliver or assure business transformation through well-organised programme delivery. We bring ‘Big Firm’ consultancy experience combined with the ethos, approach and ‘value for money’ of a small focused team with minimal business overheads. 3. Types of clients we serve Our clients are organisations with responsibility for large, complex programmes. We have extensive experience and expertise in the public sector particularly transport and health. Current clients include: Transport for London, BT, National College for School Leaders, Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Lifelong Learning UK, Department for Transport, Highways Agency, NHS and Severn Trent Water. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because Our staff tell us they joined and stay with us because: ‘What you do here really matters’; ‘Reward is fair and transparent’; ‘You get plenty of responsibility, working with senior clients on fantastic programmes’; ‘You work in teams of like-minded, talented professionals, with an entrepreneurial edge’; ‘You are part of the journey, the culture and the risk-taking’; ‘It’s a fast-track and CV-enhancing career move’ 6. 7. Locations of our UK office(s) We operate from one office in Victoria, London. Weblinks with career details of our firm To find out more or to apply, please go to www.moorhouseconsulting.com/aboutus/Jobs-at-Moorhouse mooRhouse ConsuLTing 8. Key contact details Head of HR – Andrea Gawn at andreagawn@moorhouseconsulting.com or by phone on 020 3004 4481. 9. 10. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Public Sector Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Transformation/Change Management Project/Programme Management 221 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 11. Awards won in the last 2 years • Winners of the London Excellence ‘Management Systems’ Award 2008 • Winners of the ‘Professional Standards’ category and finalists of the ‘Strong client/ consultant relationship’ category at the Institute of Business Consulting Awards 2007 • Phil Carr, Moorhouse Principal, was voted winner of the ‘Practitioner’ category in the Top 10 Outstanding Project Professionals by Project Magazine March 2008 • Finalists of the Association for Project Management ‘Project Management Company of the Year’ and ‘Young Project Manager of the Year’ Awards 2007 and 2008 • Finalists at the Institute of Management Consultancy Awards 2006 for pioneering work and ongoing commitment to raising standards in the management consultancy industry. 12. Additional comments We are particularly interested in hearing from candidates interested in permanent rather than associate positions. 222 mooRhouse ConsuLTing THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Mott MacDonald Ltd About our company Mott MacDonald is a world class, employee-owned, management, engineering and development consultancy serving the public and private sectors worldwide. Mott MacDonald’s business spans 120 countries with 13,000 staff working in all sectors from transport, energy, buildings, water and the environment to health and education, industry and communications. Mott MacDonald’s management consultancy business consists of over 130 staff and seeks to combine the Group culture of professional excellence and envious track record of delivering complex high profile projects to develop practical and pragmatic solutions with its clients. We focus on the sectors of Government, Infrastructure Finance, Defence and Utilities. However, with the extensive expertise of the Mott MacDonald Group behind us, our services and skills span everything from education management, energy and healthcare management to industry, property, telecommunications and transport. We provide a full range of strategic advisory services, from business case development and strategic procurement advice to organisational change, efficiency improvement, strategic asset management, strategic risk management and programme assurance. Our technical expertise in infrastructure finance has made us the market leader in technical advisor and independent certifier/tester services in the UK with a growing business in Europe and indeed worldwide. 3. Types of clients we serve We are currently working with the following organisations: • Public organisations • UK Central Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies; • UK Devolved Government; • UK Local Authorities; • Transport for London Private organisations • Banks and monoline insurers; • Blue chip (retail, technology and contracting) 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because • They have an opportunity to work on a wide variety of high profile projects across sectors, practices and continents. • They identify with our corporate and personal values – enshrined in the acronym of PRIDE – Progress, Respect, Integrity, Drive and Excellence. • We offer excellent training and development to staff at all levels • We are employee-owned and therefore we drive our own future and in turn we’re able to focus on long-term prosperity and career development for our staff. moTT mACdonALd LTd 6. Locations of our UK office(s) We have some 40 offices across the UK. These office locations include: Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Croydon, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester, Cambridge, Brighton, Newcastle, Glasgow, Southampton and Sheffield. 7. Weblinks with career details of our firm To find out more about Management consultancy at Mott MacDonald see http://www.managementconsultancy.mottmac.com/To search our latest vacancies please see http://www.careers.mottmac.com/ 223 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 8. Key contact details Main office address: St Anne House, 20–26 Wellesley Road, Croydon, Surrey CR9 2UL. Candidate enquiries: Miss Jo Kitt; jo.kitt@mottmac.com; +44 (0)20 7593 9724 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management IT Consulting Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology 11. Awards won in the last 2 years • Sunday Times ‘20 Best Big Companies to Work For’ 2008 – 8th place; we’ve improved on our 11th position in 2007 by three places and are the best placed consultancy of our kind in the list. • Public Private Finance Awards 2008 – Best Technical Adviser Award for the third time in 4 years. 12. Additional comments Mott MacDonald is an accredited member of the Management Consultancies Association. Mott MacDonald is the 8th largest employee-owned company in Europe. 224 moTT mACdonALd LTd THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Mouchel Management Consulting Ltd About our company Mouchel Management Consulting Ltd is a consulting, solutions and managed services business and part of the Mouchel Group. Mouchel Management Consulting recently doubled the size of its business through the acquisition of public services specialists, Hedra plc. We are the largest consultancy working primarily for public services organisations and suppliers to the public services market. Our distinctive capabilities support the successful implementation and operation of technology, increase organisational effectiveness and help reduce costs. The Mouchel Group was established in 2003 as the result of a merger between two successful engineering firms, Mouchel and Parkman and currently has 11,608 staff. Each had a trading history of more than a century and the company that formed in September 2003 – Mouchel Parkman plc – quickly established itself as a credible force in each of its core markets. Both Mouchel and Parkman flourished during the post-war years; both ventured overseas and both expanded and diversified in the UK. 3. Types of clients we serve Our client base is comprised predominantly of Public Service clients, yet we offer a significant private sector capability. Our clients include central government, local government, education, aerospace, transport, utilities and energy and a wide range of public service agencies. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Graduates Experienced Hire Interns 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because 1. Our reputation 2. They are impressed with our client credentials 3. Quality of firm (perceived tier on CV) 4. Quality of people working for firm 5. Quality of management (direct + senior) 6. The way we engage with our staff in relation to our core values 7. Mouchel is a Sunday Times Top 250 employer mouCheL mAnAgemenT ConsuLTing LTd 6. Locations of our UK office(s) Our key offices include two in London – Matthew Parker Street and Holborn, Fleet, West Byfleet, Portsmouth and Edinburgh. The wider Mouchel Group has over 100 offices around the UK. 7. Weblinks with career details of our firm For careers information visit: http://www.mouchel.com/careers/ To search our latest vacancies visit: http://www.mouchel.com/careers/vacancy_search 22 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 8. Key contact details Key Office addresses: Mouchel Management Consulting – a Mouchel Group Company, 4 Matthew Parker Street, London SW1H 9NP; Tel: 020 7227 6800; Email: consult@mouchel.com 3 Waterhouse Square, 138–142 Holborn, London, EC1N 2HG; Tel: 020 7822 7654; Fax: 020 7822 7655 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Energy & Utilities Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Transportation 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Transformation/Change Management Customer Services Corporate Services HR Consulting IT Consulting Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology Commercial Services System Engineering Services 11. Awards won in the last 2 years Sunday Times list of the Top 20 Best Big Companies to Work For mouCheL mAnAgemenT ConsuLTing LTd 22 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm MRL Public Sector Consultants Ltd About our company MRL is a dynamic niche consultancy firm specialising in the provision of management consultancy services to the public sector. The company was incorporated in the United Kingdom in October 2002 and has wide-ranging and extensive experience working on major projects and programmes with local and central government departments and agencies in the United Kingdom. The company is also establishing a presence in Nigeria, where MRL initiated its activities when it was commissioned by the World Bank to help deliver one of its projects. The company aims to spread its operations worldwide and has a mission to ‘exceed expectations’ in the delivery of its services to clients. 3. Types of clients we serve Our client base comprises public sector organisations in the United Kingdom and in Nigeria. For example, we are currently working with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to successfully deliver the 2011 Census which is the second largest project in the United Kingdom. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) MBA campus recruiting Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … they want to be a part of a vibrant and forward looking company that provides lasting solutions to its clients and creates the opportunity for its employees to develop their potential as they work together to enhance productivity within the public sector. mRL PubLiC seCToR ConsuLTAnTs LTd 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) Cambridge Weblinks with career details of our firm Web address: www.mrl.uk.com; Email address: info@mrl.uk.com Key contact details MRL Public Sector Consultants Ltd, Pepple House, 8 Broad Street, Great Cambourne, Cambridge CB23 6HJ; Tel: +44 (0)1954 715715; Email: info@mrl.uk.com 9. 10. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Public Sector Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management HR Consulting Project/Programme Management Strategy Outsourcing 11. Awards won in the last 2 years Britain’s Business Elite 2008 – Business Leaders of the Millennium Award 22 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm MWH UK Ltd About our company MWH is a leader in the water, environment and energy sectors. Founded over 150 years ago, MWH has grown to become a global leader in power, water and wastewater. There are now more of 6000 employees working around the globe working on some of the biggest projects around, generating annual revenues of more than $1 billion. 3. Types of clients we serve MWH Business Solutions Group operates globally, providing management consultancy and technical solutions tailored to meet the needs of some of the world’s largest companies. We have helped our clients understand and implement relevant strategic investment management processes and systems, supporting them throughout their change programmes from strategy through to the practical details that make a difference. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) MBA campus recruiting Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because The range of projects is spectacularly wide, but these delivery focused roles are about combining your consultancy skills and experience with our in-depth business understanding and people focus, to provide first class solutions and help our clients deliver real and sustainable business performance. Additionally we offer a competitive salary and benefits package, as well as the opportunity to develop your career in this rapidly expanding area of our business. 6. Locations of our UK office(s) Edinburgh, East Kilbride, Newcastle, Bradford, Wakefield, Warrington, Belfast, Cardiff, Solihull, High Wycombe and Crawley 7. Weblinks with career details of our firm www.mwhglobal.com Key contact details uk.recruitment@mwhglobal.com; Liz Cook, Recruitment Officer, Dominion House, Temple Court, Birchwood, Warrington WA3 6GD mWh uK LTd 8. 9. 10. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Energy & Utilities Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Transformation/Change Management Project/Programme Management Strategy 22 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Navigant Consulting About our company Navigant Consulting is a specialist, international consulting firm combining deep industry expertise and integrated solutions to assist companies and their legal counsel in enhancing stakeholder value, improving operations, and addressing conflict, performance and riskrelated challenges. The Company focuses on industries undergoing substantial regulatory or structural change, including financial services, insurance, construction, disputes and investigation and public services. Navigant has offices in over 40 cities in North America, Europe and Asia and more than 1,900 consultants worldwide. 3. Types of clients we serve Representative industries include: Construction, Energy, Financial Services, Healthcare, Insurance, Legal, Government/Public Services 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … of a variety of elements including staff benefits and culture, variety of projects and work and career potential. 6. 7. 8. 9. Locations of our UK office(s) London, Edinburgh, Leeds, Glasgow, Birmingham Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.navigantconsulting.com/en-uk/careers/why_nci/ Key contact details Charlotte Johns, Head of Recruitment UK & Europe; charlotte.johns@navigantconsulting.com Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector nAVigAnT ConsuLTing 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy IT Consulting 11. Awards won in the last 2 years MCA Consulting Awards 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Sunday Times – Best Companies to Work For, One to Watch 2008 229 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Newchurch Limited About our company Newchurch was started in 1986 by Kingsley Manning as a consultancy business specialising in working with healthcare organisations. For 20 years, the company has become a leader in the field, developing a well-respected capability in informatics as well as contributing significantly to strategic thinking and discussion about the development of healthcare in this country. Newchurch has established a national reputation for its work with the NHS and other healthcare organisations. During the past decade the company has advised over 300 NHS bodies on strategic, organisational and service developments. Our objectives are to bring together an in-depth knowledge of the sector with strategic, analytical and developmental skills. 3. Types of clients we serve Since 1986 Newchurch has been building relationships with NHS Trusts, healthcare agencies and the private sector. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because We are committed to making a difference for our staff and our customers and we know that skilled, experienced and motivated people are the key to making that difference. Career prospects are excellent with first class opportunities for personal development and training. All staff are encouraged to develop their commercial, technical or managerial skills. And, as you would expect, Newchurch is committed to equal opportunities and diversity in employment. 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.newchurch.co.uk Key contact details Newchurch, 37 Southampton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 7HE; Tel: 0845 258 2440; Fax: 020 7836 3048 Email: info@newchurch.co.uk neWChuRCh LimiTed 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management Project/Programme Management Strategy 230 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Newton Industrial Consultants About our company Newton is a specialist consultancy founded 7 years ago by a group of highly qualified and experienced engineers with a proven track record of delivering manufacturing performance improvement. Since then Newton has grown by over 35% year on year by recruiting and training exceptional people to deliver outstanding work. Our objective is straightforward: to create a 10–50% improvement in the performance of any manufacturing process in 2–6 months without any capital expenditure, guaranteed. 3. Types of clients we serve Our clients are often in the top 5 of their sector and from a broad range of manufacturing industries such as paper, food, automotive and defence. We are also increasingly applying our logical and rigorous approach to manufacturing improvement to non-manufacturing environments such as the NHS, with similar results. Over the last couple of years we have also worked with several major private equity houses involved in the manufacturing industry. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … they want to develop rapidly and have immediate responsibility. A career with Newton is an intense and rewarding opportunity – they will personally be delivering bottom line changes to multiple clients within their first year. We are a group of young, driven and intelligent people, growing fast and with a huge variety to our work. They will want to be doing exciting work, and want to be constantly challenged. neWTon indusTRiAL ConsuLTAnTs 6. Locations of our UK office(s) We work in manufacturing across the UK. Our head office is in Malvern. No relocation is required. 7. 8. 9. Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.newtonconsulting.co.uk/ Key contact details Email: recruitment@newtonconsulting.co.uk; Tel: +44 (0)1684 576477 Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Distribution/Logistics Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Retail/Consumer Goods 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management IT Consulting Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology 231 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm NUS Consulting Group Limited About our company NUS Consulting Group was incorporated in 1933 (75+ years of expertise). The group consists of 12 international offices (N. America, Europe, Africa, Australia) and has over 450 employees, 55 of which are based in the UK. We are a professional Utility Cost Management Consultancy. 3. Types of clients we serve We provide consulting services to over 15,000 businesses around the world ranging from multi-national corporations to local businesses with a single location. Our clients represent a broad spectrum of industries including mining, manufacturing, retail, healthcare, pharmaceutical and financial services. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting of Consultants and Analysts When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … we provide the potential for professional growth and the opportunity to work with a wide variety of clients. We continue to lead our industry through innovation, teamwork and service. 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) Regent House, Queensway, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1QT Weblinks with career details of our firm www.nusconsulting.com Key contact details NUS Consulting Group Limited, 3rd Floor Regent House, Queensway, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1QT; Tel: 01737 781200; email: careers@nusconsulting.co.uk nus ConsuLTing gRouP LimiTed 9. 10. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Energy & Utilities Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Outsourcing & Strategy 232 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm OC&C Strategy Consultants About our company OC&C Strategy Consultants operate from offices around the world. Founded in 1987, we are a closely-knit group of partners with wide experience in consulting and in industry. OC&C Strategy Consultants help clients transform their businesses in three ways: (1) Corporate Strategy – the vision for value creation; (2) Business or Market Strategy – competing to win; and (3) Strategy Realisation – making it happen. While we are a global consulting firm, we have never seen size as an end in itself. We strive to be the preferred strategy consultancy for a select number of prestigious clients to whom we can devote our full attention, creating exciting development opportunities. You will find us in Abu Dhabi, Boston, Brussels, Dubai, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Hong Kong, London, Mumbai, New Delhi, New York, Paris, Rotterdam, San Francisco and Shanghai, from which offices we cover the world. 3. Types of clients we serve OC&C assists the top management of major multinational corporations and leading national companies as well as private equity firms, government and public institutions in developing winning strategies. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) MBA campus recruiting Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because Why OC&C? The answer from candidates who chose to join OC&C: • ‘I chose OC&C because their people were exceptional. They were bright and motivated and I felt they would challenge me to develop, and ensure that I had fun doing it!’; • ‘The company size is brilliant. Big enough to attract exciting projects from high profile clients, but small enough to maintain a family feel’; • ‘OC&C appealed to me because they work across a range of sectors, but have a bigger depth of experience in retail and media’; • ‘When I joined OC&C, one of the things that most attracted me to the company was the ability to take an extra month of unpaid leave every year on top of the normal holiday. It sounded like the perfect way to develop my career and still have time to enjoy myself, and that’s exactly how it is!’ oC&C sTRATegy ConsuLTAnTs 6. 7. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm For recruitment information see http://www.occstrategy.co.uk/recruiting. To search our latest vacancies see http://www.occstrategy.co.uk/recruiting/you_application 8. Key contact details OC&C Strategy Consultants, 6 New Street Square, London EC4A 3AT; +44 (0)20 7010 8000 (switchboard); +44 (0)20 7010 8100 (fax); General enquiries should be sent to recruitment@occstrategy.com 233 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Strategy 234 oC&C sTRATegy ConsuLTAnTs THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Ocean Strategy About our company Ocean Strategy is a niche strategic management consultancy focused on the dynamic media and information industry. We work with senior media executives and investors across Europe from our office in London, where in our fast-growing organisation, we currently employ 10 consultants from 8 different nationalities 3. Types of clients we serve Our key clients are media owners such as internet, broadcast, exhibition and publishing companies. We work both with market leaders and smaller up-and-coming companies, but always on the highest level with strategic issues. In addition, we work for many of the leading private equity firms investing in the media and information sector. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because they appreciate the following: 1) Working with with top-class analysts providing insights to senior executives in one of the most dynamic industries; 2) Entrepreneurial spirit and the desire of being part of something growing; 3) Teamwork and passion for delivering above expectations 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.oceanstrategy.com/page/en/Join-Us/ Key contact details Ocean Strategy, 44 Chiswick Lane, London W4 2JQ, UK; info@oceanstrategy.com; Tel: +44 (0)20 8747 3456 oCeAn sTRATegy 9. 10. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Strategy 23 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm OCS Consulting plc About our company OCS Consulting plc was established in 1984, initially as a one-man operation and has flourished into one of the UK’s leading IT consultancies with over 70 full-time permanent staff and a current turnover of £5.5m. OCS undertakes a variety of development projects for a multitude of clients. OCS Consulting has established itself as a leader in the delivery of flexible and innovative solutions tailored to the needs of its clients and more recently has become a Microsoft Gold Partner. Encompassing Consultancy, Managed Services and Resourcing, OCS has implemented a unique ‘service matching’ approach that has enabled it to become the flexible extension to the IT teams of many blue chip organisations. By ensuring that OCS provides an organisational, cultural, as well as skills fit, with the client, OCS has been able to attain the role of trusted IT service partner where seamless integration with the client’s own department is required. OCS has achieved over twenty years of success due to the loyal and professional staff at its core and its insistence on the highest levels of expertise and quality. Our commitment to the successful delivery of services has culminated in a high level of repeat business, resulting in OCS developing long-term relationships and becoming a trusted consulting partner and preferred supplier to its clients. 3. Types of clients we serve OCS’ clients range from SMEs through to blue chip corporates covering most industry sectors. Some of our clients include: Argos, Nissan/Renault, Barclays, British Council, AON, G4S, HMV and Arts Council to name a few. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because The success of OCS Consulting is down to the people we employ. Our people are the key, which is why we demand the highest quality IT professionals. Along with strong technical skills, OCS looks for ambitious, enthusiastic and committed people to help OCS make a difference to its clients. Working for OCS – what to expect? Expect the unexpected! OCS is a dynamic, fast paced IT Consultancy at the forefront of leading edge technology. OCS has a strategy and operational approach to keep pace with business and technological change. This enables OCS to develop and introduce leading-edge services, functioning in well-defined technology areas enhancing your career development. Our specialist approach ensures that when clients call on the services of OCS, they are assured of receiving the highest quality of service and level of commitment. When OCS was first established in 1984 it set its values and ethics which are still in operation 20 years on: • We are profitable, proven and are here to stay; • We acknowledge that our success is based upon our clients success; • We complete assignments and honour our obligations regardless of the effort or time required; • We are a team and must therefore be mutually supportive at all levels; • We are professional in the way that we work, act and behave; • We are all key to the company’s reputation – we employ and develop the best. 23 oCs ConsuLTing PLC THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 6. 7. Locations of our UK office(s) North London Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.ocs-consulting.com/page.asp?page_id=39&mpageid=5 http://www.ocs-consulting.com/page.asp?page_id=21&mpageid=5 8. 9. Key contact details Contact details: Tel: 020 8236 7777; Email: info@ocs-consulting.com Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Distribution/Logistics Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in IT Consulting Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology 23 oCs ConsuLTing PLC THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Optimat Ltd About our company Optimat is an independent niche consultancy specialising in the development of knowledgebased industries and commercialisation of the science bases. We work with a wide variety of clients in the public, private and research sectors in the UK and Europe including: • Public Sector – European Commission, DTI, Scottish Enterprise, other UK/regional government departments and a wide variety of regional agencies. • Private Sector – large companies, SMEs, new ventures, spin-out companies and sector associations. • Research Sector – universities and RTOs (research & technology organisations) throughout the UK. The company was set up in 1989. Since then we have successfully completed several hundred strategic assignments for a broad range of clients. In the process we have built a strong reputation for delivering results in a practical, flexible and professional manner. Our people are based between our two offices in Glasgow and Birmingham. Our people are our assets and we plan to continue our growth plans through the addition of high quality and friendly people who can easily establish a good working rapport with our clients, and ultimately deliver high quality results. By carefully recruiting people with complementary industrial, technical and management expertise that builds on our pool of experience, we are able to operate across all market and technology areas. 3. Types of clients we serve We provide consultancy in the following three areas: 1) Economic Development – we assist public sector organisations with a variety of projects, including policy studies, support programmes, infrastructure development projects, feasibility studies, impact evaluations and due diligence analyses related to the development of sustainable, knowledge-based economies. 2) Sustainable Business Growth – we carry out marketing, strategy development and business planning assignments for technology businesses and traditional businesses that aspire to become more knowledge-based. We have worked for a variety of companies ranging from new ventures with one employee to multinational organisations. We can support businesses in a wide range of sectors, including advanced engineering (e.g. aerospace, automotive, industrial machinery, electrical equipment, instrumentation), construction, electronics and optoelectronics, emerging technologies, energy and environment, ICT and software, life sciences and the process industries (e.g. food & drink, chemicals, materials etc.). 3) Technology Commercialisation – we provide consultancy, training and project management services to help universities and research-intensive businesses exploit their specialist knowledge and intellectual property. oPTimAT LTd 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … they are looking for a consultancy that offers the chance to develop their potential as well as the opportunity to share in the ownership of the business. 23 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) Glasgow and Birmingham Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.optimat.co.uk/?q=people/careers Key contact details Glasgow: Torus Building, Rankine Avenue, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, East Kilbride Glasgow G75 0QF Birmingham: Faraday Wharf, Aston Science Park, Holt Street, Birmingham B7 4BB 9. 10. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Public Sector Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Project/Programme Management Strategy 239 oPTimAT LTd THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Orion Partners About our company Orion Partners is a niche HR Transformation consultancy, providing a full range of advisory and implementation services in the areas of HR Shared Services, HR Outsourcing, HR Technology, HR Development and HR Business Partnering. The company was founded in 2002 and has grown rapidly. We are confident of growing this significantly within the next 18 months. Building on our success, our objective is to become the ‘go-to’ brand in the HR Transformation marketplace. Between us we have over 50 years HR Transformation experience – acquired both within blue-chip consulting firms such as PWC, Accenture and KMPG in senior HR roles with companies including Pepsico and BP. We have a clear vision for the future and a passionate belief that we can make a real difference to organisations seeking to transform their HR functions. 3. Types of clients we serve Our client base spans both private and public sector. We have clients that are household names and work across Europe. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because • We are entrepreneurial – Having worked with both large corporates and consulting firms, we’ve been keen to create a more entrepreneurial environment. This could be described as less structured – but in reality this means that there is more flexibility to have a good idea and run with it, to identify a gap in the market and shape a solution that meets the need. We want people with an eye for what should come next – who would prefer to ask for forgiveness rather than feel the need to seek permission! The business is currently focused primarily on advisory services but we are developing a number of alternative business lines. A focus on building value in the business will be a key attribute we look for in new hires. • There is a focus on building your skills – Our market positioning as experts in our field means we can offer access to leading edge thinking in our area of specialism. We are very focused on ensuring we share knowledge and learn from one another so that we’re constantly building on the depth of expertise that is our hallmark. We compete with the largest consulting firms in the world, so we aim for the highest standards of intellectual rigour, quality and professionalism in our work. We expect and aim to develop those in the individuals we recruit. • We offer profile and stretch – As clients buy us for our expertise, we tend to be involved at a more strategic level. This means senior level engagement and more direct client contact than can be typical in larger consulting firms. On the positive side this means high visibility and working with the decision makers. On the challenging side, this means high client expectations, nowhere to hide and challenging client relationships! oRion PARTneRs 6. 7. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm www.orion-partners.com 240 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 8. 9. Key contact details For enquiries please contact Elaine Abel at elaineabel@orionpartners.co.uk Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management HR Consulting Outsourcing Technology 241 oRion PARTneRs THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm OTM Consulting Ltd About our company OTM Consulting is an independent firm of technology management consultants specialising in upstream oil and gas. Founded in 1993, the company now has 17 permanent staff based in Guildford in Surrey with a branch office in Aberdeen and a wholly owned subsidiary in Houston, Texas, USA. We help oil companies and their suppliers to identify, commercialise and deploy new technology. We work together with operators to help identify technology opportunities and get them deployed more quickly and effectively. We enable collaboration amongst oil companies worldwide to share knowledge and lessons learnt about oil and gas technologies through pan-industry networks and knowledge bases. We also work with technology developers and suppliers to help improve understanding of demand and competition for specific technologies, build relationships with clients, raise finance, and speed up time to market. 3. Types of clients we serve Our clients include more than 30 international energy companies and more than 80 service companies, suppliers, and government industry bodies. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because The quality and diversity of consulting assignments that they see they will be involved with when they join OTM. 6. 7. Locations of our UK office(s) Guildford and Aberdeen Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.otmnet.com/careers.asp Key contact details Main office address: 44 Quarry Street, Guildford, GU1 3XQ. Email: info@otmnet.com Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Energy & Utilities Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology oTm ConsuLTing LTd 8. 9. 10. 242 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm PA Consulting Group About our company At PA Consulting we transform the performance of organisations. We are an independent, employee-owned, global firm of 3,000 talented individuals. We operate from 35 offices across the world, in Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia and Oceania. Our people’s skills stretch from the initial generation of ideas, insights, solutions and new technology all the way through to detailed implementation. We have won numerous awards for delivering complex and highly innovative assignments, have technology development capability that few firms can match, deep expertise across key industries and government, and a unique breadth of skills from strategy to IT to HR to applied technology. Clients call on us when they want: • an innovative solution: counter-intuitive thinking and groundbreaking solutions; • a highly responsive approach: we listen, and then we act decisively and quickly; • delivery of hard results: we get the job done, often troubleshooting where previous initiatives have failed. 3. Types of clients we serve We have an outstanding track record, delivering award winning results for clients across industry and government, with particular expertise in Defence, Energy, Financial Services, Government Services, Health, International Development, Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Postal, Retail, Telecoms, Transportation, Travel and Tourism, and Water. Our client base reflects the diversity of our expertise and spans the private and public sector. 4. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Milkround recruiting (i.e. university finalists) Experienced hire recruiting 5. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because PA offers more opportunities for a stimulating and stretching career than other firms; becoming part of a global team delivering solutions to the most complex and challenging issues facing business and government. The types and levels of work we offer are varied and demanding and opportunities for gaining experience and learning are continuous. This means people join PA to develop both deep and broad skills, together with the possibility of working internationally. Progression is based on merit, not on time served and this, combined with our clear progression structure and commitment to ongoing training and development, enables our people to develop their careers as quickly as they want to. PA is owned by its staff from top to bottom which gives all employees the opportunity to hold a stake in the company’s success. PA offers a career in consulting, not just a job, a stake in our firm; and an environment where individuals and ideas matter. PA ConsuLTing gRouP 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) London, Belfast, Birmingham, Cambridge, Glasgow and Manchester Weblinks with career details of our firm For further information about careers at PA visit www.paconsulting.com/join_pa Key contact details PA Consulting Group, 123 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9SR; Tel: +44 (0)20 7730 9000; Fax: +44 (0)20 7333 5050; E-mail: Careers@paconsulting.com 243 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Transportation Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Retail/Consumer Goods 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management HR Consulting IT Consulting Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy Technology 11. Awards won in the last 2 years The Management Consultancies Association’s Awards are the premier awards for organisations that have achieved significant performance improvement with the assistance of a management consultancy firm. Since the awards’ inception, we have won an unprecedented 26% of all prizes and are the outstanding performer at these awards. In the 2008 Awards PA yet again emerged as a top performer, picking up four Awards, including an overall winner prize for our work on the Zanzibar e-marketplace, and extending our winning streak to 10 years: 2008 MCA Awards: Winner – Operational Performance: OCGbuying. solutions – Creating world class eProcurement through the Zanzibar e-marketplace. Finalist – Change Management: Office for Criminal Justice Reform – Developing a team of ‘troubleshooters’ to improve the performance of the Criminal Justice System. Finalist – Business Strategy: Norwich Union Healthcare – A strategic transformation to nearly double the business to £1 billion by 2011. Finalist – Operational Performance: Disability and Carers Service – A better service for some of this country’s neediest citizens. 2007 MCA Awards Winner – Overall Best Public Sector Project and Winner – Change Management: The Highways Agency – Less congested, safer roads – a world first in traffic management Winner – Human Resources Category: Jobcentre Plus – Cheaper, faster, better learning for over 50,000 employees in the UK Governments largest e-learning programme Finalist – International Category: Fiat Auto – The miracle of Turin – Maximising performance improvement with a revolutionary approach to cost control. Finalist – Operational Performance Category: Department of Health – National Orthopaedic Project – No bones about it, PA & NHS reduce orthopaedic waiting list from 57,128 patients to one. Operational Research Society’s President’s Medal. In 2007 PA was awarded the Operational Research Society’s President’s Medal for our work to enable Nissan to build up to 5 different car models simultaneously on just 2 production lines originally designed to produce only 2 models at its Sunderland plant. 244 PA ConsuLTing gRouP THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Parson Consulting About our company Parson Consulting is an international financial and performance management consultancy, part of the London Stock Exchange listed ‘Management Consulting Group PLC’, one of the top 25 consultancies in the world. Parson works with CFOs and senior finance executives of companies globally, across all industries to improve the reliability, efficiency and effectiveness of finance and other support operations. Our service lines include Strategic Finance, Accounting and Finance Operations, Corporate Transactions (M&A), and Governance and Risk Management. 3. Types of clients we serve Our client list spans the FTSE 350, CAC 40, Fortune 500, SBF 120 and ASX 200 and equivalently-sized, private companies. We work across all industry sectors. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because 1) Of our culture and environment. These factors are cited by many new employees as their reason for joining, and most employees as their reason for staying. Parson is working hard to keep a ‘small company’ entrepreneurial type environment whilst growing, and to maintain its close-knit network of people, because we realise the benefits this brings. 2) Your contribution will be recognised: don’t get lost in a larger consultancy. 3) We realise our client strategies: at Parson London Office we had over 95% client satisfaction in 2007, significantly higher than the industry average. 4) You will make your qualification count: we do not hire graduates – only qualified accountants with significant experience. You will work with like-minded experienced people; people want something different and that’s why they come to Parson. 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm PARson ConsuLTing www.parsonconsulting.com Key contact details Parson Consulting, 10 Fleet Place, London EC4M 7RB, UK; T: +44 (0)20 7710 5200; F: +44 (0)20 7710 5201; Email: uk.recruit@parsonconsulting.com 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management Outsourcing Project/Programme Management 24 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Pcubed About our company Pcubed is a dedicated global programme and project management consultancy with over a decade of experience working within public and private sectors, delivering critical and complex projects, programmes and portfolios. Our management expertise and experience has helped some of the world’s leading companies optimise their business performance by shaping, structuring and driving an organisation’s most strategic initiatives. Pcubed has more than 350 consultants working globally from offices in Europe, the USA and Asia Pacific. Our consultants have qualified knowledge and experience in all areas of programme and project management including: portfolio management; risk management; project & investment assurance; gateway & project reviews and programme/project health check. 3. Types of clients we serve Pcubed has a client base spanning a range of Fortune 500, FTSE 100 and blue-chip companies within public and private sectors. Our clients predominantly sit within the automotive, manufacturing, central government, financial services and telecoms industries. Pcubed is also involved in large sporting events. Many of our clients operate globally. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because Pcubed is a global market leader within project and programme management; providing challenging and complex assignments within a friendly and supportive culture. 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm www.pcubed.com/recruitment/career Key contact details Recruit.uk@pcubed.com Human Resources, Pcubed, 10 Bloomsbury Street, London WC1B 3SR PCubed 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation 24 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Transformation/Change Management IT Consulting Project/Programme Management Technology Business Process Improvement 11. Awards won in the last 2 years Named Small Jewel Firm by Consulting Magazine (2006), Microsoft Enterprise Project Management Partner of the Year (2007), Financial Times Best Places to Work (2007) 24 PCubed THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm PDN Ltd (The Professional Development Network Ltd) About our company PDN is a team of former Partners and Principals from consulting and professional service firms. PDN brings best practice consulting skills and behaviours to clients through training, organisational development and change management. Our clients realise tangible results because our programmes are very aligned to their business strategies, their culture and their talent management imperatives 3. Types of clients we serve PDN’s clients include Professional Services firms and the Global 500. Examples of our work include: Rapid growth for a top 5 strategy consulting firm led to the Leadership Board looking for ‘surrogate Partners’ to lead their Professional Development. PDN was chosen to lead consulting analysis and communication, client and engagement management. After a few years PDN was chosen to lead programmes on business development, thought leadership and client leadership at Partner level. The firm continues to rank in the top consultancies and has significantly increased its client satisfaction and profitability over the last 5 years. An IT global leader committed to create a Management Consulting arm and had to shift professionals from a product to a business services focus and work in a matrix organisation. PDN was chosen to design and lead an induction programme on consulting approaches, communications, client management and business development. PDN was also hired to advise on and facilitate the change. The consulting unit is now one of the most profitable IT services businesses in the world. Within a year of PDN’s sales and change training programmes, a small consulting firm increased their pipeline fourfold and doubled revenues. Pdn LTd (The PRofessionAL deVeLoPmenT neTWoRK LTd) 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting from top brand name consulting firms and industry. When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because PDN work is fulfilling intellectually and emotionally. Everyone gets involved in research, design and leading cutting edge programmes. Whether you are leading a 3 day training or 9 month change project you see the tangible behavioural shifts in clients and the business results that stem from this. PDN’s success over 18 years has come from creating very customised experiential interventions, intense peer to peer support and an insatiable quest for the best ideas and tools. We promise an exciting and stimulating partnership. 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm www.pdnltd.com Key contact details PDN Ltd, The City Arc, 89 Worship Street, London EC2A 2BF; Tel: +44 (0)845 6806608; contact@pdnltd.com 24 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Management consulting, legal, engineering consulting, finance and firms moving into professional services such as Telecoms and IT. 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in • Professional Development – how to attract develop and retain the best talent; deliver world class engagements and build lasting, trusted advisor relationship with top executives. • Products to Services – how to make the transition successfully and profitably • Strategy & Change – how to facilitate and train teams to deliver on a company’s most critical concerns • Consultative Selling – training and coaching to increase intellectual agility, diagnostic skills and winning behaviours. Pdn LTd (The PRofessionAL deVeLoPmenT neTWoRK LTd) 249 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Perot Systems Europe About our company Perot Systems is a worldwide provider of information technology services and business solutions. Through its flexible and collaborative approach, Perot Systems integrates expertise from across the company to deliver custom solutions that enable clients to accelerate growth, streamline operations, and create new levels of customer value. Headquartered in Plano, Texas, Perot Systems reported 2007 revenue of $2.6 billion. The company has more than 23,000 associates located in North America, Europe, EMEA and Asia. Additional information on Perot Systems is available at http://www.perotsystems.com/ 3. 4. 5. Types of clients we serve Our client base covers both Private and Public Sector organisations globally. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … they are seeking an organisation which listens to its associates, doesn’t micro-manage and allows associates a huge amount of freedom to fullfil their assignments. 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) London, Nottingham, various client sites UK-wide Weblinks with career details of our firm www.perotsystems.com Key contact details Perot Systems Europe, Stockley Park, 4 The Square, Uxbridge UB11 1ET Career enquiries to UK.Recruitment@ps.net PeRoT sysTems euRoPe 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Distribution/Logistics Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management IT Consulting Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Technology 20 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm PI Consulting About our company Formed in Cambridge during 2003 and now working from three UK offices in Cambridge, Nottingham and London Canary Wharf with a core team of 6 experienced consultants. PI Consulting specialises in cross-sector business transformation consulting with a strong emphasis on integrating strategic and organisational analysis with planning and the programme of implementation. PI Consulting provides analysis, advice and hands-on delivery support throughout the transformation cycle. 3. Types of clients we serve PI Consulting provides services to a wide range of cross-sector clients from private sector SMEs to FTSE100 companies and public sector organisations. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because Our strong value system and the opportunity to contribute and build a share in the growth of our consulting firm with a group of highly talented people who enjoy what they do. 6. 7. 8. 9. Locations of our UK office(s) Cambridge, Nottingham and London. Weblinks with career details of our firm www.piconsulting.org.uk Key contact details Telephone: 020 7125 0048; E-mail: information@piconsulting.org.uk Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Distribution/Logistics Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Public Sector Pi ConsuLTing 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management HR Consulting Project/Programme Management Strategy 11. Awards won in the last 2 years IBC Premier Practice Accreditation 21 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm PIMS Associates Ltd About our company PIMS Associates Ltd is the London office of the Malik Management Zentrum St Gallen. Established 30 years ago, PIMS is a pioneer in evidence-based management and the ‘Profit Impact of Market Strategy’. We work with virtually all the world’s leading organisations across all sectors in supporting their management thinking, measuring business performances and enabling their future success. As part of Malik Management Zentrum St Gallen, the leading management educator in the German speaking world, our strategic evidence and Consultancy experience forms an integrated part of ’right and good management’ practice. We have more than 250 Consultant staff operating from offices in St Gallen, Zurich, Vienna, London and Shanghai. 3. Types of clients we serve PIMS provide confidential management support to many global Fortune 500 companies as well as local small- and medium-sized businesses. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because … they are impressed by: 1) the insight and strategic concepts PIMS provide; 2) the variety of customers we serve; 3) our people and working environment. 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) City of London Weblinks with career details of our firm For further information see: http://www.malikpims.com Key contact details Please contact: recruitment@malikpims.com PIMS Associates Ltd, 15 Basinghall Street, London, EC2V 5BR; Tel: +44(0)20 7776 2800; Fax: +44(0)20 7776 2828; http://www.malikpims.com. PIMS Associates Ltd is a company of Malik Management Zentrum St. Gallen, Switzerland Pims AssoCiATes LTd 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Automotive/Aerospace Distribution/Logistics Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment Transportation 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management Strategy 22 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm PIPC About our company Formed in 1992 by an entrepreneurial group of professionals keen to revolutionalise the management consultancy industry, PIPC has earned an enviable reputation for delivering some of the largest and most successful programmes in corporate history. Project solutions provide the foundation on which our business is built. It is from this platform that we engage with our clients to successfully manage a wide variety of programmes across a range of industry sectors. For over a decade we have honed and refined our project and programme skills to develop a world-class suite of project solutions to help deliver the most complex business initiatives. PIPC operates from 12 offices worldwide, servicing 25 countries … delivering over £3bn of projects at any one time. We have worked with more than 150 Multi-Nationals and have delivered over 500 assignments in the last 10 years. 3. Types of clients we serve PIPC specialises in large-scale programme and project management for the public and private sectors. Our global client successes are as diverse as business itself and cover banking & financial services, energy, environment and corporate social responsibility, government & public sector, media, pharmaceuticals, technology, telecommunications, transportation and utilities, amongst others. Our client list of government departments and over 200 blue-chip companies is 100% ‘referenceable’. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because At a time when many candidates are flooded by a choice of consultancy firms, PIPC represents a fresh, innovative and exciting difference in the marketplace. A clear and transparent business and management approach, balanced with flexible and tailored value-for-money solutions for clients, PIPC is a fantastic organisation to join and develop with. We have clear propositions across numerous sectors and are known as the only global Project and Programme Management consultancy firm. PIPC is built on an excellent management and staff culture and is an organisation that employees can believe in and truly feel part of. PIPC stands behind delivering the best to our clients and we only employ the top consultants in the marketplace. As a candidate you’ll thrive on the challenge, work with the best consultants from a spectrum of ‘Big 4’ to niche speciality firms, and be highly rewarded for working on some of the most interesting engagements in the UK and abroad. PiPC 6. 7. 8. Locations of our UK office(s) London Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.pipc.com/content/career.php Key contact details 12 Appold Street, London EC2A 2AW; 020 7133 5999; careers@pipc.com 23 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Energy & Utilities Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Public Sector Retail/Consumer Goods Telecoms, Media & Entertainment 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management Project/Programme Management Technology 11. Awards won in the last 2 years PIPC is the fastest growing UK consultancy (Fast track 100) MCA Management Awards 2008: Corporate Social Responsibility 24 PiPC THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Place Group About our company Place Group is a specialist programme management consultancy with a vision to transform Education and Children’s Services and create life chances for young people. A common thread that runs through all levels of the organisation is a passion for education and improving the lives of learners. Its mission is to challenge convention to create and deliver 21st-century education and learning through proactive management of relationships, built environments, culture and curriculum change, and technology and leadership programmes. 3. Types of clients we serve Our client base is comprised mainly of Central Government Departments and Agencies, Local Authorities and in some cases individual schools. 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because they recognise the opportunity to make a significant contribution to a fast growing organisation that’s a market leader in its field. Once they start, new consultants are then immediately struck by the range and scope of projects they can get involved in and our overall passion for education. Ultimately what makes them stay is the outstanding level of support they receive within our friendly and flexible working environment. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Locations of our UK office(s) London, Birmingham, Manchester Weblinks with career details of our firm http://www.place-group.com Key contact details joinus@place-group.com Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Public Sector Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Transformation/Change Management HR Consulting Project/Programme Management Strategy PLACe gRouP 11. Additional comments We will be looking for experienced Project and Programme Managers and Directors, Lead Consultants, and Education Consultants 2 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm Practical Change People About our company Patrick Wilson founded PCP in 2005 to help Financial Services companies build operational value and achieve regulatory compliance without relying heavily on technology. Our reputation is built upon the ability to diagnose problems and identify waste in a business quickly and then improve the client’s cost base in an effective and timely manner. Cost savings are often in excess of 30%, rarely less than 20% and improvements have seen backlogs reduced from 3000 hours to 200 hours in 7 days. Patrick Wilson has worked in financial services for 20 years for companies such as Zurich Financial Services, Abbey National, NatWest, Deutsche Bank, Citibank and Allied Dunbar. In addition the team that supports him has over 100 years of Financial Services experience between them. 3. Types of clients we serve The client base is predominantly in the Financial Services industry covering all aspects from Banking, Life and Pensions and General Insurance 4. 5. Types of recruitment we are most likely to make in the next 18 months Experienced hire recruiting When candidates choose to join our firm it is usually because When candidates choose to work with us it is because of a true ‘work hard, play hard’ ethic, our practical and straightforward delivery that always produces tangible results for clients, in a clear, concise, effective way, and in a short space of time. 6. 7. Locations of our UK office(s) London, Reading and Cornwall Weblinks with career details of our firm The main website for any further information is www.pcpweb.co.uk Key contact details Patrick Wilson: Patrick_Wilson@pcpweb.co.uk; Office: +44 (0)1872 274114; Fax: +44 (0)1872 274115; Mobile: +44 (0)7879 610074 PRACTiCAL ChAnge PeoPLe 8. 9. Areas of practice where we have a strong market presence Financial Services (Retail Financial Services focus) Financial Services (Investment Banking/Capital Markets focus) 10. Types of consulting work our firm is most heavily engaged in Business Process Improvement Business Transformation/Change Management HR Consulting Outsourcing Project/Programme Management Strategy 2 THE DEFINITIVE gUIDE TO UK CONSULTINg FIRMS 1. 2. Name of consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP About our company PricewaterhouseCoopers (www.pwc.com) provides industry-focused assurance, tax and advisory services to build public trust and enhance value for its clients and their stakeholders. More than 146,000 people in 150 countries across our network share their thinking, experience and solutions to develop fresh perspectives and practical advice. Strategy at PwC is a fast growing strategy and deal-focused consulting department which offers many opportunities for career progression. The group operates alongside Transaction Services at PwC, a leading deal advisory business, which delivers a comprehensive service suite addressing strategic, operational, financial and structuring issues on deals, to both Private Equity and Corporate clients. As the market leading commercial deal advisory team, we provide commercial due diligence and investment advice to the world’s leading private equity houses and banks. We also provide strategic advice to large UK and international corporate clients, ranging from strategic reviews, market entry and pricing strategy, to bid support/defence and acquisitions. Performance Improvement Consulting at PwC – everything we do is driven by our clients wanting to make changes. Chan