Top Asia-Pacific Management Consulting Firms 2014
A consulting firm’s reputation plays an important part in the company’s standing and success. Because of this, consulting applicants take a firm’s status and background into consideration during the early stages of recruitment.
For consultants in the Asia-Pacific region, working for a prestigious firm can solidify one’s position in the industry and create new career opportunities. Consulting companies are careful to protect their reputation, as this could also reflect poorly on the clients they work with on a regular basis.
Additionally, this is another reason why consulting recruiters are highly selective during the interview process, choosing only the charismatic few who can actively represent their firm.
Top 25 Most Prestigious Management Consulting Firms in Asia-Pacific
#1: McKinsey & Company Asia
McKinsey & Company dominates the global rankings as the best consulting firm in 2014. This is no different in the Asia-Pacific region, as the company opened its third branch in Mainland China in 2013. The consulting firm is able to effectively capitalize on the progressive nature of the region, as leading businesses look for innovative ways to compete in the global market. McKinsey & Company has a strong reputation with practices firing from all cylinders (from operations and strategy to business technology and finance).
#2: The Boston Consulting Group, Inc. Asia
The Boston Consulting Group is a world-renowned firm that is well established in Asia-Pacific. The company has offices in major cities around the region, which was carefully planned to conveniently meet the needs of their clients. A number of successful consultants who came from the famous firm include Jeff Immelt (CEO- General Electric) and Indra Nooyi (CEO- Pepsi). The firm also offers a wide range of consulting services, along the lines of business growth and portfolio management.
#3: Bain & Company Asia
Third in the rankings is Bain & Company Asia. When it comes to prestige, this firm has extended its services to across the globe in hard-hitting sectors such as media and healthcare. The consulting firm made their intentions clear, when it comes to extending their services to the Asia-Pacific region, after opening their first office in Tokyo (1981). Currently, the company now has a total of 13 offices spread across Mainland China, India and SEA.
#4: Booz & Company Asia
Booz & Company Asia has a reputation for providing exceptional consulting services worldwide in the areas of aerospace, industrials and transportation. The company has vast experience working with key businesses and government ministries located in various parts of the globe. The firm has been under the watchful eye of professionals and the media in the past 2 years, as the company moves to elect a new CEO, Cesare Mainardi (April 2012); and as merger talks with PwC deepens (December 2013).
#5: A.T. Kearney Asia-Pacific
Consultants in A.T. Kearney Asia-Pacific have their minds set on growth. Released in June 2013, Vision 2020 is a project that aims to raise the firm’s status to new heights. The company plans to do this by rendering services related to analytics, operations, strategic IT and digital business.
#6: Oliver Wyman Asia
In May 2013, it was clear that Oliver Wyman was serious about their expansion in the Asia-Pacific Region. The firm welcomed a number of Partners (Anupam Sahay, Cliff Sheng and Samit Soni) to lead the practices in the area. The company also has several programs that allow consultants to work with non-profit organizations.
#7: Roland Berger Strategy Consultants Asia
Roland Berger Strategy Consultants is one of the first firms to make an impact in Asia-Pacific. The company has offices in the following cities in the region: Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Mumbai, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Taipei and Tokyo.
#8: Deloitte (Asia Consulting Practice)
Considered to be as one of the top 5 consulting firms in the world, Deloitte has made its services known in the Asia-Pacific region by extending their practice in Vietnam, Guam, Papua New Guinea and Brunei. The company is primarily known for their expertise in restructuring, analytics and global mobility.
#9: Mercer Limited Asia
Mercer Limited Asia offers quality consulting services for a range of businesses. What makes them unique is the establishment of Mercer College, an educational hub that consists of workshops, classes and programs. The topics covered are areas that the company excels in professionally, such as merger and acquisitions, human resources organization, communications and leadership application.
#10: L.E.K. Consulting Asia
L.E.K. Consulting Asia has influenced businesses in the Asia-Pacific region in the following industries: aviation, retain, media, healthcare and biopharma. The company is one of the first firms to provide advice related to low-carbon strategies. Since then, the firm has gone out of their way to reach out to other consultants and professionals by implementing social programs such as the L.E.K. Advisor.
#11: Accenture Asia
Accenture’s practice in Asia has a track record of being reliable. With over 250,000 employees who oversee the daily operations of the company, Accenture is able to provide industry focused advice to leading businesses in the region. The firm offers key consulting services including Business Process Management, Finance and Enterprise Performance, International Development and Risk Management.
#12: KPMG (Asia Consulting Practice)
With their roots in accounting services, KMPG’s knowledge in financial risk management, internal audit, and compliance is highly effective for large companies in the Asia-Pacific region. However, it should be well noted that the company is not limited to such fields, as they are also well equipped to handle Business Intelligence and Analytics, Shared Services and Outsourcing Advisory, and Post Merger Integration.
#13: EY (Ernst & Young) Consulting Practice Asia
EY (Ernst & Young) Consulting Practice in the Asia-Pacific region addresses major concerns related to performance improvement, risk management and strategy. Although the services provided by the firm vary from region to region, their core lies in finance and supply chain operations.
#14: PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) Asia (Consulting)
PricewaterhouseCoopers Asia has established themselves as a reputable consulting firm in Asia-Pacific. The company currently services over 80% of businesses found in the Fortune 500 list. Apart from exemplary consulting practices, the firm is also known for its auditing services.
#15: Capgemini Asia
Capgemini Asia provides essential consulting services ranging from Business Process Outsourcing and Application Lifecycle Services to Social Business and Supply Chain Management. The company led IDC MarketScape 2013, making them a sought after firm when it comes to IT services.
#16: IBM Global Services Asia
IBM’s move to acquire part of PwC in 2002 put the company in the right direction to boost their consulting services. Because of their background and firsthand experience in IT (infrastructure and software), many businesses in the relevant industry constantly seek out their professional advice.
#17: Arthur D. Little Asia
Known as one of the oldest consulting firms (started in 1886), Arthur D. Little has seen the economy and global trends change rapidly. In the past decade, the company has undergone internal restructuring to better serve its clients outside of North America.
#18: OC&C Strategy Consultants Asia
A consulting firm that focuses on strategy is OC&C Strategy Consultants Asia. The company’s core practice relies on the following areas: group strategy, transaction support, strategy realization and organization. OC&C offices in the Asia-Pacific region can be found in Hong Kong, Mumbai, New Delhi and Shanghai.
#19: Hay Group Asia
Hay Group Asia started a thorough study on the Chinese market in 2006 with hopes to enhance their business strategy advisory practice. As a result, the survey has helped lower risks for businesses that are looking to enter the crowded market.
#20: Nomura Research Institute Ltd. Asia
Nomura Research Institute, Ltd. (NRI) is a firm based in Tokyo, which focuses their practice on consulting and IT-related services. Their consulting services include human resources strategies, corporate governance, and business strategies and development.
#21: Oracle Consulting Asia
Mostly known for their software and web development services, Oracle has been experiencing steady growth due to their consulting branch. The company’s success in Asia-Pacific is widely recognized, as they now have more employees in the region compared to their main offices in North and South America.
#22: Mars & Co Asia
Similar to OC&C, Mars & Co Asia devotes their consulting practice to strategy. The company is highly selective of their clients and reaches out to businesses in the Asia-Pacific region through their offices in Tokyo and Shanghai.
#23: NERA Economic Consulting Asia
NERA Economic Consulting Asia renders advice related to economic analysis and reports. This allows the company to create effective strategies for businesses that are concerned about their competition and sustainability in the global market.
#24: Towers Watson Asia
After the merger between Towers Perrin and Watson Wyatt Worldwide to form Towers Watson, the firm now offers notable consulting services in the field of insurance, finance and tax guidance.
#25: Aon Hewitt Asia
Aon Hewitt started as an insurance firm and quickly grew their consulting services in the areas of human resources and outsourcing. The company first started their Asia-Pacific expansion in India, and moved on to cover other major countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Japan.
Heavy Expansion in the Asia-Pacific Region
While companies in Asia-Pacific reposition themselves to become leading competitors in the global market, the more we may see consulting firms establish offices in the region. Lastly, this may also play a role in the firm’s reputation in rendering advice that can set a company apart from mediocre players.