Created in 1963 by Bruce Henderson in Boston, The Boston Consulting Group (the BCG) is one of the leaders in the sector with 90 offices in 51 countries, 22,000 employees, 1,500 partners and a turnover of 8.6 billion dollars (2020 figures).
In France, the Paris office is ahead of McKinsey with more than 500 consultants and a total staff of around 800 people and displays devouring ambitions. Apart from the Boston headquarters, it is the largest office in the world, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2023, a real bridgehead for BCG in Europe and North Africa.
A generalist firm, BCG has established itself in particular thanks to its more conceptual approach and its many theoretical models that are less used today (BCG matrix, learning curve, scenario planning, etc.)
BCG is a good illustration of the diversification of strategy consulting firms towards general management topics in the very broad sense. Thus, we take few risks by writing that the Paris office intervenes above all on organizational matters, a little far from the reference image of the strategy it maintains. The firm is very active in the banking sector and leads most bank merger projects (PMI). Furthermore, BCG is almost the only firm to apply a strict up or out policy with its advantages and disadvantages.
Rain of new brands in recent years which also explains the very rapid growth of the workforce: Gamma, for data analytics, Platinion, for all technological subjects, Brighthouse for brand strategy, BCG Digital Ventures, incubation and innovation, Turn for the turnaround, TUNED by BCG for opinion polls serving companies following the takeover of the start-up GOV, Inverto for purchases…
Some emblematic missions also in the public sector even if this field represents less than 1% of the activity of the office.
Recruitment: BCG recruits between 70 and 90 people a year in Paris, 80% of whom are young graduates from the very best schools in France and around the world. But the BCG, much more than McKinsey for example, also hires experienced profiles from the business world. Profiles to which the firm, in the summer of 2019, made a growing place in its hierarchy.
- Last update: February 2022
Consultor’s guide to consulting firms is produced and regularly updated by an independent editorial committee made up of consulting professionals. Any reproduction, even partial, is strictly prohibited.
