Financial Services consultancy Zeb breaks through 1,000 employees barrier

In a dramatic recruitment drive in the first six months of the year, Gemany-origin consulting firm Zeb has pushed its headcount beyond the 1,000 mark. The news means that the firm is once more one of the largest consultancies in Germany in terms of both headcount and turnover.

Management consultancy Zeb has announced that it will be recruiting 300 university graduates across the face of Europe this year. The firm works with clients from all aspects of the European financial services industry, and plans to ramp up its recruiting activities in order to better cater to heightened demand in 2018. According to the company’s announcement, over 30% of its graduate intake will be sourced outside of Germany, as the firm looks to push for international expansion. Founded in 1992, Zeb already boasts a presence in 17 international locations, including offices in the firms native Germany at Frankfurt, Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and Münster (HQ), and a cohort of Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Kiev, London, Luxembourg, Milan, Moscow, Oslo, Stockholm, Vienna, Warsaw and Zurich.

Burkhard Hanke, Head of Recruiting and Employer Branding at Zeb, explained, “We have established a recruiting network of universities all over Europe in order to sustainably support zeb’s growth path. In 2017, zeb became corporate partner of the Cooperation of European Management Schools (CEMS). This makes us part of a network granting access to the best students of the London School of Economics, the Rotterdam School of Management, the Stockholm School of Economics or the Bocconi University in Milan. In addition, we conduct numerous activities at universities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.”

With heightened competition for young talent across Western Europe, which is experiencing ageing populations in many markets, Zeb states that it expects its reputation for human capital to help its efforts. According to the employer review platform Glassdoor, 99% of employees of the consulting firm recommend Zeb as an attractive employer – a top result in Germany’s consultancy category. The country's best consulting employer is Bain & Company, with Zeb not far behind.

Hanke added, “The competition for well-educated university graduates is fierce across Europe. We focus on tailoring our recruiting measures exactly to the target group which optimally fits zeb. This year, we would like to further increase the share of women in consulting. Thus, our HR activities focus on female recruiting and the development of convincing options for an ideal work-life balance.”

Last month the firm announced it was on target to meet its headcount goal, and had in fact grown to a size of 1,002 professionals, thanks to its intake of university graduates, trainees and professionals across Europe.

Jens Eickbusch, Partner and Chief HR Officer at Zeb, said, “The perception of Zeb as an attractive employer has risen steadily in recent years. Many students and professionals now know that zeb offers excellent starting and development opportunities for a career in financial services. It is our aim to attract highly qualified consultants who are willing and able to shape this very dynamic sector.”

Now, the firm’s concerted growth efforts have confirmed it as one of the largest consultancies with headquarters in Germany, positioning Zeb as one of the leading consulting firms for the financial services industry in Europe. The company secured a top 3 place among the latest Lünendonk list of management consulting firms in Germany in terms of turnover and staff numbers, a listing which has seen Zeb ranked highly in recent years. At the top of the ranking stand peers Roland Berger and Simon-Kucher.

Speaking on the latest development, Zeb’s Managing Director Stefan Kirmße remarked, “With our specific combination of profound insider knowledge of the financial services industry, strategy and management expertise as well as IT skills, we support companies during their transformation process along the entire value chain as a “partner for change”.­.. I am delighted that we have been able to continue along the successful path of the past few years and I would like to sincerely thank our colleagues. They are the ones who, through their concentrated and professional work, have made this success possible.”

Related: Boston Consulting Group looks to build on great year in Germany.