The top large consulting firms to work for in Italy
Strategy and management consulting is the profession of choice for many in Italy, according to a survey conducted among nearly 50,000 graduates in the country. The Big Four feature among the most popular destinations, as do the likes of the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), McKinsey & Company and Bain & Company.
Consultancy.eu evaluated data from nearly 50,000 graduates across 40 universities in Italy, which represents more than a third of the country’s total graduate turnover each year. The graduates surveyed hail from some of Italy’s top universities, including La Sapienza University of Rome, the University of Bologna and the University of Milan, among others.
Economics, engineering, computer science, medicine and law are among the most popular fields of study for Italian graduates. Irrespective of their background, however, many young professionals in the country see consulting as their career of choice.
Reasons for this are consistent with the factors that make consulting one of the most coveted professions across the globe. Consulting firms are vibrant workplaces that operate in a wide array of professional domains. Top consulting firms not only have some of the most experienced and skilled talent pools in the business environment, but they also work with some of the most illustrious clients in the world.These firms collaborate with leading minds in diverse fields, and are perceived by many as drivers of growth and innovation. For a young professional starting out his/her career, such exposure can be a tremendous boost. Learning opportunities aside, the reputation of the top consulting firms alone opens up all kinds of doors for anyone who has worked with them. Young professionals with experience at a top consulting firm under their belt often end up in leading positions across a variety of industries.
Italy’s top graduate consulting firms
With these opportunities in mind, it is not surprising that most graduates in Italy are aiming high when it comes to their consulting firm of choice. The Big Four – Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC – have a particularly strong reputation for quality and opportunity across the globe. They each feature in the top five consulting firms for Italian graduates, with BCG in the mix as well.
Deloitte is in the eyes of the students surveyed the top consulting firm to work for in Italy. The firm has been operational in the country since 1923, and has since established firm roots in the country. Today, the firm's Italy practice stretches across 24 cities with more than 6,700 professionals in the team.
The firm’s workplace in Italy is young and diverse, with 60% of its workforce being under the age of 30, while nearly 45% are women. The firm offers a variety of advisory services, including through Monitor Deloitte – its dedicated strategy consultancy and Deloitte Digital – its division for digital transformation.
KPMG follows as the second best consulting firm for graduates, with a similarly expansive presence in the country. KPMG entered the Italian market six decades ago, and has since grown into an operation of 26 offices across the country with a team of more than 4,000 professionals. The firm serves more than 6,000 clients in Italy, offering consulting services through its consolidated consulting arm – KPMG Advisory.
Then comes global strategy and management consultancy BCG, which makes its way into the top five alongside the Big Four. BCG is part of the big three strategy consultancies across the globe, the other two being McKinsey & Company and Bain & Company, with the trio often being referred to as the MBB. BCG’s position in Italy ahead of its arch-rivals is notable, as in most other countries McKinsey is often the top aspiration among the trio of leading consultancies.
BCG entered the Italian market in 1986 with an office in Milan, and opened its second Italy office in Rome in 2001. More than 300 professionals work in BCG Italy across the two offices, serving smaller enterprises as well as members of the top 500 global companies. The firm’s 6,000-square-meter flagship Milan office is a project in innovation, built entirely out of restoration materials.
EY and PwC round off the top five and the Big Four. EY works across 11 offices in Italy, and provides its consulting services through its EY Advisory wing. PwC’s Italian practice is larger, with offices in 24 cities employing 5,800 professionals across the country. EY and PwC, alongside the other members of the Big Four, all regularly feature in the top 100 list of employers in Italy, demonstrating their strong capacity and reputation.
The duo both have dedicated practices for strategy consulting services. EY-Parthenon launched after EY acquired The Parthenon Group, while PwC’s Strategy& was formed after the Big Four firm purchased Booz & Company. Both EY-Parthenon and Strategy& have a presence in Italy.
The globe’s largest strategy consultant, McKinsey & Company follows the top five closely. The firm entered the Italian market in 1969, and has since grown to employ more than 350 professionals in the country, serving a variety of clients in the private, public and social sectors. Much like rival BCG, McKinsey operates out of two offices in Italy, a flagship office in Milan and another one in Rome.
Global consulting and technology giant Accenture also ranks among Italy’s top consulting firms for graduates. Established in 1957, the firm has active in Italy’s business environment for more than 60 years now, offering the likes of management, operations and technology consulting. Accenture Italy employs more than 16,000 professionals, stretching across five main offices in Milan, Rome, Turin, Naples and Cagliari.
Bain & Company rounds off the MBB as the top pick for Italian graduates. The firm launched in Milan in 1989 and, much like rivals BCG and McKinsey, has its second Italy office in Rome – opened in 1991. Bain & Company operates with more than 50 partners in Italy, serving a variety of public and private sector clients.
Closing off the list of top large consulting firms to work for in the eyes of graduates is technology and consulting services firm Capgemini. The firm operates across nine offices in Italy, which span major financial centres of Milan, Naples and Rome. Its consulting division goes to market Capgemini Invent.