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One of Germany's leading consulting firms, Roland Berger & Partners, is on the cusp of change. Deutsche Bank, Germany's largest money-manager, owned a 95 percent stake in Roland Berger until 1998. However, thanks to a management buyout (MBO) by the consulting firm's partners and principals, that stake in now less than 5 percent. Although the buyout means that Berger management gains financial control, Deutsche will still receive a large portion of the firm's profits for the next five years. Fortunately, Roland Berger is free to pursue aggressive expansion in the U.S. Under Deutsche Bank's command, the firm had been prohibited from working on projects outside of the country due to international banking legislation. Berger plans to continue expanding in its areas of dominance, which are the automotive, telecom, pharmaceutical, transportation and insurance industries. However, it also has plans to grow its financial services and info com practices. The firm certainly has the means to burgeon. Established in 1967 as a one-man business (by none other than Roland Berger), the firm now consists of over 800 consultants. Its 35 offices cover 26 countries. Asia is a growing hotspot; Roland Berger has already planted roots in Tokyo, Shanghai, Beijing, and New Delhi.
Roland Berger seeks candidates with "international backgrounds," in addition to healthy transcripts and extracurricular records. A command of one non-English language (especially German) is a plus; a command of two or more is even better. That said, the official language of business at the firm is English, and Berger requires its employees to speak only English and the official language of the nation in which his or her office is located. Although half of the company's employees are engineering grads, many consultants have also trained in such fields as business and economics. To find out more information on hiring and internships at the firm, visit the Web site or www.rolandberger.com. The firm offers an online application form as well as recruiting contacts.
Proficient and efficient The climate at Roland Berger & Partners is "informal," "efficient," and "highly participatory," say insiders. There is "great exposure" to clients and upper management. Although the company literature tends to de-emphasize German proficiency, contacts argue that an "absolute command of German is required." The firm claims that this is no longer the case as Berger has expanded its operations to a number of non-German speaking countries. Work hours are "above average," between "50-65 hours a week." Salaries are "reasonable," although sources wonder what the firm's future will be like with its new ownership and expansion plans. Multinational As far as the company's social scene, one disgruntled insider maintains that "Berger is a dud in that department." Although racial preference "does not seem to be an element," some argue that a "cultural affinity" with the clients is essential for every consultant. "Due to our multinational client base," concludes one, "we try to maintain a strong degree of cultural sensitivity."
Tara Barry Director of U.S. Recruiting Human Resources 350 Park Avenue1 27th Floor New York NY 10022 (212) 651-9682 (212) 756-8750
Management consulting
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