Top Strategy Consulting Firms

The right strategy consulting firm depends on the decision you need to make. Some engagements call for a companywide portfolio review; others require customer research, financial modeling, leadership alignment, or help putting a plan into operation. The five firms below offer different strengths. This is Stonehill’s editorial shortlist, with Stonehill listed first, rather than an independent ranking.

Before choosing a partner, ask what the engagement will produce. A useful strategy should identify the choices leadership must make, the evidence behind those choices, and the people and resources needed to act on them.

1. Stonehill

Best fit: Leaders who want strategy connected to execution. Stonehill combines strategic planning, design thinking, financial analysis, and operational experience. Its work helps teams assess their current position, choose priorities, and define the initiatives, owners, and measures needed to move forward. For a company facing growth, organizational change, or an important investment decision, Stonehill can help carry the work from the leadership discussion into day-to-day operations. Explore Stonehill’s strategy and design thinking services. www.stonehillinnovation.com

2. McKinsey & Company

Best fit: Broad corporate strategy and complex enterprise decisions. McKinsey’s strategy and corporate finance practice addresses questions involving competitive position, growth, portfolios, and resource allocation. It is a firm to consider when the decision spans multiple businesses or requires extensive analytical work across a large organization. McKinsey & Company

3. Bain & Company

Best fit: Corporate and business unit strategy. Bain works on companywide direction as well as the choices facing individual business units. Its strategy services cover matters such as portfolio decisions, growth, and strategic planning. Bain may be a good candidate when leadership needs to clarify where a business will compete and build an action plan around that choice. bain.com

4. Boston Consulting Group

Best fit: Portfolio, growth, and competitive strategy. BCG’s corporate strategy work examines how companies create value across their businesses, while its business strategy work focuses on how individual businesses grow and compete. Consider BCG when the central question concerns a portfolio of investments, competitive advantage, or the capabilities needed for future growth. BCG

5. Accenture

Best fit: Strategy tied to technology and large scale change. Accenture’s strategy services include corporate growth and product and service innovation. It is an option for organizations whose strategic choices are closely connected to technology, new offerings, or broader transformation programs. Accenture

How to Choose a Strategy Consulting Firm

Start with the decision, then assess the team proposed to work on it. Ask each firm how it will test assumptions, involve customers and employees, evaluate financial tradeoffs, and translate recommendations into assigned work. The answers should make clear what you will be able to decide at the end of the engagement.

If your priority is a strategy your team can put to work, Stonehill brings planning, customer insight, financial thinking, and implementation into one process. Learn more about our strategy and design thinking approach, or contact us to discuss the decision in front of your organization.