Management consulting is a profession where thrill comes from solving a new, complex problem every single day. This insight came from UMass alumnus Brian Roughan, a current Partner and Managing Director at Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In late March, Mr. Roughan spoke to IUCG and other top clubs about his journey from UMass to BCG, the telecommunications industry, and strategies to break into consulting.
Graduating from UMass in 1998 with a degree in Accounting, Roughan worked for Arthur Andersen in technology consulting. In 2005, he completed his MBA at MIT Sloan School of Management. Since then, he has worked at BCG where he is now a Partner in the Technology, Media & Telecommunications Practice. Currently, this practice is one of BCG’s largest growth engines and is a significant aspect of their global experience with 2,500 cases worldwide in the past five years.
Roughan opened the presentation with a quote from BCG founder, Bruce Henderson,
“Consulting is the most improbable business on earth: Successful firms hiring people who are fresh out of school to tell them how to run their business, and paying millions for the advice…What are you doing for them that makes this possible?”
Not uncommonly, clients with thirty plus years of experience seek help from consultants who have a third or less of that experience; therefore it is essential that the content carry superior value. As a result, it is essential to gather “ideas that win.” Although BCG is a global company, each office only has about 50-200 consultants, which drives a team-oriented environment. This philosophy is also demonstrated by the diamond structure that all BCG practices adhere to: one partner, one project leader, two consultants, and one associate.
The projects that Mr. Roughan focuses on are related to the telecommunications industry. One of the more notable cases he worked on was the launch of a groundbreaking artificial intelligence product. It was up to his team to decide how the client should best introduce such a powerful product into the marketplace. They begun by surveying a multitude of potential markets in order to understand potential adoption ad profitability. The outcome was remarkable in that Roughan was able understand how a breakthrough technology could be brought to market as a solution. The question continues: What is AI’s role in the world, and how is it impacting society and business as a whole? Roughan constantly analyzes the growing stream of emerging technology trends and looks to the future.
Roughan also provided the group with tips on life after graduation, and the ideal path to BCG. He stressed the importance of taking the GMAT early and striving for a top 10% score, which would open up top grad school possibilities. Another crucial component to landing an interview at top firms is mastering the case interview. Not only are case interviews the preferred method of screening candidates for several top firms, but they also act as great skill generators. Working through the problem in a logical and systematic way allows the individual to develop their critical thinking skills to ultimately extract value from the situation. In addition, the ability to decompose a problem into smaller components, while bringing in a unique and creative perspective is another fundamental component of an elite job candidate.
Collaborate. Solve. Accelerate. The values that we strive for within IUCG are some of the same values that are lauded in top tier firms. Recruiting life long learners—members who are dedicated to constantly improving their knowledge, is a similarity seen in both Boston Consulting Group and IUCG. The egalitarian structure of BCG promotes a feedback loop, which provides constant performance evaluations to consultants. Informal reports, formal reviews, and counselor meetings ensure constant development within the organization. Similarly, IUCG conducts an official review of our members each semester to affirm that the entire group is communicating effectively with one another and functioning to the best of our ability. IUCG core activities develop and grow the skills for success in consulting, such as case interview practice, research presentations, structured thinking, and real-world problem solving.
