Bain & Company Hi!
I’m trying to choose between entry-level offers(undergrad AC/JC ) at Bain & Company and Boston Consulting Group.
Pros of Bain: liked the people, based out of Dubai, liked their externship program + other non-work benefits.
Cons of Bain: not that big in the ME.
Pros of BCG: interesting projects, very big sign-on bonus.
Cons of BCG: based out of Riyadh.
I’m interested in CX, Product Strategy, Digital Transformation.
Does Bain handle projects in those areas?
Is Riyadh that bad?
Thanks!
Bain is definitely a fair bit smaller in ME but growing very quickly. They do all of those types of projects and digital transformation is a big focus from what I’ve heard, although BCG is the best at that.
BCGs strength in ME stems from a certain relationship they have…which can be good and bad. Bain is less public sector focused and has some good private sector links.
Sounds like you’re leaning towards Bain from your post, but are worried out the relative scale. Looking at it another way, there’s more room for you/Bain to grow into. Liking the people is a massive plus, especially in ME where culture at some MBB can be an issue.
Makes sense given BCG centre of gravity in the region is Riyadh. Unless you want to live in Saudi I would go Bain
Dubai over Riyadh any day. BCG is way better than Bain in the region but who cares if you’re in Saudi.
Limited personal experience but I don’t think expensing will be an issue at all.
Try to leverage Bain Dubai offer to change BCG offer from Riyadh -> Dubai. Otherwise Bain.
Already tried that unfortunately. They just raised my sign-on bonus. Actually at my school (target in the ME), everyone who passed the interviews got Riyadh.
Subject Expert
Neither firm works in CX, Product Strategy or Digital Transformation. The most you will get is some incubation venture stuff, but that is only for very very very few lucky people.
Clear pick for Bain. You will not last 2 years in Riyadh (though since ur Lebanese you can pay for your Beirut/Dubai flights every weekend)
Coach
BCG3 - savage.
My friend, come with us. Drop me a line if you need a sales pitch from an European working in Dubai
And me too!
BCG in the ME is quite different from BCG offices around the world in many ways - some more positive and mostly more negative in terms of the quality of leaders, work, culture, lack of camaraderie etc.
Bain doesn’t seem much better honestly but if it’s for Dubai office, pick that firm any day over Riyadh.
Good luck!
Coach
This has been the commentary for many years now. The party goes on
CX and product strategy should be within Bains ADAPT function, which is doing pretty well and growing I heard
I had both offers and chose Bain. I have plenty of friends at BCG, overall WLB and culture is much better at Bain. Drop me a DM if you have questions, happy to help.
Wait, what? You can't be based in Dubai and serve Saudi clients?
They've shifted center of gravity for new recruitment to Riyadh.
What's the pay structure of the entry level jobs?
Coach
BCG used to do ‘tech’ work in what was their TAO function - not sure if that still exists. But it wasn’t true tech work. More high level / less technical / smart city slides etc