BCG Africa - prestige and recognition

Hi!

Congrats!

1. Global brand is globally recognised - so you're good :)

2. Your exits won't be heavily compromised - what do you want to do though? 

If your goal is to work in the Middle East in some industry that requires local knowledge, and since you've not worked in the ME,  a company might say you dont have the right experience.  But that has nothing to do with Africa itself nor BCG. That would just be that you simply don;t have the right experience. 

I personally have only worked in South Africa and I've been offered to interview for roles in Strategy in European countries and in the Middle East.

I think you should see working in Africa as a positive thing:

•  Africa is one of the fastest-growing regions in the world, with huge opportunities to drive transformation and social impact
• Unlike more mature markets in Europe or the Middle East, the work in Africa often directly affects systemic challenges  e.ghelping governments modernise, scaling up financial inclusion, or supporting infrastructure projects that genuinely transform people’s lives.
• If you join BCG in an African country (since you didnt say which country or office) you might also be part of a smaller team which means you'll likely work directly with client leadership teams.
• You will likely get a broader range of responsibilities earlier because teams tend to be smaller and projects can be less cookie-cutter (we tend to work on a wider array of study types since industries are still in growth stages) .
• In essence, you potentially could grow faster and get promoted faster. 

Honestly, don't consider coming to Africa if you see it as a lesser place than the Middle East or Europe, or if you feel you would be compromising yourself by working here. 

This continent deserves - and needs - people who bring a global growth mindset and genuinely believe in its potential.

3. You mentioned in comments you'd like to transfer: You're right, in MBB's, atleast from McKinsey it is tough to transfer at the moment (at Mck, you need to work in your original office for 2 years before applying)  but since your sights are on 3/4 years, you'll likley be fine transfering - speak your intentions as soon as you start - make it known you want to go whereever you want to go to. 

Good luck and happy to chat,

Congratulations on your role.

BCG's brand is prestigious globally, so I wouldn't worry about that. Your exits will still be excellent as a result.

In any case, if you want to get experience in another region, it's possible to transfer internally if you take the right approach. 

I transferred internally twice (from London to West Africa, and then from West Africa to Japan). Happy to chat if helpful.

Hi,

Exits need to make sense in terms of where you are. If you are going to stay in Africa, then it really wouldn't matter.

If you are moving to a different geography, I would argue it matters in so much as how much the brand is worth in that geography

• i.e. Kearney might be very strong in some local geographies (e.g. North Asia), but may not have the same weight/clout in Southeast Asia or North America
• But given you are in BCG, it's globally recognized

Hi there, 

Sorry to hear you've come across this perspective. I find it rather judgmental and unfair. The reality is that the work done by consultants in MBBs is almost always international, so being based in a certain region doesn't negatively impact your learning curve.

If anything, I would claim that those who work in smaller offices outside of the big consulting markets have to strive harder and thus develop extra skills.

So it shouldn't affect your exit opportunities. 

Best,
Cristian

Hey there, 

We should be careful not to conflate brand prestige with exposure. The prestige comes from the BCG brand more than the region. With internal transfers, you can get exposure to any other region. So by joining BCG, you've got a really great brand on your CV. Regarding exits, companies that know BCG will give you the credit from being part of that organizations and not "penalize" you from being from an African office. (However, make sure that you have the right exposure and experience during your time then to ensure you have great exit opportunities still. It is not a given that you will have great exit opportunities just because you are at a "prestigious" firm). 

I know many colleagues from BCG African offices that have transferred to USA, Middle East and London who then are able to speak to the exposure they got in the firms. 

All the best! 

Hi there,

The BCG brand travels well — you’ll be fine. What really makes the difference isn’t just the logo on your resume, it’s the network you build while you’re there. That’s what opens doors.

So if you’re eyeing a specific exit (say, industry X or geography Y), don’t leave it to chance. Use your time at BCG to build real connections in that space. It’s a global firm — make it work for your future.

Best,

Alberto.