How Does McKinsey Lisbon Stand Out? Looking for Advice Before Applying as BA/Associate

Hi there,

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your questions:

• First of all, I think you are overthinking the situation. The most important factor is whether you would be happy to spend most of your weekends in one city or the other.
• Moreover, I would strongly advise you to keep in mind whether you actually have any form of affiliation with the office, because without it, your chances will be significantly lower.
• Lastly, contrary to what other coaches have said, because of the flexible staffing model and inter-office mobility, there really are no industries for which the Lisbon office is more or less well-known. Also, McKinsey's Lisbon office is part of McKinsey Iberia (as can be seen here).

You can find more on this topic here: How to succeed in the final interview round.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare your application files, for your upcoming McKinsey pre-interview assessment and/or interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi there,

The intensity of work at McKinsey offices can vary significantly over time, largely depending on the influence of partners and senior partners. That said, the Portugal offices have a strong presence in the Energy and Telecommunications sectors, similar to the Spain offices.

In terms of integration, the Iberian hub is highly connected. Consultants are often staffed across both countries, especially when serving clients with operations in Portugal and Spain, where native speakers from each market are needed. Still, you will have preferred staffing in your base country.

I’m a former McKinsey consultant, a native Portuguese speaker, and I lived in Iberia for 2.5 years. Feel free to reach out — I’d be happy to help.

Best,
Luis

Hi there,

The McKinsey Lisbon office is quite dynamic and has a few areas where it stands out. Traditionally, energy, telecoms, and financial services have been strong focus areas, with a growing emphasis on digital & analytics in recent years.

In terms of setup, Lisbon is part of McKinsey Iberia, and staffing is integrated across Lisbon, Madrid, and Barcelona. That means you’ll often work on cross-border teams and can be staffed out of any of the offices depending on project needs – similar to Bain Iberia. So while Lisbon has its own local culture, you should think of it as one broader Iberian hub.

If you’re considering applying, it’s a great office for exposure to both Portuguese clients and pan-Iberian/global projects. 

Happy to help you prep – feel free to reach out.

Best, 

Evelina

Hey there :)

From my experience in their office, McKinsey Lisbon is relatively small compared to Madrid and Barcelona, but it has strong positioning in energy, telecom, financial services and increasingly digital. Because of the size, Lisbon consultants often get exposure across different industries, which can be a plus if you want breadth early on. In terms of staffing, Iberia is run as one hub: projects are staffed cross-office, and it’s very common to work with Madrid or Barcelona colleagues. You’ll also see a lot of integration in training and office events.

If you want a mix of international exposure while still being in a close-knit office, Lisbon is a good choice. If you prefer to specialize faster, Madrid or Barcelona might give you slightly deeper industry benches.

best, Alessa :)

1. Financial Services is the major consulting client in Portugal. Some work in Energy and Telco to be expected, and a fair share of industrials and retail. Basically, look at the top 30 companies, and assume that many will be Mckinsey clients, with the top 10 with frequent assignments, and the rest not as much.

2. Staffing hub is Iberia, but stronger weight of clients in Portugal.