KPMG Strategy & Operations Case Interview (Financial Sector) – What to Expect & Prep Tips?

Question

Hi everyone,

I’m currently in the final round of the application process for a Strategy & Operations Consultant role in the financial sector at KPMG, which includes a case interview.

I have some prior experience with case interviews from a previous application at Deloitte, where I unfortunately didn’t pass the final round. The feedback I received was that my structure was not strong enough and that I struggled with mental math under pressure.

Given that, I’d really like to improve and prepare more effectively this time.

I was hoping to get some insights from people who have experience with KPMG (or similar consulting roles):

What kind of case studies can I expect for a Strategy & Operations role in the financial sector?
Are they more focused on profitability, market entry, operations, or something else?
How technical or finance-specific do these cases tend to be?
And most importantly, what would be the best way to prepare?

Any tips, resources, or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks a lot in advance!

Answer 1

Hi there,

Expect anything.

Please stop playing the game of trying to anticipate the cases. You can't. If you try, you are much more likely to fail.

I know this isn't the answer you want. But it's the truth.

Go in expecting healthcare? You'll get electric scooter ride sharing. Go in expecting no charts? You'll get 10.

Please, just train yourself in being flexible and adaptable.

I have a list of all the questions asked to my candidates in their interviews. Feel free to reach out for it.

(By the way, what will you discover? There is no pattern).

Here's some reading that directly addresses this:

Most Common Pitfalls in Case Interview Preparation

How to Shift Your Mindset to Ace the Case

Case Interview Course

Answer 2

Good that you have the Deloitte feedback. Both gaps are fixable.

What to expect in the room: KPMG S&O in financial services tends to be ops-heavy. Think cost reduction, process redesign, regulatory response, or efficiency improvement at a bank or insurer. Market entry and M&A are less common. You do not need deep technical knowledge, just a basic understanding of how a bank makes money and what drives its costs.

The structure problem is your priority: For ops cases, an issue tree splitting people, process, and technology works well alongside a standard profitability split. Take the pause, write it out, then present top-down. Do not start talking before your structure is clear.

Fix the math outside of cases: Drill timed arithmetic every day for two weeks. Fast and basic. The goal is making it automatic so it does not eat up mental energy during the case.

For practice, focus on financial services profitability and process improvement cases.

Answer 3

Congrats on advancing with the interviews!

To make your life easier (or harder, depending on how you take it), there aren't KPMG specific cases that you can expect for this role.

Since the role is more focused on strategy & ops, you are likely to have most cases during the interview process from these areas, but not all of them.

And in terms of style, the cases are more likely to be candidate led than interviewer led.

Also, don't hesitate to reach out to the recruiter and ask them this question. Some might share useful info that will allow you to target your prep better.

I've worked with multiple KMPG candidates, so if you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out.

Best,
Cristian