Milan Consulting Hiring Trends - Post-MBA Recruitment

While the usual advice about "networking and speaking Italian" still stands, the 2026 landscape has a specific shift you should definitely lean into.

Right now, Milan is in the middle of a massive "implementation peak" because of the PNRR (National Recovery and Resilience Plan). Since there’s a hard deadline to spend those billions by the end of the year, firms aren't just looking for high-level "strategy" generalists anymore. They are desperate for Transformation and Execution profiles. If you have any background in digital, infrastructure, or energy, you’re a "plug-and-play" asset for the massive project backlogs at places like McKinsey and Strategy&, who are currently hiring pretty aggressively to keep up.

On the language front, don't let the "must speak Italian" thing completely scare you off if your skills are just okay. Milan has evolved into a major EMEA Hub. A lot of Milan-based teams are actually staffing English-speaking projects in the Middle East or Northern Europe. When you're networking, pitch yourself as a "Milan-based Global Nomad." It solves a huge staffing headache for Partners who have plenty of local-only consultants but need someone they can ship off to an international account.

Milan is definitely active, but they can smell from a mile away if you're treating it as a backup to London. If you show up with a specific "Execution" angle and a "Global Nomad" flexibility, you'll have a much easier time standing out

Milan is an interesting market. It is one of the stronger consulting hubs in Southern Europe but it operates very differently from London, Dubai, or the major US offices. The talent pool is smaller, the client base is more regional, and hiring tends to be more relationship driven than in bigger markets.

MBB offices in Milan do hire post-MBA candidates, but way fewer than London or Paris. McKinsey Italy is the most active, followed by BCG. Bain hires too but in smaller numbers. The big thing is they really prefer people who speak Italian and have some tie to the market. If you are not fluent in Italian, that is a real hurdle. Most clients there, especially family businesses which are huge in Italy, work in Italian.

For Tier 2 firms, Strategy& and Roland Berger have good Milan offices. Roland Berger is especially strong in Italy, so don't overlook them. EY-Parthenon and Accenture Strategy are there too, but their hiring is less predictable. More about timing than a set recruiting cycle.

One mistake I see INSEAD people make. They treat Milan as a backup to London. It is not. Milan has its own game. If you actually want it, show it. Why Italy? Why Milan? What is your connection? Firms can tell when you list them as your second or third choice.

My advice. Start networking with INSEAD alumni in Milan offices now. Don't wait for the cycle to begin. A warm intro from someone at McKinsey Milan or BCG Milan beats any online application. Have real conversations, understand what each office does, and get known before you apply.

Don't ignore local boutiques either. Italy has strong advisory firms doing solid work in luxury, manufacturing, and family businesses. Less brand recognition, but great experience and network.

Hi there,

Based on recent cycles and what candidates are seeing on the ground, consulting hiring in Milan is active but selective for post-MBA roles.

MBB
McKinsey and BCG continue to hire post-MBA consultants in Milan, though class sizes are smaller than in peak years and the bar is high. Bain Milan is typically more selective and hires fewer post-MBA candidates, but it does recruit when demand allows. Overall, MBB is present and hiring, just not at aggressive volumes.

Tier-2 / Strategy firms
Firms like Oliver Wyman, Strategy&, EY-Parthenon, Accenture Strategy, and Roland Berger are generally active in Milan, often with stronger demand than MBB in certain practices. Hiring tends to be more practice-driven (e.g., financial services, industrials, transactions, digital/transformations), and timelines can be less standardized.

Market context
The Milan market is steady rather than booming. Firms are prioritizing candidates with clear fit for local clients and practices, strong language skills, and a convincing Italy/Milan story. Networking and referrals matter a lot.

In short: yes, firms are hiring post-MBA in Milan, but competition is intense and pipelines are tighter than a few years ago. Being proactive with networking and flexible across firms and practices improves odds significantly.

Best,
Evelina

Smart move focusing on the Milan dynamics specifically. The Italian market often operates on a slightly different cycle than the main UK/DACH hubs, and you're right to try and gauge current appetite.

Here is the reality for the current cycle: all the firms you listed (MBB, Strategy&, OW, Parthenon) are definitely maintaining their MBA recruiting pipelines, but the volume is highly sensitive to local utilization. Milan offices generally operate with smaller bench sizes, meaning hiring decisions are often need-based rather than continuous intake. While they always want top INSEAD talent, if utilization in Q1 has dropped—even slightly—they will slow down the official recruiting process and rely more on opportunistic hiring. Don't expect the massive intake classes you might see in NYC or London this year.

Your strategy needs to pivot from general interest to demonstrating clear alignment with current staffable needs. Look beyond generalized strategy practices. The core hiring demand right now is coming from specific pockets: major national Energy Transition projects (a focus across all MBB and OW), and regulatory/digital transformation within Financial Services and Industrial Goods. These teams often secure the headcount first.

Therefore, your focus shouldn't be on the overall outlook, but on the individuals. Leverage your INSEAD network immediately to identify PMs or Partners currently running engagements in those three high-demand sectors. A direct connection who can vouch for your immediate fit onto a busy team is exponentially more valuable than a high GMAT/GPA in a tightening cycle.

All the best!

I'm working with a couple of Italian candidates atm who are interviewing with those firms. 

So empirically, I can confirm they are hiring. 

But do bear in mind that hiring is also role-dependent. 

One candidate that I'm working with now is a grad and the other an experienced hire. You are an MBA so role availability might be different. Which effectively means: check it directly with the recruiter.

Best,
Cristian

hey there :)

For Milan this cycle, hiring is active but more selective than in peak years. MBB and most Tier 2 firms are recruiting post MBA, but volumes are controlled and performance bar is high. Demand is generally stronger in operations, digital, energy and industrial topics, while pure strategy intakes are tighter.

Pipeline from INSEAD is still strong for Milan, but networking and clear geographic commitment matter a lot. If you want to share your target firms, happy to give a more nuanced view.

best,
Alessa :)