Hi everyone,
I have an upcoming interview with Oliver Wyman in the Middle East (Riyadh office) and have already completed several mock case interviews with peers.
What types of cases are most common for OW in the region? Are they mainly financial services, quantitative-heavy, or general strategy cases?
Also, any advice on how to best prepare specifically for OW interviews would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Congratulations on your upcoming interview with OW!
My main advice is to be broadly prepared and ready to adapt. You can expect an interviewee-led case, so strong case leadership and clear structuring will be important. Be comfortable driving the case forward, proposing hypotheses, and guiding the discussion rather than waiting for prompts.
OW Riyadh may present cases across a wide range of industries , including financial services, public sector, and others, so try not to focus preparation too narrowly on one sector. Instead, rely on the core casing skills you’ve developed: structuring problems clearly, identifying key drivers, and spotting patterns in the information presented.
Even if the industry is unfamiliar, demonstrating logical thinking and structured problem solving will matter more than deep sector knowledge.
While strategy questions are common, the context can vary widely depending on the industry and client situation. Focus on applying your frameworks flexibly and tailoring them to the problem at hand.
Also, be prepared to stay adaptable. OW cases are often inspired by real client work, which means they may not follow a perfectly “textbook” format. Review what you’ve learned so far, trust your preparation, and approach the case with confidence and curiosity.
Happy to speak further if helpful.
Best,
Annika
Hi there,
I've had multiple candidates for OW, so I'm happy to provide a perspective.
Do check with the recruiter whether your interviews will be focused on a particular industry.
In most cases, the cases can be from any industry. But if you're applying for a specific practice within OW, then they can be more industry-specific.
Regarding the case type, rather assume they are candidate-led. Even if your interviews lean more into being interviewer-led, approaching them as candidate-led will be a good signal for them - that you are proactive and able to lead the case.
If you need any help, don't hesitate to reach out.
Best,
Cristian
OW is known for quantitative, data-heavy cases globally. The Middle East office is no different. Expect financial services, insurance, and strategy cases with a strong numbers component. Given Riyadh, public sector and financial institution cases are also common.
What makes OW different from MBB is the emphasis on precision. Be comfortable with financial modeling logic, market sizing with real numbers, and pressure testing assumptions.
OW cases tend to be interviewer-led with exhibits and data sets thrown at you mid-case. Practice interpreting charts quickly and drawing clear conclusions from them.
On fit, have a specific answer for why OW over MBB. Generic answers will not land well.
Peer practice helps with fluency but misses the nuance of what OW specifically rewards. If you can get a session with someone who knows OW, do it before the interview.
