MBB Pipeline for 2023 is full in ME

Yes, its a slowdown pretty much is all geographies and is expected to remain like this till Jun. There is a lot of uncertainty at the moment and companies just need to get through the next 6 months

Hi there,

I still have MBB clients in the funnel for the Middle East. I can tell you more in 1-2 weeks' time if no new candidates show up.

For most other regions that is true! I had several clients, who were in the funnel already, have their scheduled interviews canceled even…

All the best! :-)

Cheers,

Florian

It's the economic uncertainty. With that, their regular employee turnover is also likely to be lower for the time being because people are holding on to the jobs they have if they can. It's a challenging situation in many industries at the moment

They are hiring but it is very very slow compared to first half of 2022. The reality is that we are in a hiring downcycle right now and will be for at least the first half of this year. Everyone is waiting to see what happens from an economic perspective and how client demand is faring before staffing up for the year.

Hello A,

I am positive that Bain Dubai, BCG Riyadh and Doha, and McKinsey Riyadh are still recruiting. Not as much as they did during the first half of 2022, but they still do.

Especially BCG Riyadh is making a huge effort to grow and create a stronger presence in Saudi than they do in UAE, because it is something that their clients really want.

So if you really want to work there, I would suggest that you apply. Of course, it goes without saying that thorough research and intense preparation are needed.

Let me know if I can help in any way. Best of luck:)

Hi there, 

Lots of this is also hearsay. No firms have publicly communicated these things. 

However, there are certain regions which have instituted a certain hiring freeze for Q1-2.

There's not much that you can do about it. The only thing you can control is actually applying widely and maximizing your chances for passing the screening. Happy to discuss this in more detail if you're interested.

Best,

Cristian

Yes I can confirm that hiring for ba at mck mena is at a standstill temporarily. 

Hi,

Yes it is known now that hiring has slowed down across firms. From an Asian perspective, BCG hiring has also slowed down (i.e. less than 2021 / 2022), but there is still -some- pipeline depending on the specific office.

Hi there, 

MBB needs more people to support their spectacular YoY growth and ME is the region with the greatest growth, hence I can definitely confirm go ahead and apply, we - MBB - don't have enough staff!

Lucie

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Hi there,

There is currently a slowdown, yes. However, it's only February and a lot can happen in a year - good and bad (that's what uncertainty means). In case it's good, recruiting will pick up again. In case it's bad, it won't.

Bottom line: Nobody can reasonably claim that it's game over for 2023, until we get closer to the end of the year. For now, we just don't know.

Best of luck!

Moritz

What you describe is a bit extreme and does not seem to translate what is happening in reality, which is a slow down, but there's still demand in the Middle East (at least I am supporting candidates applying to the region).

Hi there,

I think this is an interesting question that may be relevant for many people. I would be happy to share my thoughts on it:

• First of all, anything you've heard so far, even from us, are assumptions and vague ideas about the reality. The best way to find out is to apply and see the reaction for your specific case.
• Additionally, MBB in the Middle East is still recruiting, albeit possibly at a slower pace than usual. Nonetheless, regardless of the region and company, there is a slowdown in recruiting due to the uncertain economic situation. Yet, again, this doesn’t need to mean anything for your specific case.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to address your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi there,

We are in the beginning of the 2nd month of the year 2023…it's literally not possible for anyone to say that 2023 is now full for an entire geopolitical region.

Are things slower than 2021 / 2022? Absolutely!

Keep networking aggressively, keep improving your resume, and keep case prepping. There will be hiring.