McKinsey's PEPI vs. BCG's PIPE? Which is stronger?

Hi, 

I used to work in BCG's PIPE practice, so sharing a couple of perspectives. 

1. If we take a generalized view, McK is bigger than BCG (in general), so by extension you could argue McK would be better if just based on global size
2. Specifically for PE work, you have to realize that Bain is still the market leader in this space globally on average. This means that McK and BCG are often fighting for 2nd place and competing with select T2s as well (if not Big 4 sometimes)
3. In reality, this is very region specific. I would say in DACH McK is probably bigger, though in other regions BCG definitely is stronger (e.g. worked on bigger deals, have more significant inroads into key clients)
4. Differentiation - between MBB they pretty much compete for the same projects. There is however -some- differentiation between MBB and T2 for select kind of PIPE projects

I also considered several exit opportunities in the PE/investor space - happy to have a more detailed chat on this, just drop me a dm!

Within DACH, I estimate McKinsey's practice to be much larger (no quantifiable data, though, assuming based on McK's relative size to Bain and the fact that the PEPI practice is one of the core ones for McK). 

Yes, they do compete over the same sort of projects (alongside BCG and other firms as well).

Whether they specialise in different types of projects, I wouldn't be able to tell you. I did some work within PEPI (or rather PEPI projects - I wasn't part of the practice per se), but you'd get a deeper perspective from just speaking with two Associate-level consultants from DACH who are now in the two firms. 

You might find the following article helpful in terms of sourcing the contacts:

• Expert Guide: How To Handle Networking Calls and Get Referrals

Best,
Cristian

I believe Mckinsey is stronger on all fronts.

Hi there,

In number of projects and breadth, McK is leading. They do compete for the same projects.

Exit opps and reputation are pretty similar across both McK and BCG.

In the end, it comes down to who you like to work with more based on the interactions you have during recruiting.

Cheers,

Florian

McKinsey is stronger. This doesn't mean that BCG's PIPE practice isn't a fantastic opportunity (it is!).

If you are thinking about applying, do it. This way you maximize your chances to get offers.

Best,

Alberto

—

Check out my latest case based on a real MBB interview: Sierra Springs

Hi there,

Agree with the other coaches - McKinsey would generally be “stronger”.

Now, remember this is not all that matters.

Make sure to network and speak to people. Understand what you want in a company/firm/job (maybe it's just “strength”), and make sure it matches.

Nice work getting 2 fantastic offers!