PIPE / PEPI vs Generalist consulting

Hi there, 

If I understand correctly, through PIPE you're referring to the private equity practice at MBBs. As far as I know, it's PIPE in BCG, PEPI in McK. If that's it, here are my thoughts below:

- type of work done

Basically expect to be doing mostly due diligence (DD) projects (2-4 weeks engagements), quite intense, across various industries.

- hours on the job

The longest. Doing DDs is notoriously hard and consultants generally run away from them as much as possible unless they are generally interested in private equity and potentially working in that field post-consulting

- career progression

PEPI is a good place to learn. The good part of constantly being put under pressure is that your skills are growing on steroids and you'll get better faster than any one else. You'll also get exposure to many many people in the firm because of the short duration of engagements which will force you to change teams often. 

- remuneration

If you're in a practice (at least in McK), you're basically a generalist consultant with a % dedicated to work that practice is focusing on. So you could be doing 50% PEPI and the rest other types of projects. That rarely influences remuneration so I would expect it to stay about the same

Hope this helps! Good luck with the application!

You'll be doing more Due Dilligence work, which is more strategic and analytical in its nature (no implementation, no change management, no PMO type of work). It is much more intense (both working hours and pace), but requires less to no travel, and client contact is a bit reduced. It is also easier to ask for some time off (between projects) or book vacations, as engagements are very short.

You will learn about a lot of industries particularly niches) and about how to perform market analysis and competitive analysis. You will learn about strategy (not so much about execution nor how a company actually works, though). You will understand value drivers and investment thesis very well.

Regarding remuneration and career progression, it's the same. Some people run away from this, other just want to do this type of work. In my case, I love this type of work, as it is the most intellectually challenging. 

Hi there,

- type of work done

Due diligence primarily. Short, sharp projects of approx 4 weeks. Quick learning and hopping across lots of industries

- hours on the job

A lot. 80 is to be expected. Weekends are to be expected. It is notorious for being harder than Generalist (which is already hard)

- career progression (esp exit options)

Generally faster progression. You accelerate your learning and development, meet more Pls/Partners, etc.

- remuneration 

Same (though bonuses could be higher if you're “doing more”)

Hi,

Sharing my perspective having worked in BCG's PE practice.

Type of work done

• You will be doing mostly CDDs and VDDs, although there are other types of projects as well (portfolio company optimization, fund strategy etc)
• Difference with generalist role: the nature of the projects is heavily weighted towards core problem solving skills, and less focused on client engagement

Hours on the job

• On a CDD, typically 13-15 hours a day
• Difference with generalist role: Generalist roles can also have killer projects but few will normally match the intensity day in day out of a CDD. Expect to work longer hours and more intensely than an ‘average’ project

Career progression (esp exit options)

• Potential additional exit options include PE deal team, PE value creation, M&A roles at corporates or other types of investors
• Difference with generalist role: You will still qualify for standard roles the generalist will apply for e.g. corp strat that doesn't care about your industry focus and more on your brand name

Remuneration 

• No difference - within the firms, this is standardized and it is solely dependent on your performance

If I had to do it all over again, I would have done PE work earlier as it really helped to give me the core fundamental problem solving skills that are hard to come by in today's transformation-heavy pipeline.

All the best!

Speaking from experience:

• Type of work done: Portfolio strategy, consulting for portfolio companies, deal evaluation, commercial DD etc.
• Hours on the job: Same as a generalist consultant. You are a regular part of the team on the ground. On good days 9-6, on bad days 9-12(night). 
• Career progression: If you are hired as an ‘expert’ consultant, then your career progression will follow the expert track progression. It is also quite possible that you are hired as a ‘generalist’ despite a PIPE focused intake.
• Remuneration: Similar answer as that for Career Progression. Your remuneration will depend on whether you are hired as an expert consultant or a generalist one. Typically - MBB do NOT have much difference between either - like for like.

Entering as a generalist allows you to experience a wider range of projects. The evaluation and appraisals are generally the same. The best approach is to ask your referee on what would be a better choice given the office.