Tom Spencer
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An important step towards obtaining a job in a consulting firm is to create a target list of firms that you would like to work for. This can be a very time consuming process.

With the view to saving you a couple of hours, I have prepared a list of consulting firms operating in Australia. This is not an exhaustive list, so if I have overlooked any good consulting firms (I have), let me know.

To make it easier to find the consulting firm you are looking for, consulting firms have been grouped in one of three categories: Strategy and general business, Human resources, and Information technology. Where a consultancy could have been placed under more than one heading, I have placed under the heading I thought was most relevant.

Although some of the consulting firms listed below operate internationally, I have created this list specifically for Australia, but don’t despair! I intend to create specific lists for other countries, for example, India, the UK, USA, Singapore, and China. I plan to do this over the next few months.

Of all the firms I looked at, I have only included the ones that appeared to be of good quality. If you have used any of these firms, please let everyone know what you thought of them – the good and the bad.

Since there are quite a few firms, I have broken the list down into three categories:

  1. Strategy and general business consulting
  2. HR (human resources) consulting
  3. IT (information technology) consulting
  4. Sustainability consulting

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Post image for Strategy and general business consulting firms in Australia

The list of strategy and general business consulting firms is part of the full list of consulting firms in Australia:

  1. Accenture
  2. A.T. Kearney
  3. Bain & Company
  4. BCG
  5. The Birchman Group
  6. Booz Allen Hamilton
  7. Compass Consulting
  8. Connell Wagner
  9. Deloitte
  10. Dowling
  11. GEM Consulting
  12. LEK Consulting
  13. McKinsey
  14. Mettle Consulting
  15. Momentum Partners
  16. Nexus Consulting
  17. Oliver Wyman
  18. Oyster Consulting
  19. PKF
  20. Port Jackson Partners
  21. PwC
  22. RK Consultancy Services
  23. Sinclair Knight Merz
  24. SMT Consulting
  25. White Room Associates

1. Accenture

Website: www.accenture.com

Established in 1989, Accenture operates in more than 150 cities across the world. In Australia, Accenture operates in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Perth and Wollongong.

Accenture offers management consulting services covering finance & performance management, talent & organisation performance, strategy, customer relationship management, and supply chain management.

2. A.T. Kearney

Website: www.atkearney.com

Founded in 1926, A.T. Kearney operates across 51 locations world wide. In Australia, A.T. Kearney operates out of Sydney and Melbourne.

A.T. Kearney’s mission is to help the world’s leading corporations gain and sustain a competitive advantage, and to achieve profound, tangible results for its clients. Services offered include: complexity management, enterprise transformation, operations, procurement solutions, strategic information technology, strategy and sustainability.

3. Bain & Company

Website: www.bain.com

Founded in 1973 when Bill Bain and others left BCG to form Bain & Company. Bain operates in 38 offices across 25 countries. In Ausralia, Bain operates out of Sydney and Melbourne.

Bain is well-known for offering services like due diligence, IPO preparation, portfolio profit improvement and revenue enhancement geared toward leveraged buyout and venture capital firms.

4. BCG

Website: www.bostonconsulting.com.au

Founded in 1963 by Bruce Henderson, BCG operates in 66 offices across 38 countries. In Australia, BCG operates out of Sydney and Melbourne.

BCG specialises in business strategy and draws most of its clients from the 500 largest corporations worldwide, as well as working with smaller companies, non-profit organisations and government agencies.

5. The Birchman Group

Website: www.thebirchmangroup.com

The Birchman Group operates across 9 countries. In Australia, Birchman operates in Sydney and Perth.

The Birchman Group offers a range of services including strategy development, business case development, programme management, benefits tracking, process improvement, and change management.

6. Booz Allen Hamilton

Website: www.boozallen.com

Founded in Chicago in 1914 by Edwin G. Booz, BAH operates in 115 offices across six continents. In Ausralia, BAH operates out of Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, and Canberra.

BAH has its main area of expertise in strategy and technology consulting, working in both the commercial and government sectors.

7. Compass Consulting

Website: www.compassconsulting.com.au

Founded in 1980 in Sweden by Olof Söderblom, Compass now operates across 15 countries. In Australia, Compass in located in Sydney.

Compass services are designed to address a wide range of challenges related to managing business operations. These include enhancing operational efficiency, developing and implementing effective sourcing solutions, optimiszing the value contribution of IT, managing change programs to maximize benefit to the business, and monitoring performance levels and ensuring communication throughout the enterprise.

8. Connell Wagner

Website: www.conwag.com

Connell Wagner has 24 offices across Australia, as well as offices in New Zealand, South-East Asia, China and the Middle East. In Australia, its head office is in Melbourne.

Connell Wagner is one of Asia Pacific’s largest and most experienced multi-disciplinary consulting practices. Providing planning, surveying, engineering, environmental, scientific, business advisory and project management services to the transportation, buildings, urban development, water, environment, energy, industrial, defence and telecommunications industries.

9. Deloitte

Website: www.deloitte.com

Founded in 1893 in the US, Deloitte has a strong global presence and operates in all capital cities of Australia.

Although offering a large number of accounting services, Deloitte also has a consulting practice. The consulting practice offers HR, outsourcing, strategy & operations, and technology consulting.

10. Dowling

Website: www.dowlingconsulting.biz

Founded in 2001, Dowling is a boutique consultancy that has its head office in Melbourne and also operates in Sydney and Frankfurt.

Dowling has clients in the mining, metals, industrials, consumer goods, retail and logistics industries. Its services include the provision of strategic business analysis, IT and supply-chain management transformation. In 2006/07, Dowling was recognised on the BRW Fast Starters list as the 27th fastest growing firm in Australia.

11. GEM Consulting

Website: www.gemconsulting.com.au

Acquired in 2007 by PricewaterhouseCoopers, GEM Consulting is based in Perth.

GEM provides a wide variety of advice on corporate strategy, performance improvement, and organisational effectiveness. The Mining and Resources practice constitutes an area of particular expertise.

12. LEK Consulting

Website: lekconsulting.com.au

Founded in 1983, LEK now has more than 850 consultants in Europe, the United States, Asia, and Australia. LEK has offices in Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland.

LEK’s portfolio of services draws on its core capabilities of research, benchmarking, modelling, analysis and strategy development to help companies determine the best way forward.

13. McKinsey

Website: www.mckinsey.com.au

Founded in Chicago in 1926, McKinsey is the world’s most prestigious consulting firm and operates in 90 locations across 51 countries. In Australia, McKinsey operates out of Sydney and Melbourne.

McKinsey works internationally in a broad range of industries with large private sector institutions, governments and other non-profit institutions.

14. Mettle Consulting

Website: www.mettle.biz

Created in April 2004 through the merger of three consulting firms, Mettle is located in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and the UK.

Mettle has worked in the transformational change field for more than 20 years, and has worked with large and medium sized corporates, not-for-profit and government organisations.

15. Momentum Partners

Website: www.momentumpartners.com.au

Momentum Partners is based in Perth, and operates across Australia.

Services include corporate advisory, strategic planning, business improvement and organisational design. Staff have direct operational experience in a range of environments, and business consulting experience at the commercial planning and strategic level. Clients include small and large companies in the resources, construction, and energy sectors.

16. Nexus Consulting

Website: www.nexusconsulting.com.au

Founded in 1996 by Greg Masters, Nexus is located in Sydney and has strategic partnerships with a number of other leading consulting firms.

Nexus specialises in public sector organisational dynamics, strategic planning, evaluation and group facilitation.

17. Oliver Wyman

Website: www.oliverwyman.com

Founded in New York in 1984, Oliver Wyman operates across 19 countries. In Australia, Oliver Wyman operates out of Sydney.

Services offered by Oliver Wyman include business transformation, organisation & leadership, finance & risk, marketing & sales, operations & technology, and strategy.

18. Oyster Consulting

Website: www.oysterconsulting.com

Oyster Consulting is based in Perth.

Oyster Consulting has strong resource industry experience, and offers a range of services including corporate strategy and business planning, business analysis, services optimisation, business improvement, and organisational design services.

19. PKF

Website: www.pkf.com.au

PKF has some 400 offices in 119 countries worldwide. In Australia, PKF operates in Canberra, Sydney, Darwin, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Townsville Adelaide, Mount Barker, Hobart, Melbourne and Perth.

PKF in Australia is a specialist group of chartered accountants and consulting firms. PKF provides organisational development, taxation, and IT services, as well as providing consulting services to government

20. Port Jackson Partners

Website: www.pjpl.com.au

Port Jackson Partners was founded in July 1991 by Terrey Arcus and Fred Hilmer to counsel the CEOs of select corporations. PJP is a boutique consultancy firm based in Sydney.

PJP’s Australian clients come from a diverse range of industries (e.g. financial sector, service industry, and industrial sector) and are typically top 100 listed companies, but a few are large government owned corporations. PJP focuses on helping companies with strategy and organisation.

www.pwc.com

Website:

Created in 1998 out of the merger of Price Waterhouse and Coopers & Lybrand, PwC has historical roots going back some 150 years.  PwC  operates in 140 countries worldwide. In Australia, PwC has offices in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Newcastle, Perth Sydney, Townsville.

PwC provides assurance, advisory and tax services. PwCs consulting arm indicates that “people engage PricewaterhouseCoopers to help them design, manage and execute lasting change.”

22. RK Consultancy Services

Website: www.rkconsulting.com.au

Founded by its principal, Robert Kalivoda, RKCS is a boutique consulting firm based in Melbourne.

RKCS specialises in risk management, commercial advisory, project management and technology management services. RKCS has worked for the Victorian, NSW and Queensland State Governments and the private sector in providing professional commercial solutions and services across a range of infrastructure, public transport, energy, water, education, health and IT related projects.

23. Sinclair Knight Merz

Website: www.skmconsulting.com

Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) operates in 47 offices around the world. In Australia, SKM has offices in Sydney, Canberra, Newcastle, Melbourne, Tatura, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart and Launceston.

SKM is a leading engineering, sciences and project delivery firm.

24. SMT Consulting

Website: www.smt.com.au

SMT is located in Sydney and Melbourne.

SMT is a specialist supply chain technology and business performance consultancy.

25. White Room Associates

Website: www.whiteroomassociates.com

White Room Associates is a boutique Strategy and Management Consulting firm headquartered in Sydney with offices in Melbourne, Singapore and Munich.

White Room’s “raison d’être” is essentially to help organisations resolve complex issues using an effective and pragmatic approach, and provides services targeting operations, strategy, IT, marketing and distribution, and leadership development

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HR consulting firms

The list of HR consulting firms is part of the full list of consulting firms in Australia:

  1. Amazing Results
  2. Greg Bailey Consulting
  3. Inspiritive
  4. Maxumise
  5. Michael Page International
  6. Right Consulting
  7. TACTICS Consulting

1. Amazing Results

Website: www.amazingresults.com.au

Amazing Results has its head office in Sydney and also operates out of Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Canberra.

Amazing Results is an Australian human resources consulting firm, which provides talent management, resume assistance, business mentoring and coaching, HR and performance assessment services.

2. Greg Bailey Consulting

Website: www.gbc.net.au

Founded in 2003, GBC is based in Melbourne.

GBC is a boutique consulting firm, specialising in the fields of contact centre management, service delivery, and customer service training.

3. Inspiritive

Website: www.inspiritive.com.au

Founded in 1992, Inspiritive is located in Sydney and Melbourne.

Inspiritive is a training and consulting company specialising in the development, teaching and application of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP).

4. Maxumise

Website: www.maxumise.com.au

Founded in 1996, Maxumise has offices in Sydney, Fiji and London.

Maxumise provides organisational and human resource consulting services.

5. Michael Page International

Website: www.michaelpage.com.au

Founded in 1976, the Group operates through 149 offices in 25 countries worldwide. In Australia, Michael Page operates in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.

Michael Page is a leading professional recruitment consultancy specialising in the recruitment of permanent, contract and temporary positions on behalf of the world’s top employers.

6. Right Consulting

Website: www.right.com

Founded in 1980, Right Consulting operates in over 300 locations across 50 countries. In Australia, Right Consulting operates in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.

Right Consulting helps companies to attract and assess talent, develop and train staff, engage and align people with organisations, and help to provide outplacement initiatives.

7. TACTICS Consulting

Website: www.tacticsconsulting.com.au

Founded in 1987, TACTICS operates in Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra.

TACTICS develops information and learning solutions to help its corporate and Government clients achieve their business or operational outcomes.

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Post image for IT consulting firms in Australia

The list of IT consulting firms is part of the full list of consulting firms in Australia:

  1. The DLA Group
  2. JDCA Technology Dimensions
  3. Red Prime Media & Communications
  4. SMS Management & Technology
  5. Wiliam

1. The DLA Group

Website: www.dlagroup.com.au

DLA is located in Sydney.

The DLA Group is an IT consulting, software development and distribution company. DLA’s clients include many multi-nationals, government and vertical market software development groups who rely on DLA for strategic IT advice, technical support and knowledge management software.

2. JDCA Technology Dimensions

Website: www.jdca.com.au

Founded in 1984, JDCA operates out of Sydney.

JDCA Technology Dimensions specialises in the provision of technology-related services to small to medium enterprises.

3. Red Prime Media & Communications

Website: www.red-prime.com.au

Founded in 2006, Red Prime Media & Communication, originally called Summer Internet, is located in Melbourne.

The primary interest of Red Prime is in web consulting and web marketing for international businesses, helping them bridge businesses between China and Australia. Red Prime specialises in multi-lingual websites.

4. SMS Management & Technology

Website: www.smsmt.com

Founded in 1986 on the basis of three core rules: add value, maintain unity and enhance reputation. SMS has offices in the ACT, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Mackay QLD, Mawson Lakes SA, and Singapore.

SMS claims to be Australia’s largest publicly listed Management Services Company, providing consulting, resourcing and technology services to Australian and international governments and corporations.

5. Wiliam

Website: www.wiliam.com.au

Founded in 1997, Wiliam is based in Sydney.

Wiliam is a leading Australian web site design, development, strategy and online marketing firm.

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Background to The Art of War

Sun Tzu wrote The Art of War in approximately 490BC in the Kingdom of Wu, China, and became a general for the King of Wu in 512 BC. For the next 39 years his precepts were followed and the Kingdom of Wu was victorious. And then, they forgot … the armies of Wu were defeated and the Kingdom made extinct.

In 1782, The Art of War was first translated into French by a Jesuit, Father Amiot. There is a legend that it was Napoleon’s key to success and his secret weapon and the first English translation was produced by P.F. Calthrop in 1905.

In reading The Art of War I have tried to think about how Sun Tzu’s military principles provide a timeless guide to modern business leadership.

Dr. Foo Check Teck, Asia’s foremost expert on Sun Tzu, says, “I found many more CEO’s and entrepreneurs, especially those who had to compete at the edge, are unconsciously applying Sun Tzu’s ping-fa (Law of Soldiering).”

The essence of business, like war, is to pursue goals and achieve success (Dr. Raymond Yeh). Success, or even your proximity to success, can make you a target to those who oppose that success, however they might choose to fight you. That is why understanding Sun Tzu’s Art of War can prove advantageous to just about anyone (Robert L. Cantrell, consultant and author of Understanding Sun Tzu on the Art of War).

I have summarised Sun Tzu’s principles into four simple categories:

  1. Qualities of a successful leader;
  2. Oranising your business affairs;
  3. Dealing with rivals; and
  4. Strategies for effective leadership.

If you’re interested in The Art of War and want to read more, check out both Sonshi.com and Wikipedia.

1. Qualities of a successful leader

1.1 Discipline

A leader must be disciplined. Having discipline includes maintaining the hierarchy within the organisation; clearly defining the specific roles and responsibilities of members of management; maintaining systems to ensure delivery of services by suppliers and payment from customers; and controlling expenditure.

I fully believe he was a good soldier, but I had him beheaded because he acted without orders.

1.2 Presence of mind

Presence of mind is the ability to stay calm and act sensibly in a crisis. This is a leader’s most important asset.

1.3 Self respect

If you do not respect yourself, your men will not respect you. If your men do not respect you, they will be unresponsive to orders and will delight in undermining your authority and reputation.

1.4 Wisdom, sincerity and good faith

If your decisions are well thought out and you act honestly, your men will trust you. If you are trusted, people will speak their mind freely and openly, which means business problems can be solved more quickly and effectively.

1.5 Prompt decision making

In a competitive business environment time is always of the essence. As such, a successful leader needs to make quick decisions.

…though we have heard of stupid haste in [business], cleverness has never been seen associated with long delays.

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