List/Top Consultant-Friendly PE Firms

Have already checked the site somewhat and have a decent list, but curious to hear if there are any recent news or trends for certain consultant friendly PE firms (i.e. I've heard Bain Cap hasn't been doing as great recently). Just wondering what the "hot" consultant friendly PE firms are right now and which ones might be best to avoid.

23 Comments
 
Most Helpful

Midwest:

West

Boston

New York

Other

  • I have never heard of Altamont and Sorenson but I remember them from another thread
  • I have heard mixed things on TPG (you could look on LinkedIn)
 

Edited list with commentary around actual interest in consultants + attractiveness right now:

Midwest:

West

  • Francisco Partners - quite rare (1 Associate): https://www.franciscopartners.com/team - "hot"
  • H&F - key hot PE firm with tech focus that consistently splits class between consultants and bankers, up to 50/50
  • Permira - rare but open to hiring consultants - "hot"
  • Serent - former McKinsey founded
  • Summit - Growth
  • FFL - not doing particularly well right now (last fund in 2015) but does hire consultants
  • Golden Gate - not doing particularly well right now but consistently hires consultants 
  • HGGC
  • JMI - more growth equity and venture than conventional PE
  • Marlin Equity - quite rare (1-2 Associates): https://www.marlinequity.com/team/
  • TA (plain LBO mostly now worth including) - "hot" - but mostly in Boston - see one consultant hire in Menlo so rare: https://www.ta.com/team#?offices=menlo-park&roles=investment-staff
  • Altamont - former Golden Gate - almost exclusively hires consultants

Boston - primary city for consulting friendly PE firms

  • Bain - correct that performance nowadays not as good
  • Cove Hill
  • Advent - similar to H&F - key "hot" PE firm that consistently splits class between consultants and bankers, up to 50/50
  • Berkshire
  • HIG - rare to see them hire consultants
  • Audax
  • Parthenon Capital
  • Charlesbank

New York

  • Insight - "hot" - increasingly doing LBOs - hires consultants in portfolio + M&A dual role
  • New Mountain Capital - "hot" - consistently hires consultants
  • AEA - consistently hires consultants
  • EQT (interviewed there not sure if they have hired) - rare - "hot" but not so hot in the US
  • CVC (interviewed there not sure if they have hired) - rare - "hot" but not so hot in the US
  • Lee Equity - consistently hires consultants
  • Charlesbank - almost exclusively hires consultants but mainly in Boston, not New York
  • Sycamore (not sure on location?) - consistently hires Bain & Co retail consultants
  • Apax - exclusively McKinsey I think

My picks for "hot" consultant friendly firms: H&F, Advent, New Mountain

 

I have seen a lot of consultants in the Insight Onsite program which I think is what you refer to as the portfolio + M&A dual role. They also have an investment team that doesn't really hire consultants so do you have any color on why the Onsite role is differentiated to normal PE portfolio roles that pretty much always hire consultants anyways. 

 

Voluptate explicabo laborum possimus. Optio distinctio facilis dolor rerum porro. Perferendis qui earum quod aspernatur ipsam vel non. Doloribus sit minus et ipsum ea dolor. Numquam quod qui perspiciatis deserunt eum esse.

Quia rem beatae in nihil. Sed aut qui totam id autem corrupti eveniet iusto. Accusantium quisquam molestiae quo ut ut. Explicabo sit repellendus optio provident enim reprehenderit. Nesciunt cupiditate in odit sit neque in. Molestias pariatur dicta et consequuntur voluptas eum.

Molestiae distinctio ut sint velit illum dolorem. Quos velit et sed. At voluptatem neque sed dolores qui pariatur aut.

 

Ipsam quo optio inventore magni. Ut atque hic quam. Tempora sequi nostrum esse et. Saepe id dicta quidem labore. Non qui voluptates ex consequatur. Quo ut consequatur ut doloribus. Soluta nam vero voluptatem doloribus enim reprehenderit.

Et non eum et voluptatem minus quisquam recusandae atque. Non magnam iure maiores molestiae officiis culpa et. Velit sit voluptates totam praesentium accusantium quia deserunt.

Career Advancement Opportunities

November 2026 Private Equity

  • Blackstone Group 99.6%
  • The Riverside Company 99.3%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 98.9%
  • Warburg Pincus 98.5%
  • Vista Equity Partners 98.2%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

November 2026 Private Equity

  • Blackstone Group 99.6%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 99.3%
  • The Riverside Company 98.9%
  • Ardian 98.5%
  • Warburg Pincus 98.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

November 2026 Private Equity

  • Bain Capital 99.6%
  • Blackstone Group 99.3%
  • The Riverside Company 98.9%
  • Starwood Capital Group 98.5%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 98.2%

Total Avg Compensation

November 2026 Private Equity

  • Principal (9) $653
  • Director/MD (24) $547
  • Vice President (100) $364
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (106) $280
  • 2nd Year Associate (236) $272
  • 1st Year Associate (414) $231
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (33) $157
  • 2nd Year Analyst (97) $134
  • 1st Year Analyst (274) $126
  • Intern/Summer Associate (40) $79
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (357) $61
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
6
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
10
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”