Why Consulting Firms Are Hiring Ex-Operators Not Ex-Consultants

Episode 12 of Service Business Talks with Fexingo: Lucas and Luna explore why top consulting firms are increasingly hiring former operators — ex-CFOs, ex-COOs, ex-plant managers — instead of traditional MBA graduates. They dive into McKinsey's 'Owner Operator' program, launched in 2024, which now accounts for 12% of senior hires, and how Bain's 'Practitioner Track' embeds retired executives into client teams full-time. Lucas cites a case where a former airline maintenance director brought a $40 million cost-saving insight that no junior consultant could have found. Luna pushes back on whether these hires dilute the 'consultant brand,' and they debate how firms are restructuring compensation to attract talent that would otherwise never join a consultancy. The episode closes with the hosts discussing what this means for the future of professional services — fewer slide decks, more hands-on execution. #ConsultingHiring #OperatorsNotConsultants #McKinsey #BainAndCompany #OwnerOperator #PractitionerTrack #ProfessionalServices #FutureOfConsulting #TalentStrategy #BusinessPodcast #FexingoBusiness #ServiceBusinessTalks #CareerPivot #FormerExecutives #ConsultingIndustry #LaborMarket #HumanCapital #ROIC Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo