Oil & gas exit opportunities

Question

Hi all,

I am a senior associate at BCG London (been here for 3yrs) and I’m considering moving to the oil and gas industry (in particular, I have my eyes on shell)

1. What roles in oil & gas would be a good fit for ex MBB consultants?

2. Are there any Oil & Gas firms famous for hiring ex consultants?

Asking these questions because I have tried to search the internet for the answers but haven’t found much. Seems like the consulting to O&G pipeline is not very common

Answer 1

Hi there,

It depends a bit on what you focused on within BCG, but I would think about the following areas/roles:
- Strategy / Chief of Staff roles: many ex MBB I know who joined industrial companies, joined as something similar to Chief of Staff, Director/Head/VP of Strategy or an equivalent but more junior position depending on seniority

- In-house Consulting wherever available

- Business Development: often similar to strategy roles

- Sales / Distribution / Marketing: depending on what you focused on within BCG

- Investor Relations: especially if you've done more financy stuff at BCG

- Operations: if you've done very operational work at BCG, operation/transformation roles (e.g., digital transformation of operations, etc)

- General Management roles: leader of a business unit / country manager or - given that you are not that senior - Chief of Staff of a BU manager

Hope this is a good staring point for your search- good luck!

Answer 2

Cool profile. You definitely have something that is really in demand at the moment.

I would approach this situation by speaking first with the people who did it before.

This means going on LinkedIn and using the filtering functions to figure out who left BCG (or McK or Bain) for O&G roles in the industry. Write to a bunch of them. Have a couple of calls. Approach the discussions with an open mind and willingness to learn.

These people, I'm sure, would be excited to share their experience especially since you share a common path.

In terms of what roles would fit best, for you as a senior Associate in BCG you'd be a middle manager in the industry. The contacts from within the industry would be able to give you a better idea based on their own path.

You can leverage these two articles on how to source the contacts and chat with them:

Best,
Cristian

Answer 3

There are many options for ex-MBB consultants in an oil firm - some examples below:

Strategy and Business Development: Roles here may involve market analysis, investment opportunities identification, and development of long-term business strategies (e.g., sustainability and transition strategies as the industry evolves towards renewable energy.)
Project Management: Managing large-scale projects, such as the development of new drilling sites or the construction of infrastructure.
Operations Consulting: Focusing on improving the efficiency of operations, supply chain management, and cost reduction.
Corporate Finance and Investment Analysis: If you have done due diligence etc. then working on the financial side, especially in corp dev roles is one you can explore

Which companies to target - Shell, BP, and ExxonMobil are ones I know of where many candidates often end up.

Answer 4

Hi there,

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your questions:

First of all, I would highly advise you to opt for the role that best aligns with your professional (and maybe even personal) mid- to long-term goals, depending on what you have been specializing in at BCG and what you are interested in.
Moreover, I would advise you to leverage your network, both within BCG and externally. Networking can provide insights and opportunities that are not visible through a standard job search. It’s also a chance to understand the culture and challenges of potential employers firsthand.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Answer 5

This really depends on your specific project experience (and profile). A few options on roles:

Strategy / Internal Consulting
Corporate Development / M&A
Energy Transition / Sustainability roles
Operations and Supply Chain
Digital Transformation
Marketing roles
General management / business roles

All of the major companies hire consultants. By the way, there is a strong variety of companies (you have exploration, refining, retail, oil, biofuels, natural gas distribution, EV charging, …)

Answer 6

Strategy roles, corporate planning, business development, and operational excellence roles. Their strategic thinking, problem-solving skills, and experience in process improvement could be valuable in these types of positions.
Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron, BP, and Total are all options for you

Answer 7

Hi, Great question. Sharing my perspective having considered exits at various stages. I would say it all depends on... (read entire answer)

Hi, Great question. Sharing my perspective having considered exits at various stages. I would say it all depends on what your exit goals / outcomes are. I would characterize op... (read entire answer)

Answer 8

Hi! I wouldn't worry about them reneging on the offer. Through the background check, they rather want to understand... (read entire answer)

Hi! I wouldn't worry about them reneging on the offer. Through the background check, they rather want to understand whether you purposefully tried to hide something or lie in t... (read entire answer)

Answer 9

Hi there, I would say a typical timeline from submitting your application to ultimately receiving an offer (if that w... (read entire answer)

Hi there, I would say a typical timeline from submitting your application to ultimately receiving an offer (if that were to happen) is often between 6-8 weeks. If you apply in... (read entire answer)