PwC consulting biz to get a boost in India

Booz & Company, established by Edwin Booz in 1914 in the US, entered the Indian market in the mid-1990s

The merger of global management consulting firm Booz & Company with PricewaterhouseCoopers is likely to strengthen the latter's consulting business in India across some sectors, considering its expertise in niche management consulting.

Booz & Company, established by Edwin Booz in 1914 in the US, entered the Indian market in the mid-1990s. Then, as part of a global restructuring strategy, the company exited the Indian market, according to its website. While it had no office here till it re-entered in 2008, the company provided services to Indian clients during these eight years.

With offices in Mumbai and here, Booz & Co offers consulting services in a variety of sectors - communication, media and technology, consumer and retail, energy, chemicals and utilities, financial services, health and private equity. Its India officials could not be reached for comment. It has two managing directors, two partners, one international director and seven principals in India.

PwC has a bigger presence in India, with offices across eight cities and with 6,500 employees (Booz would have less than 100). Consulting comes under PwC's advisory business. A third of its business in India is from advisory services.

PwC has offices in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Pune. It offers management consulting, techchnology consulting and risk consulting. PwC India did not respond to Business Standard queries till the time of printing.

Acording to sources, the pay structures of the two companies are different. As Booz & Co hires mostly from top-level Indian Institutes of Management, even mid-level managers get about Rs 50-60 lakh annual compensation. PwC's mid-level managers get Rs 25-30 lakh a year, as it hires from across institutes, added a source.