TFS Gulf
  • All categories
    • inPractice
    • Entrepreneur Story
    • Finance Leaders
    • Videos
TheFinanceStory
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Register
  TFS Gulf
  • All categories
    • inPractice
    • Entrepreneur Story
    • Finance Leaders
    • Videos
The finance story
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Register
The Finance Story
No Result
View All Result

Ex-McKinsey consultant confirms in the AI Era, Boutiques are Winning

With AI leveling the field, boutique consulting firms are now growing 2–3x faster than McKinsey, BCG, and Bain. Founder of Perceptis AI which raised $3.6M, says a new era of AI-powered consulting giants is coming.

The Finance Story by The Finance Story
Published date: 3rd September, 2025
Last edited date: 11th September, 2025
SHARE (0)
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • I’m Alibek D., ex-McKinsey turned co-founder of Perceptis AI.
  • At Perceptis, we raised $3.6M to bring MBB-grade” technology to boutique firms.
  • In the world of AI, I believe thousands of boutique consulting firms will rise. 
  • Why? Because the consulting pyramid is collapsing, giving boutique firms a similar edge as the MBB giants.

From Big Tech to McKinsey

I started in Big Tech (Amazon + Google), and a few years later, in 2015, I pivoted to consulting with McKinsey.

I brought a tech-first mindset, but I was told more than once, “This is consulting, not Google. Leave your tech tricks behind.”

Fast forward to 2023, and McKinsey had gone all-in on technology, building advanced platforms to support clients and operations.

Rise of boutique firms

Over my 6–7 years in consulting, I noticed a clear hierarchy:

  • At the top sit the MBBs: McKinsey, BCG, Bain.
  • In the middle: Big 4s and mid-sized advisory arms.
  • At the base: Thousands of boutique consulting firms: small, hyper-specialised, nimble players.

Here’s the interesting part: the bottom of that pyramid is growing way faster than the top.

  • The big names? They’re crawling along at maybe 3–5% growth.
  • Meanwhile, boutiques are charging ahead with close to double-digit growth, some even clocking 100–200% year over year.

Why the rise of boutique firms? Need for specialisation.

We surveyed clients of consulting services, and the pattern was clear:

  • If a client wants to sway a political decision or make a big splash, they’ll hire a big-brand consultancy.
  • However, if they require sharp, niche expertise, they will opt for a boutique. It’s faster, more focused, and often more cost-effective.

So yes, the consulting pyramid is about to flip!

Also read: McKinsey’s AI Agents replace 5000 consultants: Watch out Indian tax, advisory firms

The problem: MBBs have AI, boutiques don’t

The big firms have their AI arsenals:

  • McKinsey → Lilli / Quantum Black
  • BCG → Dexter
  • Big Four → their own internal platforms

But boutiques lack one thing MBBs have: AI-powered infrastructure!

Later that year, I left McKinsey and co-founded Perceptis AI to become the operating system of modern consulting.

Our starting point was obvious: proposals. Perceptis plugs into a firm’s knowledge base, past proposals, case studies, and CVs and generates customised, client-ready decks in minutes.

But proposals are just the beginning. We’re now expanding into project delivery, faster slide-building, deep research, and knowledge management.

Also read: Big 4 struggle with AI adoption, while midsized & boutique firms win

The next era

Over the next few years, I predict

Trend 1: AI-generated proposals are already making their way

We went out to decision makers – the real buyers of consulting services, some, and asked one question: Are you seeing more AI-generated proposals land on your desk?

At least 25% said, “Yes, we’re confident some of these are ChatGPT-written.” That’s happening already. And honestly, it’s just adding to the noise.

Trend 2: Thousands of niche consulting firms will emerge, focused on sectors, regions, or problems.

Trend 3: AI-first boutiques will challenge traditional players and often win (A five-person firm can now deliver MBB-grade outputs without the overhead.)

Trend 4: Clients will have more choice than ever, forcing everyone to raise their game.

That’s why I don’t believe AI will “kill” MBB  consultants. Clients don’t hire us for slides; they hire us for judgment, trust, and expertise.

But AI will flatten the pyramid McKinsey and others have dominated for decades. The monopoly of scale is ending.

As for AI obliterating consulting altogether? Personally, I don’t see it.

Trend 5: Consulting is increasingly becoming a technology industry. And in tech, leadership is never permanent.

IBM gave way to Microsoft. Yahoo was replaced by Google, which TikTok and other emerging platforms are now challenging. In tech, the leader rarely stays on top for more than a decade.

Professional services, by contrast, have been far more stable: McKinsey has led for a century, Goldman Sachs for nearly 80 years.

But here’s the question: as consulting becomes more like tech, will it also inherit tech’s churn? Will the giants hold their dominance, or will a new wave of AI-powered boutiques reshape the landscape?

The Finance Story

The Finance Story

Recommended for you

CA firm proposes ₹1 as its Statutory Audit fee?
Firms & Professional Services

CA firm proposes ₹1 as its Statutory Audit fee?

25th September, 2025 | 3 mins read
Shaadi.com for CAs? ICAI is building digital platform to help CA Firms
Firms & Professional Services

Shaadi.com for CAs? Yes, ICAI is building digital platform to help CA Firms

25th September, 2025 | 4 mins read
PwC Middle East rocked by Saudi ban: 1,500 job cuts, 60 Partners exit
Firms & Professional Services

PwC Middle East rocked by Saudi ban: 1,500 job cuts, 60 Partners exit

23rd September, 2025 | 3 mins read
PwC report reveals: Chinese companies are flocking to the Middle East
Deals & Investments

PwC report reveals: Chinese companies are flocking to the Middle East

20th September, 2025 | 6 mins read
Ex-PwC Management Consultant confirms Independent Consultants are rising
Firms & Professional Services

Ex-PwC reveals rise in Big 4 Leaders, CXOs becoming Independent Consultants

19th September, 2025 | 7 mins read
Oracle fires 3000 employees after projecting $144Bn cloud revenue
AI

Oracle fires 3000 employees across US, Canada, India, Philippines

17th September, 2025 | 4 mins read
Next Post
Moore Belgium overtakes KPMG in headcount

Moore Belgium overtakes KPMG in headcount

Start conversation Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Popular posts

  • Big 4 firms in India: Inside Deloitte, PwC, EY, & KPMG growth, careers and salaries

    Big 4 firms in India: Inside Deloitte, PwC, EY & KPMG career prospects, growth and salaries

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • KPMG Partner quits and goes Boutique with high end advisory firm: Now has 5+ offices & 75+ team

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Designations in HDFC Bank: From Joining as an Assistant Manager to climbing to the rank of Managing Director.

    80 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Big 4 India Partners jumping from one firm to another: High alert as Partner poaching surges

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • CA Firms Kirtane & Pandit, Guru & Jana, SSKM unite to build India’s Next Big Global Consulting Firm

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Hierarchy level in ICICI Bank: Thinking of joining ICICI Bank? Here’s an overview of the employee grades.

    175 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Big 4 Partner at 32: The Secret? Clarity & not chasing every 2x job offer

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • ICAI Under Fire: Women Removed from Front Row at CA Students’ Conference Following Guest’s Demand

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • EY, PwC, Deloitte surpass 3,300 Partners. EY added 1000+ new Partners

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • UK firm outsourced accounting work to India but quality dropped: Now established his own offshore unit

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
The Finance Story

The Finance Story empowers finance professionals—CFOs, consultants, accountants, tax experts, and bankers—to navigate critical market shifts, industry disruptions, and emerging technologies & trends.

How? We spotlight key opportunities in India and globally, equipping finance professionals with the insights and strategies to drive business growth, optimize decision-making, and position their companies at the forefront

Quick Links

  • Finance
  • Partners
  • Privacy and Policy
  • Terms of use

Follow us

  • /TheFinanceStory
  • @TheFinanceStory
  • /TheFinanceStory
  • @thefinancestory_com
  • TheFinanceStory

© 2022. The Finance Story. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • TFS Gulf
  • Entrepreneur Story
  • Finance Leaders
  • Videos
  • Login
  • Sign Up

Welcome Back!

Sign In with Google
OR

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Sign Up with Google
OR

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
We use cookies to personalize your experience. By continuing to visit this website you agree to our use of cookies.
Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?
Book 1:1 call with industry expert