I have found BCG to be incredibly supportive of me personally at critical times. When my husband needed to relocate from Chicago to New York, BCG made it easy for me to transfer to the New York office, and I didn’t miss a step in my own career.

I first came back from maternity leave when Noa, my daughter, was 14 weeks old. Although I had the option to return part-time, I opted to work full time. Knowing, however, that I now have competing priorities, BCG has only put me on cases that require no travel, enabled me to set my own schedule so I can spend a few hours a day with Noa, and connected me with knowledgeable, experienced mentors to smooth my transition.  BCG has helped me to balance my priorities and to feel fulfilled in both my personal and professional life.

Liraz joined BCG in 2005 and has worked primarily in the Consumer and Industrial Goods practice areas.

Before BCG, she worked at Caspi & Co. and Winograd, Resenboim & Co. She has also served as an officer in the Israel Defense Force.

Liraz holds an MBA with honors from the Kellogg Graduate School of Business. She earned her bachelor’s degrees, summa cum laude, in law and economics from Tel Aviv University.

After almost six years with BCG my mind is still constantly challenged—in internal case team meetings, as well as in client discussions. However, being a vital part of designing new strategic visions and plans for some of the leading firms is a challenge I happily accept.

Although we leverage our vast industry and functional expertise, BCG believes in the uniqueness of each client and strives to deliver a tailor-made approach and solution. This requires creativity and strategic insight in our everyday client work, and is my reason for enjoying, and staying at, BCG.

Christina holds an MS in business administration from the Stockholm School of Economics and an MBA from Kenan Flagler Business School, North Carolina, United States.

She joined BCG as a summer associate in 2002 and took a full-time position in 2003.

When I received an offer from BCG, I was, as a married woman, advised to consider other options due to the high level of commitment required in this career. Having worked at BCG, however, I realize that my worries were in vain and firmly believe that being a married woman can by no means impede my growth.

BCG's thorough support for female consultants is beyond an employee benefit program—it is a strategic agenda designed to solidify BCG's competitive advantage. BCG’s leadership team has a strong conviction that BCG cannot maintain its prestigious reputation if it fails to secure women’s talents, which actively drive self-development, deepen BCG insight, and help clients grow further. This certainly adds a whole new level of excitement and motivation to my career vision at BCG.

During the recruiting process, I was paying special attention to the people I met at the different firms. While BCG people in general were a major draw for me, the BCG women consultants I met in particular made me very hopeful about my future in the company.

The women I met were smart, funny, down to earth, and ultimately "real". They talked to me about the challenges of maintaining a normal life given the busy work life. They were open to my questions, which they answered honestly, without worrying about political correctness. They saw me as a person and not a potential recruit, and I connected with them. I felt that I would enjoy working alongside these people on a daily basis and that I would want to spend my free time with them also.

After having been with BCG for over two years in two offices (New York and Moscow), I could say my first impressions were correct. When you spend so much time at the client’s site or in the office, having people around you whose company you enjoy is critical to your well-being and the quality of your work.

I've been continuously impressed by the women I've met and worked with at BCG. While they range from partners with four kids to young associates just out of college, the overall trait I find in BCG women is their ability to remain warm and balanced during the most difficult case times. It is a trait that the BCG environment fosters and one that I would like to learn to retain throughout my time with the company.

Olga started in BCG’s New York office in 2006.

Previously she worked as a consultant for a U.S. boutique firm focused on wealth management.

Olga holds an MBA with distinction from the Johnson School of Management (Cornell University), and a BA in economics (summa cum laude) from San Francisco State University.

At BCG you should expect to chart your own career path as well as your own daily schedule.

Consulting can be stressful and demanding; no two days are alike. But at BCG, colleagues and team members understand the value of a flexible schedule. Some mornings find I me in the office very early. On other days, I take some time to myself—I like to work out early in the day—and arrive in the office a little later. It’s give and take. If a project requires me to stay longer in the evening, I will. Similarly, if I want to work from home, I’m given that flexibility. As long as the work gets done professionally and punctually, where and when don’t matter too much.

BCG offers a very flexible work environment and gives me a sense of balance in my work and my personal life.

Hanna holds a master of science degree in industrial engineering and management from Helsinki University of Technology.

She first came to BCG as a summer intern in 2003 and joined the firm as an associate in 2005.

Although officially affiliated with the Helsinki office, Hanna has worked in our Stockholm and Boston offices.

After three years as a solicitor, I wanted something different—a career that offered continuous learning with room for independence and creativity.

After an MBA, I joined BCG. This was definitely the right career move for me. I have worked with clients on a variety of business issues, in industries ranging from financial services to pharmaceuticals, and oil and gas.

I have also defined a career path that works for me, which includes taking on non-client-facing roles when I need to be more available at home for my young children.

Azah has an honors degree in law from the International Islamic University, Malaysia, and an MBA from Imperial College, University of London.

She now works primarily with both private and public sector clients in Malaysia.

To me the greatest attraction of BCG is its people. Working on projects has given me the opportunity to work with a whole range of people from across the business, each of whom bring a different set of experiences and approaches to solving a problem. I can easily think of something I've learned from everyone I've worked with!

Another special attraction of the job is the fantastic group of BCG women. One of the highlights of my time at BCG has been the annual BCG women's conferences that I have attended both in Europe and in Australasia. It's really inspiring to learn from our female partners, discuss our common issues and perspectives and feel the positive energy of a whole conference room full of talented and committed business women!

Emily holds a Bachelor of Commerce with first class honors in Economics and a Bachelor of Laws, both from the University of Melbourne.

Emily joined BCG's London office in 2004 and transferred home to the Melbourne office in 2007.

BCG has a long history of hiring, developing, and retaining successful female leaders—particularly in Chicago. Through my involvement with the women’s initiative, I’ve been a part of our efforts to build upon this success and ensure that BCG Chicago continues to be a place where women thrive.

But more importantly, I’ve experienced this support firsthand in my own career development. I’ve received great mentoring and coaching since day one from BCG women who have forged successful paths before me. Since the birth of my son, flexible staffing and case assignments have helped me develop the right balance between my work and my personal life. 

BCG’s commitment to supporting its professionals, and finding a balance that works for their families, was a critical factor in my decision to join the firm nearly ten years ago. Today, it remains a critical factor in my career progression.

Kate holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA in economics from Dartmouth.

She previously worked for William Blair as a senior financial analyst in corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions.

Kate currently serves as the Chicago contact for the BCG women’s initiative. In her leisure time, Kate enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her husband and two children.

I came to BCG because I wanted to be part of a firm that was making a difference in the world through its ideas, people, and client relationships.

When I joined BCG New York in the summer of 1992, the office had fewer than 30 consultants (today there are more than 300), a strong collaborative culture and an entrepreneurial sprit that encouraged individuality and growth—for its people and its clients.

When I left New York in 1996 to join the team starting the Washington D.C. office, our objective was to infuse a similar spirit into the new office. The results have been fantastic. In my current capacity as the head of the consumer practice in the Americas and the head of the Women’s Initiative, I continue to value and encourage this spirit—and its associated ability for BCG to drive impact for its clients and the world.

Sharon graduated from Harvard Business School and received her undergraduate degree in economics from Duke University. She joined the New York office in 1993 and transferred to DC in 1996.

Being a woman in management consulting is definitely challenging at times since in many industries you still find all male executive management teams. With that said, being a woman also brings you a lot of benefits that you can leverage.

Women typically have an advantage when it comes to building strong interpersonal relationships with clients, and clients are increasingly demanding mixed teams. I also believe women bring empathy and diplomacy to the teamwork which is something male colleagues can have a hard time matching.

At BCG there is a lot of emphasis on making women succeed by offering flexible work patterns, female mentors, and hosting yearly female conferences where women meet to network and learn from each other. I always get very inspired and energized when I meet senior female role models at these conferences as they make me aware of what I can achieve at BCG.

Mai-Britt holds a BA in international business from Copenhagen Business School and the Stern School of Business in New York, and a master’s degree from Copenhagen Business School and Stockholm School of Economics.

Mai-Britt joined BCG’s Copenhagen office in 2004 and has worked on projects in Europe as well as in the United States.

I had been at BCG for several years when I had my first child, a daughter, in 2006. Thanks to BCG’s commitment to its people, I have flexible working options. I now work from home and find that I am still as productive as my BCG peers. And the fact that I spend time at home did not delay my promotion from project leader to principal.

The attitude BCG shows toward balancing work and home life has made it easy for me to stay all these years. I have been able to keep my career on track while also starting a family. BCG’s commitment to work life balance and its generous benefits for families are part of what makes the firm unique—and a wonderful workplace for women.

Cherry obtained a bachelor’s degree in business administration with first-class honors from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and a master’s degree in business administration with honors from the University of Chicago.

Cherry joined the Hong Kong office in March 2000.

After my first child was born, I wanted to work fewer hours, travel less, and have more flexibility in my schedule. I had had a tremendous experience with BCG in client service and wanted to stay with the firm. 

When an opportunity arose to be part of BCG’s worldwide social impact team, I jumped at it. In my current role, I support our work with organizations like Save the Children and the World Food Programme, driving BCG’s internal communication, knowledge management and programs for our staff to work in non-profit organizations, like our social impact secondment program.

This job has been a great way for me to combine my passion for initiatives in the social sector with my desire to spend more time with my kids. I feel I have the best of both worlds.

Brenda holds a BA summa cum laude in quantitative economics and international relations from Tufts University, an MA from the School for Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business.

Brenda joined BCG’s New York office in 2000. She began as a consultant, working with clients in the consumer goods and pharmaceutical industries.

After starting a family, she chose to work part-time and shifted her focus from client work to internal firm work. Currently, she is the manager of BCG’s Social Impact Practice Network.

I joined BCG in New York, got married at the end of my first year, and decided to move to Atlanta to be in the same office as my husband. BCG enabled the transfer in only a few weeks. Then, when my husband and I decided we wanted a deeper understanding of developing markets, BCG was quick to support our transfers to Singapore—where our first child was born in 2009.We have been working throughout Southeast Asia since 2008.

Each BCG office has provided a great new learning experience, but the BCG culture and commitment to individual personal growth are the same everywhere. 

Sue holds an MBA from the Wharton School of Business, was a Rotary International ambassadorial scholar, and has a BS in electrical engineering from the University of Ottawa.

Prior to joining BCG, she spent over six years at Lucent Technologies and Nortel Networks.

When I came to BCG in 2002, I wanted to do operations work. Even though I was a new consultant, I was supported when I reached out to other offices for experience working on supply chain and manufacturing issues. I spent my first four years doing operations work across many offices. BCG’s flexibility, which allowed me to focus the direction of my work early on, has enabled me to create a home within the Operations practice.

Recently, my first child was born, and my priorities shifted. BCG continues to support me in figuring out not only how to balance the new demands on my time (I am currently working only 80 percent) but also how to shift the focus of my project work so that I can stay close to home. No matter what I choose to do, I know that BCG will be there to help me figure out how to be as successful as I want to be.

Jennifer joined BCG in 2002, and her work has focused primarily on operations.

Before BCG, she spent four years at Enron. Jennifer received an MS in chemical engineering from Vanderbilt University and earned her MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management.