Author: Taylor Warfield, Former Bain Manager and interviewer

Last Updated: June 15, 2026

 

The best Strategy& office choices come down to what you want from consulting: the Middle East practice offers the firm's largest teams and fastest government work, while New York and Chicago anchor the most prestigious US strategy and deals roles. This guide ranks Strategy& offices by region, pay, lifestyle, and recruiting difficulty.

 

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Key Takeaways

 

The best Strategy& office depends on your priorities, but the Middle East offices lead on scale and government work, while Chicago and New York lead among US offices on prestige and ratings.

 

• Strategy& runs more than 70 offices worldwide and employs over 3,000 consultants under PwC

 

• The Middle East is the firm's strongest region, with around 900 staff across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Beirut, Cairo, and Doha

 

• Chicago and New York are the top-rated US offices for associates, both near 4.1 stars on Glassdoor

 

• Germany's offices, led by Munich and Dusseldorf, dominate automotive and industrial strategy work

 

• Choose your office by industry strength, exit goals, and lifestyle rather than prestige alone

 

What Makes a Strategy& Office the Best for You?

 

The best Strategy& office for you is the one whose industry strengths, client base, and lifestyle match your goals. Strategy& is the strategy arm of PwC with more than 70 offices, so the right pick depends on whether you want Gulf government transformation, US deals strategy, or European industrial work, not a single global ranking.

 

Five factors separate a great fit from a mediocre one. Weigh each one against your own priorities before you accept an offer or pick a recruiting target.

 

• Industry strength: each office specializes, so the city decides the sectors and clients you serve

 

• Prestige and exit options: larger flagship offices open more doors into private equity and corporate roles

 

• Pay and cost of living: a high salary in a low-tax Gulf city stretches far further than the same number in New York

 

• Lifestyle and travel: Middle East projects often mean heavy regional travel, while some US offices stay closer to home

 

• Recruiting difficulty: flagship offices draw the deepest applicant pools, so smaller offices can be easier to enter

 

In my years interviewing candidates at Bain, the people who chose well treated the office as a career bet, not a status symbol. The office shapes your clients, your skills, and your network for years, so pick deliberately.

 

Which Strategy& Offices Are the Strongest Globally?

 

The strongest Strategy& offices globally are its Middle East flagships and its largest US and German offices. These locations carry the heaviest client load, the deepest partner benches, and the clearest paths to promotion.

 

The firm traces its roots to 1914, when Edwin G. Booz founded a management advisory business in Chicago. After splitting from Booz Allen Hamilton as Booz & Company and joining PwC in 2013, it kept a global footprint that spans North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

 

Region	Standout offices	What they are known for
Middle East	Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh	Largest teams and government transformation work across the Gulf
United States	New York, Chicago	Corporate strategy, deals strategy, and the strongest US exits
Germany	Munich, Dusseldorf	Automotive and industrial strategy for Europe's largest manufacturers
United Kingdom	London	Financial services, deals, and pan-European engagements

 

Is the Strategy& Middle East Practice the Best Place to Work?

 

For many candidates, yes. The Middle East is the firm's strongest geography, and its offices give you scale, responsibility, and government access that few other strategy firms can match.

 

The regional practice has around 900 staff spread across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Beirut, Riyadh, Cairo, and Doha. The Dubai office opened in 1995 and is one of the firm's largest globally, while the Beirut office has grown since 1998 into one of the biggest Strategy& offices anywhere.

 

Strategy& has worked out of Riyadh since 1998, and its newest Saudi office in Laysen Valley opened its doors in 2025. That timing matters, because Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 program is driving enormous demand for strategy work on giga-projects, public sector reform, and economic diversification.

 

The trade-offs are real. Work-life balance can be demanding, regional travel is frequent, and the work skews heavily toward government and public sector clients rather than private companies.

 

The upside is hard to beat for the right person. Tax-friendly pay, early ownership of large workstreams, and exits into sovereign wealth funds and regional champions make the Gulf offices a genuine career accelerator.

 

Which Strategy& US Offices Are Best?

 

Chicago and New York are the best Strategy& US offices for most candidates. Associate reviewers rate both around 4.1 stars on Glassdoor, the highest among US locations, and both sit close to major corporate and private equity clients.

 

New York is the firm's global headquarters and the center of gravity for financial services and corporate strategy. It carries the widest network, the most senior partners, and the strongest brand recognition with US recruiters and exit employers.

 

Chicago is the firm's historical home and remains a powerhouse for industrial, consumer, and operations work. Its collaborative culture and lower cost of living than New York make it a favorite among associates who want flagship-level work without coastal prices.

 

Strategy& also runs a respected deals strategy practice that taps PwC's broader deals network, which gives consultants exposure to private equity and corporate development clients. If you are drawn to that path, practicing for a Strategy& deals case interview early will sharpen the commercial due diligence skills these teams test for.

 

West Coast and other US offices exist but run leaner. They can be excellent for candidates with specific tech or regional ties, though they offer fewer projects and a smaller peer group than the two flagships.

 

Case interviews are the deciding factor in Strategy& US recruiting. If you want to learn case interviews quickly, my case interview course walks you through proven strategies in as little as 7 days.

 

What About Strategy& Offices in Europe?

 

Europe's strongest Strategy& offices sit in Germany and the United Kingdom. Germany is the standout, with Munich and Dusseldorf leading automotive and industrial strategy for Europe's biggest manufacturers.

 

The German practice is deep enough that the firm has repeatedly chosen German partners as its global leaders. Munich in particular anchors the firm's automotive strategy work, serving the carmakers and suppliers that dominate the country's economy.

 

London is the European hub for financial services and deals. It handles pan-European engagements and gives consultants access to the City's banking, asset management, and private equity clients.

 

If you want industrial depth, Germany wins. If you want financial services and the broadest European exit options, London is the safer bet.

 

How Do Strategy& Offices Compare on Pay?

 

Strategy& pays competitively, and the best value often comes from low-tax Gulf offices rather than the highest headline numbers. Based on 2025 Glassdoor data, an Associate Consultant earns a base salary of about $129,000 in the US, with total pay between roughly $117,000 and $180,000 once bonus is included.

 

Pay climbs steeply with seniority. Manager and senior manager packages at the top of the range start to rival those at McKinsey, BCG, and Bain, and partners can reach well into the high six figures.

 

Location changes the real value of that pay. A Dubai or Riyadh package with little to no income tax and a housing allowance can leave you with far more disposable income than a higher gross figure in New York or London. Comparing offers on a take-home basis matters more than comparing base numbers, and a deeper look at Strategy& salary by level helps you model the difference.

 

How Hard Is It to Get Into Each Strategy& Office?

 

Every Strategy& office is selective, but difficulty varies by location and background. Glassdoor rates the overall interview difficulty at 3.4 out of 5, and 70% of candidates describe the process as positive.

 

The flagship US offices in New York and Chicago draw the deepest applicant pools, which makes them the hardest to crack. They recruit heavily from MBB target schools and expect polished case and fit performance.

 

Middle East offices can be more accessible for candidates with regional ties, Arabic skills, or a strong interest in government work. Hiring there is driven by surging Gulf demand, so the right profile can stand out even from a non-target background.

 

Every office screens with case interviews, so structured practice is non-negotiable. Working through a focused Strategy& case interview prep plan is the single highest-return thing you can do before applying.

 

Your application is the first filter, especially for lateral and non-target candidates. A sharp resume gets you the interview that your case skills then have to win, and my resume review service helps you craft one with unlimited revisions and 24-hour turnaround.

 

How Should You Choose the Best Strategy& Office for You?

 

Choose your office by matching its strengths to your goals across four common priorities. Use the quick guide below as a starting point, then pressure-test it against your own constraints.

 

• Best for scale and government work: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, or Riyadh

 

• Best for US prestige and exits: New York

 

• Best for industrial and automotive strategy: Munich or Dusseldorf

 

• Best for European financial services and deals: London

 

Keep in mind that office strength can shift, so talk to current consultants in your target location before you commit. The clearer you are about the industries and exits you want, the easier this decision becomes, and the same clarity will help you map out how to get into consulting more broadly.

 

The best Strategy& office is ultimately the one that puts you on the clients, skills, and network you want for the next five years, not the one with the flashiest name. Decide what you want from consulting first, then choose the office that delivers it, and start your case prep early so you can win an offer there.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

What is the best Strategy& office to work at?

 

There is no single best Strategy& office because the right choice depends on your goals. The Middle East offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Riyadh are the firm's largest and offer the fastest government transformation work. Chicago and New York are the top-rated US offices for associates, and Germany's Munich office leads on automotive and industrial strategy.

 

Why is Strategy& so strong in the Middle East?

 

Strategy& inherited a deep Gulf presence from its Booz heritage and built it out over decades. The Dubai office opened in 1995 and the Riyadh and Beirut offices in 1998. Today the Middle East practice has around 900 staff across six offices and works closely with governments on national transformation programs.

 

How much do Strategy& consultants earn?

 

Based on Glassdoor data from 2025, an Associate Consultant at Strategy& earns a base salary of about $129,000, with total pay ranging from roughly $117,000 to $180,000 including bonus. Pay rises sharply at the manager and partner levels, where top performers approach MBB compensation.

 

Is Strategy& part of PwC?

 

Yes. Strategy& is the global strategy consulting arm of PwC, one of the Big Four firms. It was formed when PwC acquired Booz & Company in 2013 and renamed the unit Strategy& in 2014. It now operates as a distinct strategy practice within the wider PwC network.

 

How hard is it to get a job at Strategy&?

 

Strategy& is a selective firm that recruits from target schools and tests candidates with case and fit interviews. Glassdoor rates the interview difficulty at 3.4 out of 5, similar to other top strategy firms. Smaller offices and the Middle East region can be slightly easier to enter for candidates with the right background or language skills.

 

Which Strategy& office is best for exit opportunities?

 

New York and Chicago offer the strongest US exit opportunities into private equity, corporate strategy, and the deals world because of their proximity to major clients and PwC's deals network. Middle East offices open doors into sovereign wealth funds, giga-projects, and regional corporate roles that are hard to access from anywhere else.

 

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