Kearney (consulting firm)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Management consulting |
| Founded | 1926 |
| Founder | James O. McKinsey |
| Headquarters | Plano, Texas , United States |
Area served | Worldwide (more than 40 countries) |
| Products | Strategy development, analytics, mergers and acquisitions advisory, innovation management, operational improvement, technology strategy, organizational transformation, marketing and sales optimization, procurement strategies, sustainability initiatives |
Number of employees | 5,300+ |
| Website | www |
Kearney is an American management consulting firm with a global presence, operating in more than 40 countries and employing upwards of 5,300 professionals. The company was established in Chicago in 1926 by James O. McKinsey, with Andrew Thomas "Tom" Kearney joining as the initial partner. Following McKinsey’s passing in 1937, the Chicago office separated under Tom Kearney’s leadership, initially named McKinsey, A.T. Kearney, and Company, later simplified to A.T. Kearney and Company in 1947. In January 2020, the firm underwent a rebranding to the concise name Kearney.
Practice areas
Kearney’s governance structure is characterized by a unique "one-partner, one-vote" system that includes over 300 partners.
Industries and capabilities
The consultancy serves a broad spectrum of sectors such as aerospace and defense, automotive, chemicals, communications media and technology, consumer products and retail, financial services, healthcare, metals and mining, oil and gas, private equity, public sector entities, transportation, infrastructure, and utilities. Its core service offerings include strategy development, analytics, mergers and acquisitions advisory, innovation management, operational improvement, technology strategy, organizational transformation, marketing and sales optimization, procurement strategies, and sustainability initiatives. The firm is particularly esteemed for its proficiency in operations consulting, supply chain management, and transformational projects, consistently ranking among the leading firms within these specialties.
Institutional partnership
Kearney maintains a longstanding institutional partnership with the World Economic Forum, contributing to Forum events and advising on both global and regional strategic agendas. The firm actively participates in initiatives such as the Alliance of CEO Climate Members and Racial Justice in Business. Its association with the European Management Forum began in 1971 and was formalized as an institutional partnership in 1997.
Pro-bono engagements
The firm dedicates efforts to pro-bono projects promoting social equity and racial justice. In 2023, Kearney performed an impact assessment for North America’s inaugural Speaker Expo featuring AAPI participants, emphasizing cultural leadership as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion aspects.
History
Founded in 1926 by James O. McKinsey as a consultancy specializing in "accountants and management engineers," Tom Kearney became the firm's first partner in 1929. After McKinsey died in 1937, internal conflicts led to a division by 1939 into three separate entities: Scovell, Wellington & Company; McKinsey, A.T. Kearney & Company (the Chicago branch under Tom Kearney); and McKinsey & Company managed by Marvin Bower. In 1947, Marvin Bower secured exclusive rights to the McKinsey name from Kearney’s firm, prompting Tom Kearney to rename his company A.T. Kearney and Company. This was further abbreviated to A.T. Kearney in 1972.
- Headquarters and original Chicago office founded in 1926
- Düsseldorf office inaugurated in 1964
- Tokyo office launched in 1972
- Office established in 1985
- Seoul office opened its doors in 1995
A.T. Kearney’s first step into international markets was the opening of its Düsseldorf office in 1964, followed by its initial Asian expansion with a Tokyo location in 1972. In 1992, the firm created its Global Business Policy Council—a strategic foresight group that has consistently been ranked among top private-sector think tanks worldwide. This council organizes an exclusive annual CEO Retreat gathering leaders from academia, business, and government sectors.
The Seoul office was established in 1995. That same year marked A.T. Kearney's acquisition by Electronic Data Systems (EDS), an American IT corporation, for $569 million. However, tensions arose due to contrasting corporate cultures—A.T. Kearney’s entrepreneurial approach clashed with EDS’s bureaucratic environment—especially during the dotcom crash period which adversely affected financial results. EDS responded with workforce reductions and operational consolidations while relocating A.T. Kearney’s headquarters from Chicago to Plano, Texas. After enduring eleven quarters of declining revenues alongside losses spanning three quarters by mid-2005, CEO Henner Klein orchestrated a management buyout from EDS in 2006 that reinstated A.T. Kearney’s autonomy.
In recent years, Kearney has bolstered its capabilities through targeted acquisitions:
- Cervello—a business analytics consultancy with offices across Boston, Dallas, New York City, London, and Bangalore—was acquired in 2019.
- Optano—a German-based company specializing in supply chain planning software—was purchased in November 2022.
- In January 2025, Project Partners—a German project management firm focused on SAP transformation and large-scale IT projects—joined Kearney’s portfolio.
- February 2025 saw the announcement of acquiring IMTEK Inc., which specializes in supply chain planning consulting along with execution systems integration.
These strategic additions have significantly expanded Kearney’s expertise across analytics services, supply chain planning solutions, SAP transformation initiatives, and comprehensive IT project management consulting.
Recruitment and alumni
In 2012, the career platform Glassdoor identified Kearney as the fourth most challenging company to secure an interview with. This high level of selectiveness was evident in Australia in 2021, where only 10 business analysts were recruited from a pool of 1,200 candidates. The firm employs a generalist approach, assigning consultants to a wide range of industry sectors and functional areas. New employees participate in a structured training program that begins with an “experience week,” designed to familiarize them with consulting principles and introduce them to colleagues worldwide. Additionally, Kearney provides a global mobility initiative that allows consultants to live and work internationally. In both 2016 and 2017, Glassdoor recognized Kearney as the top-paying employer for U.S.-based staff.
The company boasts around 23,000 former employees who receive annual invitations to attend Kearney Week each September.