BCG launches global Private Equity industry practice

The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) has bundled its expertise in investments and private equity into a new global platform, dubbed ‘Principal Investors & Private Equity’ (PIPE). The new unit is led by Tawfik Hammoud, a senior partner based in BCG’s Toronto office.

With over 12,000 employees working across 80 offices in 46 countries, The Boston Consulting Group is one of the globe’s largest management consulting firms, particularly renowned for its suite of strategy consultancy services. The business advisory works across all industries, from automotive to financial institutions, public sector and telecommunications.

To house its industry specific capabilities and to channel its services towards industries, BCG, like other consultancies, organises its skills and consultants in industry practices, among others. Late September the firm revealed it has launched a new industry unit focussed on the private equity domain, taking its tally of industry practices to 21. The new practice area unit, named ‘Principal Investors & Private Equity’ (PIPE), will advise global investment firms on investment diligence, transformation of portfolio companies, organisation, strategy, and how to enter into new asset classes and markets, among other areas. Its clients include private-equity investors, hedge funds, pension plans, sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and real estate and infrastructure funds.

With the move, BCG aims at tapping into the growing private equity industry globally, as well as bolster its services portfolio directed at helping clients navigate through the increasingly complex environment. “Since the financial crisis, the world has seen a number of significant global financial developments—multiple rounds of quantitative easing, a sustained decline in bond yields, a broadly defined equity and real assets bull market, and the blurring of boundaries between public and private markets,” says Tawfik Hammoud, who has been tasked with leading the PIPE practice. “Through our depth of expertise across industries, our PIPE Practice Area is well-suited to help clients uncover opportunities and unlock value.”

Toronto-based Hammoud has been with BCG since 2005, and currently also serves as the global co-leader for M&A and heads BCG’s Corporate Development and Technology, Media & Telecommunications practices in Canada. Prior to joining the strategy consultancy, he worked for YTH Capital, a boutique M&A advisory, ran a project management software company in the U.S., and worked for rival Bain & Company.

Rich Lesser, who was re-elected as CEO of BCG in March this year for a second term, comments: “BCG’s ability to both help investors raise the bar for their internal capabilities and provide transformational support for their portfolio assets has shown a tremendous ability to generate alpha and enhanced returns for our PIPE clients.”