Spreading your consultancy wings

You don’t need a map to chart the worldwide progress of UK consultancy.

In 1995, the British Consultants Bureau named Andorra and Nauru as the only two countries where UK consultants hadn’t worked.

From information technology in the former Soviet Union to civil service reform in Africa, the British invasion shows no sign of abating. Overseas earnings for UK consultancy total #2bn (1995), with #917m earned in the Asia Pacific region.

“For the first part of the decade, Eastern Europe was a major emerging market,” says chairman of KPMG International Management Consulting, Alan Reid.

“This has now spread to South America, South East Asia and the Asia Pacific region which in the long term has enormous potential for management consultancy and is set to grow dramatically in the years ahead.”

KPMG has 10,000 consultants worldwide and Asia Pacific accounts for some 10 per cent of global business. Market entry consultancy in South East Asia is booming and IT work looks set to grow with the expansion of SAP.

Added to this is a growing number of projects to improve infrastructure in the emerging markets of Vietnam, Cambodia, India and China. It’s no surprise that Reid believes “the biggest challenge is how to invest wisely in such a huge and growing global market”.

Consultancy in the developing countries is largely funded by the European Commission, the World Bank and the Department For International Development (DFID) – formerly the Overseas Development Administration. Newly represented in Cabinet by Clare Short MP, DFID holds an updated index of companies with the relevant skills, qualifications and experience.

Demand is high for British expertise in infrastructure – creating new roads, airports, water systems and services. In recent years, there has been increasing emphasis on environment and health, education and training and institutional development.

After a Civil Service career and 14 years with Coopers & Lybrand, Trevor Robinson formed IBIS Consultants in 1995. The company has earned a worldwide reputation for public service management and civil service reform in the developing nations of Africa, South Asia and the Middle East.

IBIS works mainly for aid agencies such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and DFID. Recent contracts include a DFID-funded visit to Uganda, working with an official from the Westminster parliament on behalf of the UK Centre for Political and Diplomatic Studies.

“I spent a week at the Ugandan parliament, discussing the issues and listening to the problems they are facing in a desperately under-resourced system. I’ve made a report to DFID and hopefully, the British government will find a way to support the new democratic process.”

Uganda requested a British consultant not only because its parliament is based on Westminster but the UK has become a known reformer of public services.

“However, the neo-Colonial days of giving advice from ‘on-high’ are over,” stresses Robinson. “Our job is to learn about a country and exchange ideas. We don’t ever set out to go in and tell them what to do.”

What advice would Robinson give to aspiring consultants? “Possibly the best way to start is by working as a subcontracter to a big firm with the contacts, expertise and market access,” he says.

“The key to success for a sole practitioner is to become a specialist in a niche area. Focus on a small market and get to know it as well as you can.

“Learn about a country before you go, just as you would calling on a UK company. Take care to brief yourself and recognise that every country is different – although if they were that different, there wouldn’t be a job for consultants!”

Education and training specialist David Whiting also recommends consultants do their homework “like any good marketer would”. He says: “You research before you go and constantly learn when you’re there.”

Among other assignments, Whiting delivers modules for an MBA in strategic marketing in Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong, on behalf of The Chartered Institute of Marketing.

“It’s vital to understand the culture and the mindset of the people, to work out what skills are transferable and what aren’t. It’s also crucial to understand cultural differences and how this can impact on your work.

“Also, you have to acknowledge how the UK is perceived across the world.

We carry a lot of historical baggage and the perception of Britain may not be the reality as you see it. But then you realise that what your client thinks is their reality and you have to respect that.”

Support for individuals who are spreading their consultancy wings can be found in the IMC Overseas Consulting Group. Headed by former Head of KPMG Overseas Consulting Leslie Zurick, it offers a range of advice and networking opportunities.

“The skills needed to work overseas are much the same as most consultants already possess – self-reliance, self confidence, persistence and most of all, patience,” says Zurick.

A management information systems expert, Zurick’s first overseas contract was in 1969 for the World Bank in India. As head of KMPG Overseas Consulting for 10 years, he worked through many challenges and cultural differences.

“Attitudes to time and punctuality can be very different to our own.

In one country, I had a meeting with a dozen people scheduled for 2.30pm on a Monday afternoon, which after various postponements, finally happened at around 3pm on the Friday.

“People can also be inexperienced in talking about their work, which means you must be thorough in your research. The British enjoy talking about their jobs but overseas employees may need a bit more encouragement.”

A well-established culture of management consultancy coupled with the formidable asset of the English language will continue to open doors for UK professionals. But Zurick warns against seeing it as a dream ticket.

“Overseas consultancy is not an easy option. You have to work at least as hard as you do in the UK, where rates are among the highest in the world.

“However, there is an enormous volume of oppprtunities out there. Getting it is not always easy but develop a good relationship with a client or funding agency and you may find yourself with a steady stream of exciting and stimulating work.”

For information about the IMC Overseas Consulting Group contact the IMC on 0171 242 2140.

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