Chetan Prakash

As a Senior Advisor Boston Consulting Group (BCG) i often get the opportunity to be one of the contributors along with many other great leaders to bring together a diverse group of CEOs across many parts of the globe and cover a bunch of very interesting topics. Last week it was BCG’s flagship Transformation CEO Forum, which brought together 16 remarkable CEOs in New York. Each of them are navigating large-scale transformations in times of immense uncertainty. Together, these leaders represented organizations with over $100B+ in combined revenue and more importantly, a shared commitment to bold change. Here were 4 big learnings and takeaways for me coming out of the days discussions : 🔹 Transformation is an always-on leadership discipline. In a world of geopolitical tension, economic disruption, and technological acceleration, transformation is no longer episodic. It’s a sustained journey—and CEOs are the ones driving it forward with urgency and intent. 🔹 GenAI has crossed the tipping point. The conversation has shifted from automation to impact. We heard compelling cases on using AI to reshape how value is created, not just how costs are reduced. But success still hinges on people—70% of GenAI outcomes are driven by adoption, not algorithms. 🔹 The human side is the hardest—and the most important part. Transformation narratives must be clear, honest, and aligned with reality. CEOs are learning to activate the “neutral middle,” not just fight resistance. Recognition, communication, and emotional clarity are essential to maintain energy and momentum. 🔹 The CEO–Board relationship is evolving fast. It’s no longer about “managing” the board—it’s about true partnership. The most effective CEOs now co-create strategy with their directors and invest in helping them stay current, aligned, and engaged. 💬 One CEO said it best: “This was a valuable investment of my time... learning from peers in a neutral setting.” That spirit of shared learning and leadership growth is what makes these forums so powerful. I myself learnt so much from BCG's CEO Advisory Lead Christine Barton and from the other cohost Kristy Ellmer and from my fellow contributors— Philipp Carlsson-Szlezak, Matthew Kropp , Julia Dhar and Jack Stahl. Genpact Jabil MathCo Bain Capital Brighton Park Capital AVALT Innospark Ventures HighRadius HTEC ABSL HFS Research

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While everyone debates consulting's death, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) opened office #5 in India. BCG opened their fifth Indian office in Hyderabad. Two days ago. With plans to scale from 80 to 500 employees. While everyone debates consulting's future on LinkedIn, global firms are doubling down on India's growth story. Hyderabad isn't just another office it's BCG's bet on the pharma capital of India, positioned to tackle everything from digital transformation to healthcare innovation. Here's what people miss: consulting isn't shrinking, it's shifting. The problems are getting bigger. Climate change. AI disruption. Healthcare at scale. Supply chain resilience. These aren't going away - they need solving. Indian talent isn't just participating in global consulting anymore, we're driving it. The engineers, the MBAs, the problem-solvers coming out of Hyderabad, Bangalore, Mumbai. When a top-tier firm commits to 500+ hires in a single city, that's not desperation. That's confidence in where the industry is headed. #consulting #mba #bcg #india #hyderabad #gradnext

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🌍 Proud Dad Moment + Analytics Arts Data Science JV Few topics are as paradoxical as the Shadow Economy—the invisible engine of entrepreneurship, but also a drain on transparency and growth. Our latest Shadow Economy Report explores its scale, impact, and the path to formalization . But for me, this edition is more than just research. As a father, I feel truly proud to see some of the work my daughter contributed during her one-month internship, while we worked on our new JV with an Italian market research company. To watch the next generation dive into complex issues like informality, tax gaps, and digital transformation with first-principles thinking—and use AI to turn raw data into insights—shows what’s possible. This report unpacks: 🔎 How India’s shadow economy still drives ~20% of GDP 📉 The trillions lost in tax revenue each year ⚡ The role of tech—UPI, GST, AI analytics—in shrinking informality 🌏 What formalization means for jobs, growth, and investors 👉 https://lnkd.in/dcCkixBY 💭 Question for you: Do you see the shadow economy more as a sign of India’s resilience or a symptom of systemic gaps? #ShadowEconomy #IndiaGrowth #AI #FutureOfWork #Research #DigitalIndia

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3 classic questions when joining consulting Inspired by a post from Parth Sanghvi I realized these are the 3 questions people always ask me about joining consulting. And my answers are clear. Happy to elaborate more, but here’s the reality: 1. MBB vs Big4 vs Boutique? MBB any single day. I’ve been in both a boutique and in MBB. In boutiques, it’s artisanal: sometimes amazing mentors, sometimes complete chaos. In Big4, your first year you’re mostly a number, doing PowerPoint with no steering wheel. MBB is different: it’s a machine that takes fresh graduates and systematically turns them into sharp, structured, client-ready professionals. It’s not luck, it’s process. 2. Pay? Irrelevant at entry level. If you’re thinking long-term (and you should), your starting salary doesn’t matter. In a 20-year career, those first dollars are a rounding error. As long as you can live decently, what matters is whether you’re doing work that accelerates your growth and compounds your skills. That’s the real “salary.” 3. Brand? Like asking if you’d rather play for Madrid, Barça, or (with all my love as a Valencian) Valencia CF. The logo you carry on your CV matters. It opens doors, it sets perceptions, and it travels with you long after you’ve left. Brand doesn’t define you, but it multiplies you One last point: manage expectations. MBB today is less “pure strategy” than people imagine. There’s a lot more execution, implementation, and transformation. Still great training but don’t romanticize. Happy to take some questions here, as I realize I cannot reply to all my DMs on the topic.

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The advertising landscape is shifting at breakneck speed. Globally, advertising market is sized at $1 trillion in 2024, having consistently outpaced global GDP. In India, the story is even more compelling: the market is valued at $16-$18 billion in 2024 and projected to grow at 10–15% CAGR through 2029. Within advertising, digital is taking center stage, contributing 50-60% of India’s total ad spend and is expected to grow at ~15% CAGR through 2029, to reach $17-$19 billion, making it one of the fastest-growing digital ad markets globally, driven by increasing private consumption, high digital consumption, rapid OTT adoption, and widening high-speed internet coverage. As brands, publishers, and adtech players adapt, new opportunities are emerging to build hyper-personalized, data-driven, and performance-focused strategies. Our latest report, Advertising in the Digital Age, in India and Around the World, unpacks what’s next. https://bit.ly/47RjLTZ

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