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AT Kearney is a global management consulting firm that advises leading organizations on critical strategic and operational challenges. The firm provides expertise across diverse industries including consumer and retail, financial services, energy, and healthcare, leveraging capabilities in areas such as digital and analytics, mergers and acquisitions, supply chain optimization, and large-scale transformation. Their approach focuses on delivering tangible results and fostering sustainable growth for clients.
The firm was founded in 1926 in Chicago by Andrew Thomas Kearney, who had previously been the first partner at McKinsey & Company. Kearney’s initial vision stemmed from recognizing the burgeoning demand for specialized counsel in manufacturing and distribution, guiding businesses through complex industrial and economic shifts. His early work established a precedent for practical, results-oriented consulting, a core tenet that continues to define the firm.
Kearney serves a broad spectrum of the world's most influential companies, governments, and non-profit organizations, assisting them in navigating competitive landscapes and achieving their strategic objectives. The firm’s enduring vision is to collaborate closely with these clients, building unique solutions that not only address immediate needs but also cultivate long-term resilience and sustained competitive advantage in an evolving global economy.
Key people at AT Kearney.
AT Kearney was founded in 1926 by Andrew Thomas Kearney (Founder) and Alptug Copuroglu (Manager & Co-Founder of A.T. Kearney Digital Lab EMEA) and Paul Laudicina (Founder of the Global Business Policy Council, Chairman Emeritus).
Kearney (formerly A.T. Kearney) is a global management consulting firm founded in 1926 as a predecessor to McKinsey & Company, specializing in strategy, operations, procurement, digital transformation, and sustainability across industries like healthcare, energy, and consumer goods.[2][3] With 60 offices in 40 countries, it serves three-quarters of the Fortune Global 500 and governments, emphasizing a hands-on "advice-and-action" model that combines strategic advice with implementation support.[1][3][7] Unlike pure strategy firms, Kearney stands out for its leadership in strategic sourcing and operational excellence, having evolved from its McKinsey roots into an independent powerhouse with a track record of rapid global growth and resilience through acquisitions.[1][2][4]
Kearney's backstory traces to 1926, when James O. McKinsey founded an "accountants and management engineers" firm in Chicago, introducing budgets as a management tool rather than mere expense tracking.[2][4] In 1929, Andrew Thomas "Tom" Kearney joined as McKinsey's first partner, bringing operations expertise; he became managing partner in 1935.[1][2] After McKinsey's 1937 death, cultural clashes led to a 1939 split: McKinsey & Co. shifted to New York and Boston, while Kearney led the Chicago group as McKinsey, A.T. Kearney & Company, renamed A.T. Kearney & Company in 1946 to avoid name conflicts.[1][4][6]
Key milestones include Tom Kearney's 1945 U.S. government mission to China, earning medals, and his 1961 retirement.[1][2] Successor Jim Phelan drove expansion: the first international office opened in Düsseldorf in 1964, followed by Tokyo in 1972 and peaks in 1985-1988 with revenues surpassing $100 million and 20 offices enlarged or opened.[1][3] A 1995 acquisition by Electronic Data Systems (EDS) boosted IT capabilities but strained culture; partners repurchased it in 2006, restoring independence ahead of its 80th anniversary.[1][3][5]
Kearney rides trends in digital transformation, sustainability, and operational resilience, advising on IT integration post-EDS era and strategy in opening markets like 1980s Asia.[2][3][4] Its timing capitalized on post-WWII globalization and 1980s expansion, positioning it as an early player in China's economy and Europe's integration.[1][4] Market forces like the dotcom bust tested it via EDS, but buyback enabled focus on high-growth areas like procurement amid supply chain complexities.[3][5] Kearney influences the ecosystem by shaping C-suite decisions through its Global Business Policy Council and hands-on implementations, bridging strategy with execution for tech-enabled industries like energy and consumer goods.[2][7]
Kearney's partner-led independence since 2006 positions it to lead in AI-driven operations, sustainability mandates, and geopolitical supply chain shifts, building on its sourcing expertise.[3] Trends like digital acceleration and net-zero goals will amplify demand for its integrated model, potentially recapturing 2000-era growth amid consulting market consolidation. Its influence may evolve toward deeper tech advisory, influencing startup ecosystems indirectly via Fortune 500 portfolio optimizations—echoing its McKinsey origins as a foundational force in management innovation.[2][5][7]
AT Kearney was founded in 1926 by Andrew Thomas Kearney (Founder) and Alptug Copuroglu (Manager & Co-Founder of A.T. Kearney Digital Lab EMEA) and Paul Laudicina (Founder of the Global Business Policy Council, Chairman Emeritus).
Key people at AT Kearney.
