FTI Consulting

FTI Consulting is a legal, risk management, general management, and operational management consulting firm headquartered in Washington, DC. The firm advises a wide range of clients, from private equity firms to top law firms to Fortune 100 companies to the world’s top bank holding companies.

This comprehensive overview of FTI Consulting will explore the company’s culture, comp packages, interview process, and more. Without further ado, let’s jump in!

Table of Contents:

1. FTI Consulting Key Stats
2. FTI Consulting History
3. FTI Consulting Careers
4. Practice Areas
5. Industries
6. FTI Consulting Offices
7. Career Path
8. Exit Opportunities
9. Notable Alumni
10. FTI Consulting Culture
11. Awards
12. FTI Consulting Internship
13. FTI Consulting Case Study Interview
14. FTI Consulting Salary
15. Target Schools
16. Diversity Programs

FTI Consulting Key Stats

• FTI Consulting Website: fticonsulting.com
• FTI Consulting Headquarters: Washington, D.C.
• FTI Consulting Number of Employees: 8,000+
• FTI Consulting Number of Locations: Offices in 84 cities across 31 countries
• FTI Consulting Chief Executive: Steven Gunby
• FTI Consulting Revenue: $3 Billion

FTI Consulting History

It is important to at least be familiar with the firm’s history to best answer FTI Consulting interview questions. FTI Consulting was founded by Dan Luczak and Joseph Reynolds. Its original name was Forensic Technologies International. The founders’ initial goal was to help courtroom staff and jury members interpret technological evidence via innovative computer models.

The firm first went public in 1996, trading under the symbol FTIC and raising $11.1 million on the NASDAQ. It expanded to Canada in 1997 with its acquisition of LWG. Between 1998 and 2005, it changed its name to FTI Consulting, began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol FCN, acquired multiple consulting companies (including the U.S Business Recovery Services division of PwC and the Disputes Advisory Services business from KPMG), and provided essential technology for the Bush vs. Gore presidential dispute. It continued to acquire firms across consulting verticals and expand to other countries in the years that followed.

FTI Consulting’s current CEO, Steven Gunby, was named to the position in 2014. Under his leadership, the firm has been named by Forbes in its list of America’s Best Management Consulting Firms consistently since 2016 and often named a Great Place to Work®-certified Company a Best Firm To Work For by Consulting Magazine.

FTI Consulting Careers

FTI Consulting careers offer an opportunity to join a community of over 8,000 employees who are working with industry experts to manage financial and operational risk for clients. The collaborative culture values diversity and offers many opportunities for professional advancement at defined career stops.

FTI Consulting offers job opportunities to current students, recent graduates, and experienced professionals alike. FTI is unique in that it works with management groups from Fortune 1000 companies, law firms, and governmental agencies, giving employees the opportunity to work on projects in a variety of industries.

FTI Consulting’s expert-driven model allows professionals to work with industry experts – from former CEOs and CFOs to former government agents – who bring real-world experience to their teams on complex client engagements.

Learn more about open roles at FTI Consulting here.

Practice Areas

There are five segments at FTI Consulting: Corporate Finance and Restructuring, Forensic and Litigation Consulting, Economic Consulting, Technology, and Strategic Communications.

Inside of these segments, the firm engages in projects around:

• • AI Managed Services
  • Antitrust
  • Blockchain and Digital Assets
  • Business Transformation & Strategy
  • Cybersecurity
  • Data & Analytics
  • Dispute Advisory & International Arbitration
  • E-Discovery & Managed Review
  • ESG & Sustainability
  • Information Governance, Privacy & Security
  • Investigations & Monitorships
  • Policy & Regulation
  • Risk Management & Compliance
  • Strategic Communications
  • Transactions
  • Turnaround & Restructuring
  • Valuation & Damages

Industries

FTI Consulting offers this long list of services across industries. Unlike boutique firms, which focus primarily on just one functional area or industry, FTI is a truly global firm, often categorized as a “Tier 2” firm one level below MBB and the Big 4. Here are the industries FTI conducts projects in:

• • Aerospace & Defense
  • Agriculture
  • Airlines & Aviation
  • Automotive & Industrial
  • Construction
  • Energy, Power, & Products
  • Environmental Solutions
  • Financial Services
  • Healthcare & Life Sciences
  • Hospitality, Gaming & Leisure
  • Insurance
  • Mining
  • Private Equity
  • Public Sector & Government Contracts
  • Real Estate
  • Retail & Consumer Products
  • Telecom, Media, & Technology
  • Transportation & Logistics

FTI Consulting Offices

FTI Consulting operates offices in 84 cities across 31 countries, with its executive headquarters located in Washington, D.C. As of September 2023, the percentage of FTI Consulting’s revenues by region broke down as 65% North America, 28% EMEA, 6% Asia & Australia, and 1% Latin America.

Below are a few of the firm’s most popular office locations:

• • FTI Consulting Chicago
  • FTI Consulting DC
  • FTI Consulting New York
  • FTI Consulting Los Angeles
  • FTI Consulting San Francisco
  • FTI Consulting Atlanta, GA
  • FTI Consulting Dallas
  • FTI Consulting Panama
  • FTI Consulting South Africa
  • FTI Consulting Berlin
  • FTI Consulting Boston
  • FTI Consulting Brussels

Career Path

The typical FTI Consulting career path consists of six levels:

Consultant –> Senior Consultant –> Director –> Senior Director –> Managing Director –> Senior Managing Director

There is opportunity for upward mobility, as the firm does not necessarily organize promotions around length of service but places more emphasis on performance reviews. The culture isn’t all meritocratic, however – some promotions take place based on staffing needs, as it’s often easier to promote from within to fill more senior roles, and then recruit externally to fill the junior role that has just been vacated. The firm employs a typical “pyramid” structure, with far more Consultants than Managing Directors on staff.

Exit Opportunities

FTI Consulting exit opportunities are plentiful, and the firm is a solid launching pad for operations-focused roles in PE, restructuring roles in IB, pursuing an MBA, making a transition to another consulting firm, or working for a credit fund.

Notable Alumni

FTI Consulting recruits top performers, and while some stay through the course of their career, most leave within 5 years of joining the firm (common for all consulting firms). Here are a couple of the firm’s most notable alumni.

Joe Reynolds, one of the two original founders of FTI Consulting, went on to found RTI Group in 2003 and is currently its President and CEO. He is known globally as a top forensic engineering investigator and serves often as an expert witness in legal trials.

Ka Wing Yeungl, previously of FTI’s Hong Kong office, is now the Executive Director & Compliance Officer of ETS Group Ltd. and has served on the board of Pine Care Group since 2020.

The list of FTI Consulting notable alumni is long; it’s clear that FTI can lead to successful careers across industries for those who choose to leave.

FTI Consulting Culture

Most consultants have positive things to say about their time at FTI, which is not surprising – consulting is a human-capital driven industry. It is in the best interests of the firm to take care of its consultants so that they in turn can take care of clients. However, like all large consulting firms, the experience can vary based on the practice area and location you choose. Individual partners play a large role in setting the culture of their practice area or office, meaning the firm’s overall culture is not as centralized as other, smaller firms. This can be a great thing if you like your office, team, or partner, but can also be an obvious downside.

Generally, consultants tout the potential for career growth and challenging but rewarding learning environment, as well as strong support from upper management. Peers are smart and motivated, and like all consulting projects, there is a heavy teamwork aspect to the culture. Management promotes flexibility (remote work, schedule) and compensation is fair. However, like all consulting firms, work/life balance can get out of whack – it’s normal to work 60+ hours per week during critical weeks of a project.

FTI Consulting overhauled its organizational structure and strategy in 2014 when CEO Steve Gunby joined to focus on collaboration and facilitate organic growth within the company. Specifically, the firm invested in diversity initiatives such as the ‘FTI Consulting Women’s Initiative’ and outlined its core values as ‘I CARE’, emphasizing Integrity, Creativity, Achievement, Respect, and Empathy.

Additionally, the firm publishes annual Corporate Sustainability Reports and Gender Pay Gap Reports to highlight key disclosures and progress against environmental, social and governance-related initiatives and goals at the Company.

Awards

• Named a Best Firm to Work For (Consulting Magazine)
• #1 in the Global Arbitration Review Expert Witness Firms’ Power Index
• Competition Economics Firm of the Year (Who’s Who Legal)
• America’s Best Management Consulting Firms List (Forbes)
• America’s Best Employees For New Grads (Forbes)
• America’s Best Employers for Women

FTI Consulting Internship Programs

FTI Consulting has several opportunities available to undergraduate students hoping to pursue a career in consulting.

Early-ID Programs

IMPACT – FTI Consulting hosts a two-day virtual leadership program for selected candidates who identify as Black/African American, Latinx, LGBTQ+, APAC, Indigenous, and women.  The event includes learning about opportunities at FTI, networking with consultants, building professional development skills, and more.

Women in Corporate Finance – FTI Consulting’s Women in Corporate Finance Summer Leadership Program is a two-day, in-person event that includes learning more about women’s initiatives that exist within FTI Consulting, networking with women in leadership, enhancing professional development skills, and showcasing skills through various activities.

Internships

The FTI Consulting internship program gives rising seniors the chance to join one of FTI’s teams for a 10-week summer experience. Interns will be exposed to real-world client work.

FTI Consulting Case Study Interview

FTI Consulting Interview Process

The FTI Consulting interview process consists of two parts. The first round will be one 30-minute virtual interview to discuss your experiences and qualifications.

The second round Super Day interview consists of three 30-minute interviews with additional team members. These interviews will be a mix of behavioral and technical questions. We often recommend professional case interview coaching to adequately prepare for this rigorous process.

FTI Consulting Salary

You can see up-to-date entry level salaries at FTI in our most recent consulting salary report.

Target Schools

FTI Consulting target schools include your typical target schools across the industry, including UC Berkeley, NYU, University of Michigan, and University of Texas at Austin. If you don’t attend a traditional consulting target school, don’t worry! Target an office location closest to your campus and be sure to network with current consultants to get your foot in the door.

Diversity Programs

FTI is committed to a culture of diversity and inclusion, as stated in its core values (‘I Care’). FTI Consulting diversity programs include the following:

• Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Strategy – You can read more about this overall strategy here.
• Diversity Ambassador Program – This program is designed to build a community where everyone feels valued and has access to the opportunities that appeal to them. It gives employees the chance to launch internal initiatives to promote specific diversity goals.
• FTI WIN – WIN is FTI’s worldwide diversity initiative focused on bringing more women into the consulting world. It offers professional development, mentorship, and networking opportunities to help women grow in their careers, build a community, and realize their potential.
• FTI Consulting supports many other ERGs, including the Hispanic/ Latinx Organization for Leadership and Advancement (“HOLA”), FTI Consulting Pride Network, the Race, Identity, Social and Equality (“RISE”) Network, the Black Employee Network (“BEN”), the Asian Diversity Network (“ADN”) and the Parents Network.

You can read more about FTI Consulting’s diversity initiatives in the firm’s Corporate Sustainability Report here.

Conclusion

FTI Consulting is a large, publicly traded, global consulting firm that offers primarily legal, risk management, and operational consulting services. If you’re interested in joining a global consulting firm that works across global industries, FTI Consulting may be for you. Work with our expert editing team to make sure you have an A+ resume and let our expert interview coaches build a specific case interview prep plan for you.

 

Additional Reading:

• Top Consulting Firms
• Top 10 Boutique Consulting Firms in US
• Consulting Resume: Complete Guide
• Case Interview: Complete Prep Guide