Marakon Associates/Marakon Consulting

Marakon is one of the consulting world’s best kept secrets – the top tier strategy firm was founded in 1978, and was acquired by Charles River Associates in 2009. The firm’s four founders invented the concept of value-based management (i.e. creating shareholder value by producing profits in excess of the cost of capital). Most notably, the firm helped Coca-Cola implement this approach to great success.

If you’re looking to just focus on corporate strategy work without any downstream implementation, digital, or other kinds of projects, Marakon is a great place to begin or continue a consulting career.

Marakon is headquartered in New York City and has four other offices in Boston, Chicago, Houston and London. Over the decades, Marakon has built a reputation as a premier corporate strategy firm partnering with senior executives at the world’s leading companies to drive sustainable value growth.

The firm prides itself on avoiding ‘one size fits all’ solutions, instead, teams works closely with clients to challenge current strategies and provide custom insight-based advice. The primary approach is founded upon joint accountability and active engagement with clients. Marakon boasts an impressive client list, including industry leaders such as Nestle, Nordstrom, Boeing, Danone, BP, Merck, Barclays, Gillette, Roche, and McDonald’s. 

One of the benefits of being at a boutique firm like Marakon is that Directors are hands on and present, helping clients (and analysts) create the capabilities and strategies to create competitive advantages.

Inside the corporate strategy space, the firm specializes in Profitable Growth Strategy, Corporate & BU Strategy, Value Based Management, Organizational Effectiveness, and Strategic M&A Advisory.

A Marakon Associate Principal joined the Strategy Simplified podcast to share his story of breaking into, and eventually leaving, Marakon – listen here.