Roland Berger India promotes Jeffry Jacob to Partner in Mumbai office
German-based consultancy Roland Berger has undergone a revamping of its India operations, following the departure of Wilfried Aulbur after seven years as Managing Partner at the firm’s Indian outfit. The firm has promoted Jeffrey Jacobs, a Principal in the firm’s automotive department, to the position of Partner in the Mumbai Office, in addition to appointing Ravi Kushan as Aulbur’s replacement at the helm.
Having entered the Indian market seven years ago, Roland Berger now operates out of four offices across India. The consulting firm has established its credibility in the Indian market, and now competes with the stalwarts of the management consulting industry, such as McKinsey & Company, Bain & Company and The Boston Consulting Group.
Wilfried Aulbur, former CEO of Mercedes Benz in India, was established as the Managing Partner in India, and is responsible for the firm’s expansion into the major metropolitan cities of Chennai, Mumbai, New Delhi, and Pune. In terms of service offerings, the firm is active in heavy industries, including those in the automotive, aerospace, and defence domains.
Now, as Aulbur departs to work at a Senior position in the US, Roland Berger has not only appointed accomplished executive Ravi Kushan as his replacement, but the firm has bolstered its automotive practice with the appointment of Jeffry Jacob as a new partner, who will operate in close proximity to Kushan out of the Mumbai office.
Strongly rooted in Mumbai, Jacob has a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering from Mumbai University, and subsequently obtained an MBA from the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies.
Jacob has rich expertise in Six Sigma, a body of techniques for process optimisation. As a result, he began his professional career working on operational excellence at a range of firms, including as Financial Analyst at GE and as a Manager at ICICI Bank. He then began his foray into the automotive sector.
Within the automotive domain, Jacob has worked as a Manager for Strategy, Planning and Six Sigma at global automotive firm Toyota, as well as a Manager of Business Innovation and Processes at Lexus; Toyota’s luxury brand outfit. Jacob then spent a four-year stint at the Tata Strategic Management Group, where he began as a Project Leader, ascended through the position of Engagement Manager, and was eventually appointed as Principal.
He joined Roland Berger in 2012, starting similarly as Project Manager, and then Senior Project Manager. Since 2015, Jacob has been a Principal at the firm, with a focus on the automotive domain, as well as on engineered products, high-tech chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and alternate energy.
The firm has now appointed Jacob as Partner, primarily to support Ravi Kushan in his new role as Managing Partner. Commenting on his new role, Jacob said, “the addition of these new verticals, together with Ravi's experience and leadership, will help us significantly strengthen our position in the Indian market. We will continue to leverage our global network and experience to deliver the best solutions to our clients.”
Roland Berger will be competing with other major players in India’s consulting industry, many of which are now under new leadership. Infosys recently appointed a new CEO in the country, while FTI Consulting bolstered its Strategic Communications arm, and Big Four firm KPMG appointed a new lead for Financial Services.
