The 2019 Top 25 Consultants: Michael Pugliese

But it almost never happened. 

Pugliese's entry into consulting was more an accident than design. He had been at Citi Bank for seven years and was working in Financial Planning and Analysis. One of the things he loved about Citi was the project-based nature of the work. "I was at the office one day when a former colleague came in and said he was now working for KPMG," he says. "I asked him about his day-to-day, and it sounded very similar to what I enjoyed most about my role at Citi. After an introduction, I interviewed for a position, and three weeks later my consulting journey began."

Throughout his 30-year career, there are numerous personal accomplishments and achievements he is proud of, he says, but nothing means more to Pugliese than the countless relationships he's established. 

"As a leader, I've been fortunate to provide people with the opportunity to accelerate and grow their careers," Pugliese says. "Watching people at various stages of their careers make the most of those chances has helped fuel and motivate me to be the best leader possible."

Pugliese says he believes his work ethic and ability to put himself in other peoples' shoes have played a significant role in his success. "My goal is always to be approachable and visible to all people in the organization," he says. "If I had to pinpoint a singular thing, the most significant factor to my career success is my ability to connect with people across all levels of an organization to work toward a common goal and objective."

Meanwhile, the most enjoyable part about working in consulting is he gets the opportunity to interact with a wide spectrum of people. "In a business where people are your most important asset, it is crucial that you can connect with people and that you enjoy it," Pugliese says. "

As far being recognized as one of the Top 25 Consultants, Pugliese says that winning the award means he's received recognition from the industry, clients and colleagues for his contributions to the consulting profession. 

"Throughout my career, I've made it a point to use my strong work ethic and leadership skills to be someone that both clients and colleagues are proud to work alongside," he says. "This award is the validation of all that effort."

What's the best advice—professional or otherwise—you've ever received? 

Pugliese: "The best advice I ever received was to be genuine and authentic. If you don't operate genuinely and authentically, it's only a matter of time before people catch on. The practical application of this advice has manifested itself by me leading by example, being reliable and not asking people to do something I otherwise wouldn't."