The 2020 Rising Stars of the Profession: Wade Bjubrey

There are many ways to get into the consulting profession, but Wade Bjubrey's is one of the best: He got to see the consulting profession from the client perspective first. 

While working at his company after college, Bjubrey became a client of what was then A.T. Kearney when it had a team partnering with his firm on a large-scale transformation. 

"Having recently started exploring a career in consulting, I used this opportunity to get to know Kearney better and showcase my skills," he says. "Following the project completion, I applied for a Senior Analyst position. The rest, as they often say, is history."

Today, Bjubrey is Manager, Consumer Goods & Retail Practice for the newly rebranded Kearney. 

"As someone who focuses on partnering with clients for large-scale transformations, I've had the opportunity to work with companies on legacy altering change," he says. "Being able to see that tangible impact through earnings reports, stock price growth, and client team members taking on expanded leadership positions is what consulting is all about."

Ask Bjubrey what excites him most about his consulting career and he'll say three things: One, the people he gets the opportunity to work with, both his colleagues at Kearney and his clients. "Two, the ability to be on the leading edge of key topics and ideas shaping the consumer goods and retail industries," he says. And three, seeing the tangible impact we can have partnering with clients to solve their most pressing challenges."

As far as any sage advice he might have learned along the way, Bjubrey says it was: Always be relevant! "One of the partners I work with often told me this during one of our first projects together," he says. "It means I need to make sure I'm never getting complacent and constantly pushing myself to have new and fresh ideas to bring to clients."

As far as being named one of the Rising Stars of the Profession for his Excellence in Client Service, Bjubrey says that it means he owes his network and supporters a debt of gratitude. 

"The people I work with, and Kearney as a firm, continue to give me great opportunities that I will continue to capitalize on," Bjubrey says.

Q&A:  What's been the biggest factor to your success so far? 

Bjubrey: "I've been very fortunate to have a very supportive network of leaders who have given me key opportunities at pivotal points in my career.  From the initial opportunity to join the firm out of industry, to project leadership roles on some of the firm's largest projects, I have been given the opportunity and support to succeed."