2023 Top Consultants: Mitch Berlin

As EY Americas Vice Chair of Strategy and Transactions, Mitch Berlin leads a team of 8,500 professionals across the U.S. and globally. Mitch has more than 25 years of strategy and management consulting experience across the Americas, European and Asia-Pacific regions, and has a strong background spanning a broad range of industries, including chemicals, financial services, industrial products, retail and consumer goods.

Mitch advises CEOs as an engagement partner on some of EY's largest clients. He helps CEOs and other leaders drive corporate strategy, capital allocation and transactions advisory through execution to enable fast-track value creation and build long-term value.

Mitch believes in today's world it's not just about "doing good," but "creating good". His goal is guiding clients to make better, more informed decisions while considering the economic and social value of their deals.

What has motivated you to excel over the course of your career?

Over the course of my three-decade career, my motivation has come from the people I work with — both at EY and the clients who put their trust in us. Our clients come to us to advise on some of their most important strategic initiatives, and we have worked on some of the largest and most transformational deals in recent history.

I am an advocate of building the next generation of innovative, entrepreneurial and diverse talent at EY, and I try every day to create a safe environment where wildly talented people can take chances and build a thriving career.

EY is a place that shares my values of kindness, community, authenticity and a commitment to excellence. I am proud to play a role in deepening these values and continuing to grow as a leader.

What has been the biggest factor in your success so far?

I bring a nontraditional way of thinking and creativity that have helped me to innovate and generate ideas and solutions in unique and sometimes unexpected ways. As a consultant that approach is something that clients appreciate, and that the EY organization has enabled me to run with and bring forward throughout my career. I've been able to be my authentic self and be supported, which has enabled me to take chances and explore new ideas and thinking. This culture of innovation and empathy allows people to really shine.

What do you enjoy most about your career in the consulting industry?

I feel incredibly lucky to work in the consulting industry at an organization like EY, where our purpose is building a better working world. I have the privilege of helping clients transform their organizations and serving as a trusted advisor through challenging times. I feel lucky to meet, interact, and work with a wonderfully diverse population of professionals every day, who continue to challenge me. There's never a dull moment and no two engagements are alike, which has expanded my worldview and allowed me to be a more effective and strategic leader.

It is also empowering to help people build their careers and witness their growth and evolution on a daily basis. Something my teams know well is that I encourage everyone to be who they are from day one. This has served me well throughout my career and my life. When team members are able to bring their full selves to work, it creates a positive culture where everyone feels safe to innovate, pressure test ideas, and fail smarter and faster.

What is your proudest achievement to date?

In January 2022, I was appointed EY Americas Vice Chair of Strategy and Transactions, where I lead a team of nearly 8,500 professionals across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Israel. This in itself was a great honor, but my proudest achievement is what we've been able to do during this time. Under my leadership, the $4.8 billion Strategy and Transactions business achieved record growth at 25% YoY in FY22, earning the accolade of being the fastest-growing business at EY. In this same period, we have been intentional about talent management and made our team the most racially diverse population within EY.

What's the best advice you've ever been given?

There is one piece of advice that sounds simple, but it is something I still think about decades later, and that is to bring solutions, not problems. Of course, there will be issues in any work setting – but instead of just raising the problem, it's important to take responsibility for a solution, as well. This is especially meaningful in the consulting industry, where we are sought out to solve problems as our primary competency. This mindset has become second nature, but it's an important lesson for young consultants to learn and adopt early in their careers.

What does this recognition mean to you?

It's humbling to be recognized for an area I'm so passionate about, and it is a true testament to my team's efforts to ensure EY is a place where talented professionals from all backgrounds and experiences can thrive.

One of the best things about EY is how we embrace and empower our identities and celebrate diversity across the firm – efforts that are mission-critical to creating an inclusive work environment where everyone feels they belong. This sense of belonging has a direct impact on performance, since a culture that helps people feel recognized, valued and supported creates environments that enable people to thrive.