Vault’s Verdict

Anchored in the firm’s values of excellence, entrepreneurship, and empathy, Roland Berger’s APAC offices share a culture that emphasizes collaboration, inclusivity, sustainability, and professional growth. The firm’s work on clients’ most challenging global projects means consultants do their fair share of hard work, but a genuine buy-in from leadership supports a good work-life balance. The firm encourages flexible work arrangements—including working remotely—and allows employees to take sabbaticals if they need long-term rest. Senior management actively monitors employee engagement and hours, intervening when work-life balance starts to fade.

The firm also offers a truly international experience. Its Office Ambassadors program encourages cultural exchange across its locations, global training programs ensure consultants from around the world receive the same learning opportunities, and many employees pursue international project assignments or even international transfers. The firm also supports career growth through structured onboarding and formal mentoring for staff new to the firm. Roland Berger also sponsors advanced degrees and fellowship opportunities.

As consultants carve out their niche within the firm, promotions can often come quickly. Performance reviews occur twice a year, and the process is transparent. Compensation compares favorably against other top consulting firms, and the firm offers a bonus that reaches up to 50 percent of base salary. Additional perks include food and transportation reimbursements, comprehensive medical coverage, fitness initiatives, and 24/7 access to counselling.

Employee Reviews

Firm Culture

• “Roland Berger’s culture is anchored in excellence, entrepreneurship, and empathy, empowering consultants to lead with responsibility from day one. Initiatives like Office Ambassadors foster local networking and collaboration across offices.”
• “Flexibility to make my own decision about how I work and keep work and life balance as I like.”
• “The firm places importance on flexible working arrangements and sabbatical programs to allow employees to recharge and manage personal commitments effectively. This flexibility is backed by leadership’s genuine buy-in, fostering a culture where taking time to rest and focus on well-being is encouraged as a key part of sustaining long-term performance and personal growth.”
• “The greatest strengths of our firm are the empowering culture and the focus on holistic development. We benefit from a flexible work environment and a strong emphasis on team collaboration, which fosters a supportive and inclusive atmosphere. Furthermore, the access to abundant learning resources and opportunities for professional growth ensures we are continuously developing our skills”

Quality of Life

• “Flexible working arrangements are encouraged, and systems are in place to support them. While there is no pressure to come into the office, many employees choose to do so to enjoy communication with their colleagues.”
• “The best aspect of our firm’s quality of life is the strong emphasis on employee well-being, reflected in generally manageable hours and a supportive culture that makes taking time off straightforward. While travel demands are usually reasonable, they can occasionally lead to last-minute pressures during peak periods.”
• “The firm genuinely prioritizes flexible working and work-life balance through initiatives like the B&Me program which offers sabbaticals, flexible arrangements, and extra vacation days. Additional Office Ambassadors actively foster local networking, creating a supportive and connected work environment that encourages personal development.”
• “Regular employee engagement survey to monitor work-life balance satisfaction. Proactive response from the leadership level to review survey results and take respective measures. New Ways of Working initiative, enabling flexible working arrangements, sabbaticals, etc. Strong culture of empathy embedded in corporate values.”

Career Development

• “Onboarding sessions have been arranged for new joiners to familiarize them with ways of working and the fundamental tools required to develop client deliverables. A one-week kick-off training program is also conducted during the early stage of their tenure. Each new joiner is assigned a mentor from the outset to provide guidance and support. Project assignments cover a wide range of topics across multiple countries within the Southeast Asia region.”
• “One of the most valuable aspects is the clear framework for professional growth, which emphasizes personalized career paths. This is supported by a diverse portfolio of development programs, including sponsorship for advanced degrees like MBAs, dedicated fellowship opportunities, and a strong emphasis on gaining experience through internal project assignments and international rotations.”
• “I feel that the firm places strong emphasis on training, and that promotion processes are handled in a fair and transparent way. Training is carried out thoroughly over the first several months after joining, and even after the initial training period, I have been able to receive regular guidance from my mentor. As for promotions, they are decided based on feedback from members at various levels of the organization, which makes the process well-rounded and convincing.”
• “We have global training programs. Meet colleagues from around the world in one location for training. Opportunities to transfer between offices are also available.”

Compensation

• “Highly competitive salary amongst top consulting firms. Great salary progression, based on performance review done twice a year with possibility to have fast-track promotion path for top performers. Reimbursements for food and transportation. Potential improvement: Lifestyle reimbursement (e.g., professional attire/fashion).”
• “Good bonus potential (up to 50 percent of base). Solid health coverage.”
• “A sufficient level of compensation that is regularly adjusted to reflect factors such as inflation, along with fair opportunities for promotion.”
• “Regular fitness initiative for the whole office (monthly basis). 24/7 access to counselling. Comprehensive medical coverage provided by the company's insurance plan.”

Inclusion

• “The firm has made visible efforts to promote inclusion across various dimensions. For example, it organizes events such as International Women’s Day celebrations and Pride Week activities, which help raise awareness and foster a more inclusive culture. These initiatives create space for dialogue and recognition of diverse identities. In terms of access to work and promotion opportunities, I feel that most consultants have equal access to high-quality projects and career advancement.”
• “Roland Berger promotes a wide range of internal initiatives around diversity, such as activities like Pride Week and communities like JustBe for LGBTQ+ and JustBe Friends for LGBTQ+ supporters. Every consultant is encouraged to participate in those activities.”
• “We have Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Council providing number of opportunities to consider about inclusion, and this also applies for local office level.”
• “The firm is deeply committed to inclusion through the Global DEI Leadership Council, pay equity and equal promotion cycles. Unconscious bias training is also embedded across the organization, and the firm actively supports women with initiatives like Women@RolandBerger, networking and buddy systems. These efforts have ensured all consultants have equal access to quality projects and advancement opportunities.”

Business Outlook

• “Roland Berger is actively exploring new topics such as AI, Sustainability and Climate Action, etc. The firm is growing above the market and has successfully acquired and integrated firms in a lot of innovative aspects such as water management.”
• “Highly competitive in the market. Leadership is well connected and positioned to drive growth. Good depth of capabilities and expertise in the team.”
• “Strong team morale and market momentum. Clearly taking share from the competition.”
• “We see stable growth of our firm although the market itself is quite volatile. We always challenge to our clients with what is really needed, and that comes from our mind of non-compromise.”

Hiring Process

• “Roland Berger’s interview process is structured and efficient, with prompt feedback underscoring professionalism. It actively prioritizes diversity, seeking talents with varied perspectives and strengths to foster innovation, embodied in the "Be the Original You." ethos, which celebrates authenticity as a core value.”
• “Four interviews, all including a case. Looking for well-rounded candidates with numerical ability, critical thinking, ability to apply creativity to business problems, and individuals who are effective at synthesizing and communicating insights”
• “I am often involved in our recruitment and screening processes, and I can confirm that Roland Berger welcomes candidates from all majors, institutions, and personal backgrounds. What matters most is drive and the ability to identify opportunities within a broad pipeline of leads. If you’re interested, don’t self‑select out, go ahead and apply with confidence.”
• “At the firm, we really value authentic, winning personalities and an entrepreneurial mindset. So, during interviews and callbacks, it's not just about what's on your resume. Your personality and how you approach challenges matter a lot. The firm is looking for people who are driven, creative, and easy to work with—those qualities really fit our culture and set people up for success here.”

Interview Questions

• “A variety of cases are used each year, ranging from hypothetical scenarios to real anonymized cases in the past. These are usually guided in a way that facilitates a logical discussion and mirroring an actual on-project meeting.”
• “The interview and case questions encompass strategy development, market sizing, and the generation of innovative ideas.”
• “How should a European pharmaceutical company attempt entry into Thailand’s cancer care market? What is the potential revenue for a nuclear power plant established in Kalimantan? How much shampoo should a hotel in Jakarta supply/procure each year to replace the amount used, resulting in stable annual stock?”
• “How to regrow the bike shop? How to consider when investing in amusement park?”

Uppers

• “The culture, people, flexible hours, and the vibe at the office.”
• “Prestige, inclusivity, salary.”
• “Challenging environment to develop and stretch myself.”
• “Respectful environment and down-to-earth real impact that we bring to clients..”

Downers

• “Dealing with demanding clients.”
• “Competitive advantage: Too expensive for some projects but too small for others.”
• “Long hours.”
• “High proportion of projects for Chinese SOEs and POEs, inevitable travel outside Shanghai.”