Rich Lesser

Richard "Rich" Lesser (born 1962) is an American businessman who has served as the Global Chair of American global management consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG) since 2021. He previously served as CEO from 2013 to 2021.[1]

Rich Lesser
Rich Lesser at the 2012 World Economic Forum in Davos
Born1962
CitizenshipAmerican
EducationUniversity of Michigan (BS)
Harvard University (MBA)
Occupation(s)Management consultant, strategist
EmployerBoston Consulting Group
TitleGlobal Chair

Early life and education

Lesser grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania during the 1970s,[2] a time of economic hardship for the city due to the collapse of the steel industry at the time.

He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, where he was a Baker Scholar, and a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, summa cum laude, from the University of Michigan.[3]

Career

Lesser started his career as a product development engineer and group leader at Procter & Gamble.[4] In 1988, Lesser joined BCG as a consultant. He served as the head of the New York Metro office system from 2000 to 2009, and as BCG's Chairman for North and South America from 2009 to 2012.[5] He was elected to the firm's Executive Committee in 2006.[6] Since joining BCG in 1988, Lesser's client work has focused on strategy, operations, leadership, and large-scale transformation.[5] It is claimed he played a pivotal role in helping BCG become the only global management consulting firm to grow strongly through the 2008 recession.[7]

In May 2012, he was elected the successor of Hans-Paul Bürkner as the Global Chief Executive Officer of Boston Consulting Group.[8] Under his leadership, BCG more than doubled in size to over 22,000 employees and tripled in revenue, fueled by investments in new offices, digital and analytics, and capabilities to drive innovation and transformation.[9] Lesser oversaw the launch of BCG Digital Ventures, a builder and accelerator of digital businesses; BCG Gamma, an analytics and machine-learning team; and BCG TURN, a turnaround, restructuring, and transformation unit;[10] and more recently, the Center for Climate & Sustainability.[11] He oversaw the launch of the Southern Communities Initiative, a partnership between BCG, PayPal, and Vista Equity Partners to help advance racial equity.[12]

In 2021, Lesser was named the Top CEO in America by Glassdoor.[13]

Other Involvements

Lesser also serves as chief advisor to the World Economic Forum's (WEF) Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders. He previously served as a member of the WEF’s International Business Council and on the Board of Directors of the Business Roundtable, including serving as Chair of the CEO COVID-19 Task Force.[11][14]

He accelerated BCG's strong investments in social impact through its many partnerships, including the World Food Programme, Save the Children, and the World Wildlife Fund.[5]

In December 2016, Lesser joined a business forum assembled by then president-elect Donald Trump to provide strategic and policy advice on economic issues.[15] In August 2017, Lesser and other CEOs decided to disband the group.[16]

Personal life

Lesser is married and has three children.[17]

References
  1. "Rich Lesser; World Economic Forum". World Economic Forum. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  2. Schmitt, Jeff. "Executive Q&A: Boston Consulting Group CEO Rich Lesser". Poets & Quants. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  3. "Notable Alumni". Alumni Association of the University of Michigan. Retrieved 2017-08-22.
  4. "Rich Lesser - Agenda Contributor". World Economic Forum. Retrieved 2022-07-28.
  5. "Business Roundtable". Business Roundtable. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  6. "BCG Press Release". Thomson Reuters. 2013-01-09. Archived from the original on 2014-04-30. Retrieved 2013-05-12.
  7. "Top 25 Consultants, 2009: Rich Lesser". Consulting Magazine. 2009-06-01. Retrieved 2013-05-12.
  8. BCG (2012-05-19). "The Boston Consulting Group Elects Rich Lesser as Its Next CEO". GlobeNewswire News Room. Retrieved 2022-06-30.
  9. Cutter, Chip (2021-06-25). "Rich Lesser, CEO Whisperer, on His Toughest Moments". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2022-06-30.
  10. "The Boston Consulting Group Launches BCG Digital Ventures, a Digital Innovation, Product Development, and Commercialization Firm". Retrieved 2018-08-17.
  11. "Rich Lesser: World Economic Forum". Consulting.us. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  12. "Opinion: 3 ways companies can help advance racial equity". CNN. Retrieved 2022-06-30.
  13. "Glassdoor's Top CEOs for 2021 Announced; Boston Consulting Group CEO Rich Lesser Earns #1 Spot - Glassdoor Blog". www.glassdoor.com. Retrieved 2022-06-02.
  14. "Business Roundtable Welcomes Mask Mandate for Federal Employees, on Federal Lands". www.businessroundtable.org. Retrieved 2022-06-30.
  15. Bryan, Bob (2 Dec 2016). "Trump is forming an economic advisory team with the CEOs of Disney, General Motors, JPMorgan, and more". Business Insider. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  16. Gelles, David; Thomas, Landon Jr.; Sorkin, Andrew Ross; Kelly, Kate (2017-08-16). "Inside the C.E.O. Rebellion Against Trump's Advisory Councils". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-06-30.
  17. Consultancy.uk (7 June 2012). "Richard Lesser CEO of the Boston Consulting Group". Consultancy.UK. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
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