T

he Consulting profession is as old as history. It was a position for those who were perceived to be honest, wise, independent, knowledgeable and experienced individuals who advised the leaders in the exercise of their power.

At NECG, we have built our consulting practice around a few fundamental tenets:

1.We differentiate between our two roles as advisors and change managers :

  • In consulting assignments, we clarify that we are advisors with all the advantages and limitations of this role, and we make sure that our clients have the capability to implement our recommendations or help them build this capability.
  • For change management, we design the vision and strategy for change, identify the pivotal positions and managers to lead the change and we review results and adjust quarterly or semi- annually .

2.While delivering our work, we follow strict professional ethics. We recruit consultants who share our ethics and values, and who have the potential to reach the maturity, credibility and modesty required to build relations of trust with our clients.

Since the start of my consulting career in 1978 and thereafter, I have always believed that Human Resources were the fundamental pillars on which organizations are built, where «the right person in the right position» is of critical importance; this has led me to launch in 1985 the Executive Search and Human Resources Consulting arm of NECG. Today, it is a leading practice throughout the Middle East with hundreds of executives already assigned to top and middle management positions.

In our practice and in our part of the world, we have built our expertise through working with the existing fabric of private enterprises: The mid-sized family business; most are at the quintessence of change requirements, with high rewards for more professional governance and management practices and high costs for failed successions at ownership and leadership levels or for sub standard practices at management level.

NECG is a «boutique»consulting firm, and the closeness and trust we build with each of our clients is of paramount importance to success, and is the key feature that differentiates us from the larger consulting firms. Before the financial crisis of 2008, most banking customers sought the large banks for their size and stability; after the crisis, clients are moving-back to the smaller, family-owned boutique banks. The same is happening within the consulting profession, as too many ideas’ sales were made, but too little value added.

Finally, Consulting in its “essence” is an intellectual and rational profession; yet, we cannot really succeed without profoundly having and demonstrating sincere empathy for the problems our clients ask us to solve along with the knowledge and credibility to help them successfully face the challenges they meet.
 

Roger Dib
Director