Hidden Champion of the Consulting Market 2026/2027

As a leading performer in interim management, Atreus clinches yet another “Hidden Champion of the Consulting Market 2026/2027” award

Munich, December 15, 2025 – Munich-based management consultancy Atreus continues its ascent, clearly prevailing against strong competition when it was named “Hidden Champion of the Consulting Market 2026/2027.” The market leader from Germany reaffirmed its top position and maintained a clear lead over other high-caliber competitors in the “Interim Management” segment. Survey participants consistently rated Atreus’s consulting expertise as “high” or “very high.”

These findings come from a recent survey conducted by the Scientific Society for Management and Consulting (Wissenschaftliche Gesellschaft für Management und Beratung, WGMB) in Bonn. The study’s findings are based on information from more than 1,100 executives at large enterprises in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, each with annual revenues exceeding €500 million. Three key groups were surveyed for the study: members of the board of management and/or senior management, budget holders, and project leads.

Award reaffirms consultancy’s standing as a key competitor

The aim of the study was to identify consulting firms that the market perceives as particularly high-performing but that are less well known than ubiquitous names such as McKinsey, BCG, and Bain. The central criterion for the award is that a “Hidden Champion” must be judged to have competencies that are superior to those of the aforementioned firms in at least one consulting area or industry. A “Hidden Champion” is therefore defined as a firm regarded as outstanding in its specialty, surpassing even the best in the consulting industry. Only consultancies that clearly demonstrate this essential quality may bear the title “Hidden Champion.” That mid-sized consultancies manage to successfully compete with the market leaders is demonstrably rare; this award thus confirms Atreus’s status as a significant challenger to the industry’s leading players for the third consecutive year.

“The award stands for hard work and fuels further momentum in the future”

“We are delighted to have been recognized as a ‘Hidden Champion.’ It confirms our leading position in the consulting market but also demonstrates that clients recognize both our efforts and our innovative strength,” explains Dr. Harald Linné, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Atreus. “This award further motivates us to continue on our path as focused implementers and creative thought leaders. It stands for the tireless dedication of our team and gives further impetus to continually delight our clients in the future,” adds Rainer Nagel, also Managing Partner and Co‑Founder of Atreus.

In the consulting discipline of “Interim Management,” Atreus was able to capture the top spot in the study, outperforming prominent firms such as Roland Berger and Accenture. The study finds that Hidden Champions excel at execution and teamwork, speaking their clients’ language while winning them over with innovative solutions.

About the company

Atreus GmbH (LLC), a leading provider of executive interim management in Germany, helps clients resolve highly challenging change situations by placing experienced executives in line, project, and program management roles. Atreus Interim Management delivers tailored, high-quality solutions designed for and with relevance to the C‑suite level. Founded in 2006, the company is led by its Managing Partners and Co-Founders, Dr. Harald Linné and Rainer Nagel. Leveraging a network of more than 18,000 interim managers, Atreus completed more than 400 projects for 300 clients both at home and abroad in the past year alone. Atreus is part of Heidrick & Struggles (Nasdaq: HSII), a leading provider of global leadership advisory and on-demand talent solutions that meet the leadership and consulting needs of the world’s leading companies.

Atreus GmbH
Sabine Dreesen (Head of Marketing), dreesen@atreus.de, +49 89 45 22 49 420

WBCO Public Relations & Business Communications GmbH
Frank Wöllstein, f.woellstein@wbco.de, +49 69 133 88 035