Deloitte vs McKinsey: Founders, CEOs and History
Deloitte was founded in 1845 by William Welch Deloitte, George Touche, Nobuzo Tohmatsu and is led by Joe Ucuzoglu. McKinsey was founded in 1926 by James O. McKinsey, Marvin Bower and is led by Bob Sternfels.
Company facts
Founders
Deloitte
William Welch Deloitte
William Welch Deloitte (1818-1898) opened his London accounting office in 1845. In 1849 he was appointed an independent auditor of the Great Western Railway, and he later served as president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
George Touche
Sir George Alexander Touche was a prominent 19th-century British accountant and a foundational founding figure behind the modern Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu global network.
Nobuzo Tohmatsu
Nobuzo Tohmatsu was a highly distinguished Japanese accountant, a former Imperial Navy Admiral, and the founder of the firm that provided the 'Tohmatsu' name to the massive Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu network.
McKinsey
James O. McKinsey
James O. McKinsey was an absolutely brilliant American accounting professor, fiercely innovative corporate strategist, and the profoundly influential founding patriarch fundamentally responsible for architecting the massive McKinsey & Company consulting empire…
Marvin Bower
Marvin Bower was an incredibly powerful American corporate attorney, highly visionary management consultant, and the profoundly influential 'modern founder' fundamentally responsible for shaping the massive global culture of McKinsey & Company.
CEOs and their tenures
Deloitte
- Punit Renjen2015–2022
Former Global Chief Executive Officer
During his tenure, Deloitte's revenue grew from about $35 billion to more than $59 billion. He launched the WorldClass societal-impact program and the WorldClimate strategy, and became Global CEO Emeritus on retirement.
Source - Joe Ucuzoglu2022–present
Global Chief Executive Officer
Under Ucuzoglu, aggregate revenue rose from $64.9B in FY2023 to $74.5B in FY2026, and Deloitte launched the Zora AI agentic platform with NVIDIA.
Source
McKinsey
- James O. McKinsey1926–1937
Founder
Established management accounting
Source - Marvin Bower1950–1967
Managing Director
Built the modern firm
Source - Gil Clee1967–1968
Managing Director
Continued Bower's work
Source - Lee Walton1968–1973
Managing Director
Grew the firm in Europe
Source - Alonzo McDonald1973–1976
Managing Director
Strengthened firm structure
Source - Ron Daniel1976–1988
Managing Director
Modernized practice areas
Source - Fred Gluck1988–1994
Managing Director
Built firm intellectual capital
Source - Rajat Gupta1994–2003
Managing Director
First managing director born outside the United States
Source - Ian Davis2003–2009
Managing Director
Stabilized reputation
Source - Dominic Barton2009–2018
Global Managing Partner
Expanded heavily in Asia
Source - Kevin Sneader2018–2021
Global Managing Partner
One-term leader; not re-elected in 2021
Source - Bob Sternfels2021–present
Global Managing Partner
Elected 2021, re-elected 2024
Source
Timeline: Deloitte and McKinsey side by side
1845Deloitte
William Welch Deloitte Opens London Office
William Welch Deloitte opens an accounting office in London, establishing the Deloitte lineage.
1899Deloitte
George Touche Establishes Predecessor Firm
George Touche establishes a predecessor firm that later becomes part of the Deloitte & Touche lineage.
1926McKinsey
Founding of James O. McKinsey & Company
James O. McKinsey, a University of Chicago accounting professor, founds the firm in Chicago, introducing the radical proposition that management could be subjected to rigorous quantitative analysis.
1934McKinsey
Relocation to New York City
James O. McKinsey moves the firm's headquarters to New York City to be closer to the center of American corporate power, seeking to expand its client base among the nation's largest industrial corporations.
1939McKinsey
Marvin Bower Purchases the Firm
Following James O. McKinsey's death in 1937, Marvin Bower and a group of partners purchase the firm from the estate, preventing a merger with an accounting firm and establishing the firm's independence.
1950McKinsey
Marvin Bower Becomes Managing Director
Marvin Bower is officially appointed Managing Director, cementing his vision of management consulting as a distinct, top profession and formalizing the firm's partnership structure and ethical codes.
1968Deloitte
Tohmatsu Lineage Established
Nobuzo Tohmatsu helps establish the Japanese firm that becomes part of Deloitte's global network identity.
1970McKinsey
Global Expansion and the 'One Firm' Policy
McKinsey expands its international office network across Europe and beyond, operating as a single global partnership.
1989Deloitte
Deloitte Haskins & Sells and Touche Ross Merge
Deloitte Haskins & Sells and Touche Ross combine to form Deloitte & Touche in a major professional-services merger.
1990McKinsey
The Rise of the Alumni Network and Strategy Dominance
The firm's 'up-or-out' system generates an alumni network that permeates the Fortune 500 C-suites, creating a self-reinforcing ecosystem that solidifies McKinsey's dominance in the pure-play strategy market.
2003Deloitte
Deloitte Brand Consolidates
The global network increasingly uses the Deloitte brand across member firms and service lines.
2005McKinsey
Growth of Public and Social Sector Work
McKinsey expands advisory work for governments, nonprofits and public institutions.
2015McKinsey
Acquisition of QuantumBlack
McKinsey acquires the London-based AI and advanced analytics firm QuantumBlack, marking a key strategic shift toward digital transformation and establishing a dedicated unit for enterprise AI.
2021McKinsey
Bob Sternfels Elected Global Managing Partner
Bob Sternfels is elected Global Managing Partner by the firm's senior partners, succeeding Kevin Sneader.
2022Deloitte
Joe Ucuzoglu Becomes Global CEO
Joe Ucuzoglu, CEO of Deloitte US since 2019, becomes Deloitte Global CEO on 31 December 2022, succeeding Punit Renjen.
2022McKinsey
Acquisition of Caserta
McKinsey acquires data engineering firm Caserta.
2023McKinsey
Acquisition of Iguazio
McKinsey acquires AI platform Iguazio.
2024McKinsey
Purdue and South Africa Settlements
McKinsey agrees to pay $650 million to resolve US federal probes into its Purdue Pharma work, and McKinsey Africa agrees to pay more than $122 million over South African bribery charges.
2025Deloitte
FY2025 Revenue Reaches $70.5B
Deloitte reports $70.5B in aggregate global revenue for FY2025.
2026Deloitte
Deloitte EMEA Launches
Following a partner vote, Deloitte EMEA launches on 1 June 2026, combining firms in more than 80 countries.
2026Deloitte
FY2026 Revenue Reaches $74.5B
Deloitte reports $74.5B in FY2026 aggregate revenue, up 3.8% in local currency.
2026McKinsey
25,000 AI Agents Alongside 40,000 People
Bob Sternfels says McKinsey runs about 25,000 AI agents alongside roughly 40,000 human employees and adds AI-use testing to graduate recruiting.
Acquisitions
McKinsey
- ET Medialabs2025Undisclosed
- Strategic Estimating Systems2024Undisclosed
- Iguazio2023Undisclosed
- SCM Connections2022Undisclosed
Questions about Deloitte vs McKinsey
Who is the CEO of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited and McKinsey & Company?
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited is led by Joe Ucuzoglu and McKinsey & Company is led by Bob Sternfels. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited founded vs McKinsey & Company?
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited was founded in 1845 — 81 years before McKinsey & Company, which was founded in 1926. Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger McKinsey & Company.
How many employees does Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited have compared to McKinsey & Company?
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited employs approximately 473,050 people, while McKinsey & Company employs approximately 40,000. Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited has the larger workforce at 473,050 employees, compared to McKinsey & Company's 40,000. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited and McKinsey & Company headquartered?
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited is headquartered in United Kingdom and McKinsey & Company is headquartered in United States. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited and McKinsey & Company?
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited was founded by William Welch Deloitte, George Touche, Nobuzo Tohmatsu. McKinsey & Company was founded by James O. McKinsey, Marvin Bower.
Which company has a longer operating history — Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited or McKinsey & Company?
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited has been operating for approximately 181 years, making it the more established of the two companies. McKinsey & Company has been in operation for around 100 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Deloitte vs McKinsey overview