Kearney, a global management consulting firm, is taking a significant step in strengthening its presence across South India, with the opening of a new office in Chennai. The move builds on Kearney’s years of work with clients in South India and reflects the firm’s view on the state’s fast-growing economy and how it will play an even bigger role in India’s next phase of growth.
Kearney has been a trusted advisor to leading organisations across India for close to three decades. Today, India stands as the firm’s second-largest market after Japan, contributing nearly 25% to the APAC region’s revenue. With this expansion, it will now operate out of four offices – Chennai, Mumbai, Gurugram and Bengaluru, having close to 800 employees.
Tamil Nadu’s industrial depth, strong entrepreneurial base, and rising cohort of high-growth businesses have made it an important market for Kearney. The new office will allow the firm to work more closely with long-standing clients and support emerging companies that are expanding both within India and globally.
“Our new Chennai office underlines our confidence in the region and the pace at which Tamil Nadu is moving,” said Siddharth Jain, Managing Partner and Country Head, Kearney India. “As the state continues to grow above 11% and widens its lead as India’s second-largest economy, we need to be closer to clients, understand their challenges on the ground, and help them make faster, more ambitious moves.”
To drive the firm’s expansion in the region, Senior Partner Nithin Chandra will now be based in Chennai. His relocation from Singapore, South East Asia to Chennai brings senior leadership closer to clients and talent in the South, an area where Kearney has seen consistent demand for strategic, operational, and transformation support.
“Being in Chennai shows our deep commitment, and investment to work even more closely with our clients and the companies that are pushing the region forward,” said Nithin Chandra, Senior Partner, Kearney. “We have partnered with leading organisation here for years, and this is the ideal next step. Tamil Nadu has the potential to become a USD 1 trillion economy by 2030, and we want to contribute meaningfully to that journey. Our focus will be to support industries including auto/auto-components, consumer, energy, healthcare, hi-tech manufacturing, and industrials among others.”
The opening of the new Chennai office comes at a time when businesses across South India are accelerating their expansion plans. They are looking for partners who can help them navigate shifting market dynamics, scale efficiently, and close gaps quickly. Kearney aims to deepen engagement with established companies, growing enterprises, and family-owned businesses that are modernizing their operations and entering new markets.
