logo
episode-header-image
Jul 16
21m 4s

Inside BCG’s Gaza work scandal

Financial Times
About this episode

Top consulting firms have repeatedly found themselves facing a reputational crisis. The most recent example was in early July, when a Financial Times investigation revealed that Boston Consulting Group had modelled a plan to ‘relocate’ Palestinians from Gaza after entering into a multimillion-dollar contract to help launch an aid scheme for the enclave.


In this week’s episode, the FT’s US accounting editor, Stephen Foley, explains his reporting and examines what these events say about how effective the consulting industry’s ability to avoid reputational scandals is.   


Clips from the UN  


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 


For further reading:

BCG modelled plan to ‘relocate’ Palestinians from Gaza

Inside Gaza’s ‘death traps’

The little-known group poised to take over Gaza’s aid

BCG gets caught up in a scandal in Gaza 


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 


Follow Stephen Foley on X (@stephenfoley) and Bluesky (‪@stephenfoleyft.bsky.social‬). Michela Tindera is on X (@mtindera07) and Bluesky (@mtindera.ft.com), or follow her on LinkedIn for updates about the show and more. 


Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Oct 8
Elon Musk and the end of a telecom tycoon’s dream
In recent weeks, satellite business EchoStar has clinched multibillion-dollar deals with SpaceX and AT&T. It may sound like boom times for founder Charlie Ergen, but these deals illustrate something different: the abandoning of an ambitious, decades-long quest to build his own mo ... Show More
23m 40s
Oct 6
Coming soon from Tech Tonic: Mission to Mars
US President Donald Trump has pledged to “plant the stars and stripes on the planet Mars”, China could send its first crewed mission to Mars within a decade, and Elon Musk wants people to actually settle on Mars, transforming the human race into an interplanetary species. In a ne ... Show More
1m 40s
Oct 1
The unsustainable boom in India’s Silicon Valley
India’s tech hub Bangalore has experienced huge growth of companies and employees in the past two decades. But the city’s infrastructure is not keeping up with such rapid growth. With the tech sector contributing more than $300bn to the nation’s economy, what happens to the count ... Show More
22m 45s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2025
How Elon Musk Pulled X Back From the Brink
After years of trying to revive his flailing social media company, Elon Musk has pulled off a turnaround at X. It comes after Musk decided to merge X with his artificial intelligence company xAI. The deal values the combined business at over $100 billion. WSJ’s Alexander Saeedy e ... Show More
17m 47s
May 2025
Musk Commits to Tesla CEO Role and Plans Political Pullback
Watch Carol and Tim LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF. Elon Musk said he’s committed to still leading Tesla Inc. five years from now and expects to pare back his political spending, assuaging some investors’ concerns about the future of his most valuable company. T ... Show More
42m 45s
Oct 2022
Elon Musk is buying Twitter. Really. (Really?)
He’s back! Elon Musk, who agreed to buy Twitter for $44 billion last spring and then tried to back out of the deal, says he wants to buy Twitter for $44 billion, after all. That doesn’t mean it will actually happen - because, Elon Musk - but maybe it’s real this time. Maybe. So h ... Show More
44m 45s
Oct 2024
Comment Elon Musk s’est-il mis au service de Donald Trump et peut-il le faire gagner ?
Ces dernières semaines, Elon Musk a mis les bouchées doubles pour soutenir Donald Trump, montant sur scène avec l’ancien président lors d’un meeting de campagne et organisant lui-même des réunions publiques en Pennsylvanie. Depuis juillet, le dirigeant de Tesla et SpaceX a cumulé ... Show More
21m 59s
Jan 2025
The inside tip on how Tesla CEO Elon Musk is able to deliver on his big ambitions
The venture capital industry has no shortage of ideas right now in the AI space. Companies specializing in everything from mobility to software to chip design are trying to cash in on the AI boom, and VCs are aiming to be there to grow entrepreneurs and drive returns for their in ... Show More
26m 16s
Jun 2025
Post-DOGE, Elon Musk Faces Challenges at Tesla and SpaceX
It’s tech billionaire Elon Musk’s first official week following his stint in the Trump administration. WSJ columnist Tim Higgins and WSJ reporter Becky Peterson assess the record of the Department of Government Efficiency that Musk created and look ahead to the challenges he face ... Show More
15m 28s
May 2025
Bill Gates: how international development can survive the Trump presidency
Over the past 25 years, the Gates foundation has given away more than $100bn. Much of that money has gone to healthcare and education projects outside the US – and the organisation plans to give $200bn more to various programmes in the next twenty years. But as Elon Musk and Doge ... Show More
27m 42s
Jun 2025
Trump Targets Musk’s US Contracts, Subsidies as Feud Grows
Watch Carol and Tim LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF.President Donald Trump proposed ending Elon Musk’s government contracts and subsidies, escalating the war of words between the world’s richest man and the president he helped elect.“The easiest way to save money ... Show More
37m 51s
Jun 2025
What's behind the Donald Trump and Elon Musk break-up?
From mutual admiration to a fierce public blow-up. The short-lived alliance between US president Donald Trump and Elon Musk appears to have come to a dramatic end. The two men have been trading accusations, threats and insults. What's behind the break-up? And why does it matter? ... Show More
24m 59s
Jan 2025
Why is Elon Musk meddling in European politics?
The world’s richest man, Elon Musk, has revolutionised every industry he has ever worked in – from online payments and electric vehicles to space travel and satellite communications. Now he’s positioning himself as a major force in global politics. He is already going to play a k ... Show More
24m 33s