From Engineering to the Helm of PwC: The Trailblasing Story of Mohammed Kande

Global consulting firm PwC recently announced Mohammed Kande, its international advisory head, as its next global chair, taking over from Bob Moritz, who has been in the position since 2016.

Here’s the inspiring story of Mohammed Kande and his rise to becoming the global chair of a leading consulting firm.

Kande holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Montreal and the ESIGELEC in France. However, it was not a walk in the park for him.

Growing up

Born and raised in Côte d’Ivoire, Africa, Kande faced uncertainty after completing his college education. Gifted in mathematics, his father suggested engineering, a path Kande embraced with the condition that he could study in France. At the age of 16, Kande went on to embark on a solo journey to France. This journey exposed him to several challenges, such as encountering far-right extremists and facing random ID checks for coloured individuals.

Undeterred by these experiences, Kande channeled his energy into diligent studies and engineering training. Despite being labeled a “super geek” by friends, he embraced his love for learning. His strong passion for knowledge is a theme that consistently runs through his growing-up journey as a young man. It is also a pointer to an important lesson to learn from his story. To excel, one must remain true to oneself, find one’s passion, and know what his or her strengths are.

Kande’s quest for knowledge led him across the Atlantic to Montreal, where he pursued a Master’s in Electrical Engineering. In his early career, the naturalised American has worked for several leading companies, such as Motorola in Chicago and DTI Telecom in Canada, and was responsible for the launch of telecommunication networks in the Middle East, Europe, the US, and Africa.

From engineering to management consultant

Transitioning from an engineer to a management consultant, Kande joined PRTM Management Consultants, eventually becoming the Managing Partner. In the corporate realm, Kande often found himself as the ‘first’ or ‘only’—a Black man, an immigrant, with a distinctive French accent. Rather than seeing these aspects as obstacles, he embraced them, leveraging his unique perspectives to spearhead transformative projects within the global firm.

In 2011, PRTM was acquired by PwC, marking the commencement of Kande’s tenure with the Big 4 firm. Since then, he has held various roles and currently serves as the Vice Chair. While he had aspired to become a US Senior Partner in the consulting firm, he surpassed the goal with his appointment as PwC’s Global Chair, a position that doesnt require the position he had pursued.

This is a pointer to the power of aspirations and a strong belief in oneself. Having a can-do spirit and pursuing that which one desires.

As PwC’s US consulting solutions co-leader and global advisory leader, Mohammed Kande guides global teams, C-suite leaders, and clients across diverse industries. From tech to health, finance, and industrials, he employs the power of technology—analytics, AI, cloud, and digital solutions—to find and fix complex problems, thereby transforming clients’ businesses.

Kande’s story is one that teaches that to succeed in life, you must be eternally curious and engaged in a constant quest to embrace new knowledge.

His story is a testament to place of resilience, a growth mindset, and an unrelenting pursuit of mastery in his craft. From engineer to management consultant, he exemplifies the possibilities that unfold when one remains true to oneself amid challenges.

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