A week of change

Last week saw some movement amidst the consulting ranks as several big guns stepped down from their posts. One of the most notable shifts came on Tuesday, when Rudy Giuliani stepped down as chairman and CEO of Giuliani Partners LLC, which he founded five years ago. The presidential hopefully had given up his management position last spring as he launched his campaign, though a formal announcement was not made until last week. Giuliani still stands to make a dime off the firm, as he retains 30% ownership. (For those eager to see where he's headed, you're not alone.)

That same day, it was announced that BearingPoint named COO Ed Harbach as the new CEO, taking Harry You's place after a two-year stint. The firm has left a messy trail over the past few years, after a series of layoffs, restructurings and bonus reductions in 2002/2003 left employees less than thrilled. Since then, the firm has been playing catch-up on its annual reports after some clerical complications in its accounting in 2004 and 2005. You stepped in in March 2005 and made it a priority for the firm to reclaim financial credibility, and brought onboard a new C-level suite. After picking up many of the pieces, however, You was still unable to revive earnings. On December 3, the firm reported its third-quarter earnings with the SEC, which brings it up to speed on its filings (a major plus, though dampened by its third-quarter net loss of $68 million). You formally stated last week, "I am delighted that we have been able to get current and I look forward to pursuing other opportunities."

In less dramatic news, last week Capgemini named Aiman Ezzat as chief operating officer of the financial-services strategic business unit, a newly-created position.