The Boomerang Consultant: Why How You Leave Matters More Than How You Arrive

Consultants come and go. In a dynamic industry built around knowledge, growth, and professional development, career transitions are a natural part of consulting.

Sometimes, consultants return to a firm they previously left, a phenomenon often referred to as the “boomerang consultant.” However, for this process to succeed, the return must be built on transparency, trust, and professional integrity.

In my previous role as Partner, and now as CEO of OHROS Consulting Group, I have experienced consultants joining and leaving our organization. This is a natural part of any professional environment. No organization owns its people; individuals must have the freedom to pursue their own growth and ambitions.

When consultants decide to leave, we respect their decision. We value open and constructive conversations to understand their motivations, support their transition, and maintain strong relationships.

However, the way someone leaves matters.

When Trust Becomes the Real Question

After leaving, some consultants reappear in the market under another consulting firm. Sometimes returning to the same clients they previously supported, occasionally in a similar role but with a different title or position.

From a purely contractual perspective, such situations may appear acceptable. Agreements can define boundaries, and legal frameworks can determine what is permitted.

Yet consulting is not built on contracts alone. It is built on trust.

Trust from clients who opened their organizations, shared sensitive information, and relied on professional continuity. Trust from employers who invested in opportunities, credibility, and development. Trust from colleagues who assumed transparency and good faith.

When someone leaves while already preparing a return under a different banner, the issue is not necessarily the action itself. The deeper question is about intent and transparency.

Professional integrity is most visible during moments of transition.

The Responsibility Behind Professional Relationships

Relationships built during a consulting engagement come with responsibility. The knowledge, credibility, and influence gained through one organization are not created in isolation. They are built through collective effort: colleagues, clients, mentors, and the broader ecosystem that enables professional growth.

This raises important questions:

• What does integrity look like when ambition meets opportunity?
• Where does personal advancement end and professional responsibility begin?
• What example are we setting for future generations of consultants?
• How do we honour the ecosystem that helped us grow?

These questions are not about restricting ambition. Growth and career development are essential. They are about ensuring that success is achieved in a way that preserves trust.

Stewardship in Consulting

I view consulting as something similar to a guild: a profession where people develop their craft, learn from others, build lasting relationships, and create value through expertise.

The consulting industry is also relatively small. Reputation travels quickly, and professional relationships often last far beyond individual assignments.

For this reason, people remember how you leave far longer than how you arrived.

Most firms choose not to pursue legal action in these situations. Often, the financial and emotional costs outweigh the benefits. Instead, they rely on professional standards and the belief that culture and integrity matter more than contractual victories.

However, as patterns in the industry evolve, it may be time for consulting leaders to discuss these topics more openly. Not to assign blame, but to reflect on the standards that define our profession.

Leadership Reveals Itself During Transitions

At its highest level, consulting is about stewardship. We are entrusted with people, knowledge, relationships, and the future of our clients.

Joining matters. Delivering value matters. Leaving matters just as much.

The strongest professional agreements are often not written in contracts. They are reflected in character, judgement, and the way we treat the relationships that helped us get where we are.

For anyone leaving a firm, or welcoming someone back into one, it is worth reflecting on a simple question:

What does professional honour mean during a transition?

Leadership is not only demonstrated by what we achieve. It is demonstrated by how we move forward, with respect for ourselves, our colleagues, our clients, and the broader consulting community.

About the author

Ennio Neumann Senese is CEO of OHROS Consulting Group, a European consulting firm specializing in strategic asset management, digitalization, resilience, and the energy transition.