Welcome

Achieve complex transformations

Management Consultant, Author, Transformation Sensei

Your ideas can move billions

How to navigate complexity at scale

Boardrooms look different across continents

20 years between strategy and execution

Consulting Partner for the Financial Services industry. Author of the #1 Amazon Best Seller Beyond Slides. Explorer of the edge in management consulting and corporate on Consulting Intel.

Maurizio's readers work at

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About Me

Maurizio Cuna - Management Consulting Partner and Author

I like to think creatively and do things differently: after all, a true innovator has to be undisciplined. In my professional career, I have had the good fortune of working for great consulting firms and client organisations all over the world: Europe, Asia, USA, and Australia.

Today I serve as a Partner at Infosys Consulting, the management consulting arm of global technology giant Infosys.

I am the bestselling author of Beyond Slides: Stand out, become irreplaceable, and win big in consulting, a useful book for consultants who want to survive and thrive in the long game, with fewer buzzwords and more substance.

I also write regularly on Consulting Intel, a newsletter I started in 2024 that is now read by thousands of management consultants globally.

Coaching is for people who need a cheerleader. Mentoring is for people who want to hear "war stories". I offer neither.

Throughout my career, I learned that high-stakes professional work is a martial art, where most people act like White Belts in disguise, relying on brute force, 80-hour weeks, and a massive volume of useless words to survive.

In my role as transformation enabler and advisor for both knowledge workers and start-ups, I act as their Sensei by identifying the wasted energy in their "form", stripping away the performative noise to refactor their presence, their pitch, and their precision.

My research areas include:

  • Financial Services
  • Cryptoventures
  • Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence
  • Mental Models and Philosophy
  • Start-up Advisory

I hold a BSc and a MSc in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Padua, the second oldest University in Italy and the sixth worldwide. I also have a formal education in Latin and Greek literature as well as Philosophy (good mix).

I was born and grew up in Puglia, right at the bottom of the heel of the Italian boot. I currently live in Australia with my wife, our daughter, and our dog Tank. In my spare time, I enjoy cooking, playing soccer, practicing Karate, improving my piano skills, and reading old books.

20+
Years Consulting Experience
4
Continents
20,000+
Social Following
#1
Best Seller in 4 Countries

My Work

#1 Amazon Best Seller

Beyond Slides

Stand out, become irreplaceable, and win big in consulting

In June 2025, my first book Beyond Slides hit #1 Best Seller on Amazon in the "Consulting" and "Business Consulting" categories in the USA, UK, Australia, and Italy.

Part philosophical essay, part memoir, part survival manual, Beyond Slides includes 39 practical exercises for those trying to make sense of consulting - this strange and slippery profession where ideas can move billions. With this book I want to help you:

  • Build the mindset to navigate ambiguity when AI eats the routine work
  • Develop the presence to hold your ground under fire
  • Own the politics you cannot avoid (but can learn to master)
  • Understand the long game of building leverage, reputation, and identity beyond your current firm

"You can be the best number cruncher in the room, but if you cannot read the politics swirling around a boardroom, if you cannot sense when a client is bullshitting you, or if you cannot disarm an executive with a well-timed joke, you will hit a ceiling so hard it will leave a dent."

Huge thanks to Tom Goodwin for the foreword! Having someone with such a sharp, curious, and delightfully contrarian mind introduce the book is a true honour.

The book is now available in digital format on Kindle, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Vivlio (and more), and as a paperback through Amazon, for those who still like the feel of paper and ink.

Read Preview Purchase on Amazon
Beyond Slides Book Cover by Maurizio Cuna - #1 Amazon Best Seller
Beyond Slides Physical Book - Paperback Edition by Maurizio Cuna

What Readers Are Saying

Real feedback from consultants and professionals around the world

★★★★★
The practical exercises aren't just filler content they've become my actual roadmap for addressing my weaknesses. What I wasn't expecting? How much I'd laugh while reading it. Maurizio manages to tackle serious professional development with genuine humor that keeps you engaged page after page.
★★★★★
What really sets this book apart is Cuna's writing style - it's incredibly easy to follow and feels like having a conversation with an experienced mentor. Rather than dry theories, he shares real-life experiences from his consulting journey, which makes the advice feel authentic and immediately applicable.
★★★★★
100% recommended, not just for consultants but for any professional who wants to succeed AND make a difference in their field. Well-written, engaging, and easy to follow... but MOST importantly, full of truly valuable and applicable thoughts.
★★★★★
Think of Beyond Slides as Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential but about the opaque industry that is management consulting. Maurizio makes the industry and its characters come alive, packing a punch both in the stories and practical exercises for consultants wanna-bes.
★★★★★
As an early career consultant this book is the consulting guidance that I have been searching for. Maurizio offers effective and straight forward advice, coupled with war stories that perfectly make his point. I cannot recommend this book enough and will eagerly read it again and again.
★★★★★
Honestly, this book should be required reading for anybody in professional services. Maurizio Cuna is kind of like the Mark Manson of business writing. Insightful and hilariously irreverent. Couldn't put this thing down!
★★★★★
Beyond Slides distills years of client-side wisdom into clear, actionable lessons. As a former consultant, I was impressed by how quickly the book moves from story to real insights, which is perfect for anyone who wants to hit the ground running in today's corporate world
★★★★★
A must-read for anyone who works for/with medium and large consulting organisations, senior leaders at corporations in any country, and for anyone wanting to get tips and tricks on how to influence and grow your career, with humour and integrity.
★★★★★
100% recommended. Offers unique insights into the advisor industry with valuable content you won't find anywhere else. Excellent guidance on Strategy, Mentorship, and Management Consulting. A must-read for anyone serious about professional growth.
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Ready to Transform Your Consulting Career?

Start building the mindset, presence, and leverage you need to win big in consulting.

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Media & Speaking

Podcasts, interviews, and speaking engagements

YouTube

Nikonomics with Nik Hulewsky

The 3-Step Framework Consultants Use to Fix Million-Dollar Problems

Maurizio brings 20+ years of consulting expertise, having worked with some of the largest companies globally, and his job is literally business problem solving.

Questions This Episode Answers:

  • How do consultants work?
  • How do they pinpoint the real problem, not just a symptom?
  • What mental models do experts use to break down complex business issues?
  • When facing multiple problems, how do you decide which to tackle first?
  • How can entrepreneurs balance quick action with careful analysis?
Watch on YouTube
YouTube

The Down Lo Show with Tak Lo

How to Become Irreplaceable in Consulting

In this episode, we sit down with Maurizio Cuna, author of the #1 Amazon bestseller Beyond Slides, the go-to book for standing out, becoming irreplaceable, and thriving in a rapidly changing consulting world.

We talk about:

  • Why Beyond Slides had to be written now
  • What AI is doing to the future of consulting careers
  • How to actually deliver value in client work (beyond pretty slides)
  • The personal story that shaped the urgency behind this book
Watch on YouTube
Podcast

The Skilled Consultant with Deri Hughes

Beyond Slides with Maurizio Cuna

We were delighted to welcome Maurizio Cuna, Partner at Infosys Consulting and 20+ year consulting veteran, for a wide-ranging discussion inspired by his new book, Beyond Slides.

As his title suggests, Maurizio argues that great consultants succeed not just through sharp analysis and communication, but through attitude, relationships, influencing, and professionalism.

All are things typically described as 'soft skills', but Maurizio highlights the misnomer: "Soft skills are anything but soft. They are hard to build, hard to master, and critical to your success."

Listen to Podcast

Featured Articles

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about consulting, the book, and more

About Consulting Career Advice

Breaking into consulting requires a combination of analytical skills, problem-solving ability, and strong communication. Focus on developing quantitative skills, case interview preparation, and understanding business fundamentals. Networking with current consultants and gaining relevant experience through internships or projects can significantly help. My book Beyond Slides covers the mindset and practical approaches needed to succeed in consulting.

While technical and analytical skills are essential, the most successful consultants excel in what I call "soft skills that are anything but soft": the ability to read situations, build trust, influence without authority, and navigate organizational politics. These skills - attitude, relationships, influencing, and professionalism - are what differentiate great consultants and are covered extensively in Beyond Slides.

Career advancement in consulting requires building leverage beyond your current role. This means developing a strong reputation, building relationships that extend beyond your firm, creating intellectual capital (writing, speaking, thought leadership, etc), and understanding the long game. Focus on becoming irreplaceable by developing skills that cannot be easily automated or replicated. Beyond Slides includes 39 practical exercises specifically designed to help you build this leverage.

About Beyond Slides

Beyond Slides is part philosophical essay, part memoir, part survival manual for consultants. It addresses the reality that being technically brilliant is not enough: you need to develop the mindset to navigate ambiguity, the presence to hold your ground under fire, and the ability to master the politics you cannot avoid. The book includes 39 practical exercises to help you build leverage, reputation, and identity beyond your current firm.

Beyond Slides is essential reading for consultants at any stage, from those just starting out to experienced partners. It is also valuable for professionals in related fields who want to understand consulting dynamics, anyone considering a consulting career, and managers who work with consultants. The book has been particularly praised by early-career consultants who found it to be the guidance they had been searching for.

Unlike books focused on case interviews or technical frameworks, Beyond Slides addresses the real, often unspoken challenges of consulting: reading boardroom politics, sensing when clients are not being straight with you, and building the presence to hold your ground. It combines genuine humor with serious professional development, sharing real war stories and practical exercises that readers have called their "actual roadmap" for addressing weaknesses.

Beyond Slides is available in digital format on Kindle, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Vivlio, and other major ebook platforms. Paperback editions are available through Amazon. You can also read a free preview on Gumroad before purchasing. The book hit #1 Best Seller on Amazon in the "Consulting" and "Business Consulting" categories in the USA, UK, Australia, and Italy.

About Transformation support

Coaching is for people who need a cheerleader. Mentoring is for people who want to hear "war stories". I am your Transformation Sensei: by identifying the wasted energy in your "form", we will strip away the performative noise to refactor your presence, your pitch, and your precision. I will be soon offering a personalized measurement and transformation tool for consultants (expected Q2 2026). For direct engagement, I'm available for select transformation work. Connect with me on LinkedIn or X (Twitter) to discuss opportunities.

Through my writing and speaking, I focus on helping consultants develop the mindset, presence, and leverage needed to succeed in the long game. This includes navigating ambiguity, building trust, reading organizational dynamics, and developing skills that make you irreplaceable. My approach is practical and grounded in 20+ years of real-world experience across 4 continents, working with some of the world's largest companies.

I advise a small number of start-ups at both early and scale-up stages. My expertise lies in FinTech, AI, cryptoventures, and the professional services model at large. I am very specific in selecting the founders and boards I work with, but please connect with me on LinkedIn or X (Twitter) to discuss engagement.

General Questions

You can connect with me on LinkedIn or follow me on X (Twitter). I'm also active on Consulting Intel where I regularly engage with readers. For speaking engagements or other professional inquiries, please reach out through LinkedIn.

Yes, I'm available for speaking engagements on topics related to consulting, career development, leadership, and the themes explored in Beyond Slides. I've spoken at various events and appeared on podcasts discussing consulting strategies, the future of the profession, and how to build lasting, AI-proof careers in consulting. Connect with me on LinkedIn to discuss speaking opportunities.