Top 10 Business Development Companies in 2025

Companies	Employees	HQ location	Revenue	Website	Industry
Inspire Brands	View 2,953 employees	🇺🇸 United States, Georgia, Atlanta	$ 500-1000M	inspirebrands.com	Professional Services, Travel and Tourism
PwC	View 152,975 employees	🇬🇧 United Kingdom, London	$ 500-1000M	pwc.com	Professional Services
Cognizant	View 255,764 employees	🇺🇸 United States, New Jersey, Teaneck	$ >1000M	cognizant.com	Professional Services, Information Technology
KPMG Deutschland	View 14,310 employees	🇮🇳 India, Haryana, Gurugram	$ 500-1000M	home.kpmg	Professional Services, Financial Services
Mahindra Group	View 30,103 employees	🇮🇳 India, Inde, Mumbai	$ >1000M	mahindra.com	Professional Services, Financial Services, Lending and Investments
Societe Generale	View 51,773 employees	🇫🇷 France, Île-de-France, Paris 9e Arrondissement	$ >1000M	societegenerale.com	Professional Services, Financial Services, Community and Lifestyle
Saint-Gobain	View 3,676 employees	🇫🇷 France, Île-de-France, Courbevoie	$ >1000M	saint-gobain.com	Sustainability, Professional Services, Manufacturing
Cencosud	View 21,666 employees	🇵🇪 Peru, Lima Province, Miraflores	$ 500-1000M	cencosud.com	Professional Services
BNP Paribas	View 4,894 employees	🇫🇷 France, Île-de-France, Paris 9e Arrondissement	$ >1000M	group.bnpparibas	Financial Services, Professional Services, Sustainability
Swire	View 324 employees	🇬🇧 United Kingdom, London	$ 500-1000M	swire.com	Professional Services

Click to load more companies

1. Inspire Brands

Inspire Brands is a renowned leader in the multi-brand restaurant sector, known for its diverse portfolio of well-known restaurants including Arby’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Sonic. By focusing on strategic business development, Inspire Brands effectively enhances customer experience and drives growth through innovation in service and menu offerings. Their approach combines operational excellence with a deep understanding of market trends, allowing them to expand their footprint and adapt to changing consumer preferences. This strategic agility positions Inspire Brands as a dynamic force in the competitive dining industry, continuously optimizing and expanding its influence.

Location 🇺🇸 United States, Georgia, Atlanta	Size View 2,953 employees
Revenue $ 500-1000M	Industries Professional Services, Travel and Tourism
	View Similar Companies

2. PwC

PwC, short for PricewaterhouseCoopers, is a powerhouse in the professional services sector, offering a broad spectrum of business development services that include advisory, assurance, and tax solutions. Renowned for helping organizations of all sizes craft growth strategies, optimize operational efficiency, and manage risk, PwC employs a global network to connect insights across markets. The firm’s dedication to integrity and quality assures that companies are well-equipped to navigate market dynamics and steer towards sustainability and profitability, positioning PwC as a leader in fostering business resilience and transformation.

Location 🇬🇧 United Kingdom, London	Size View 152,975 employees
Revenue $ 500-1000M	Industries Professional Services
	View Similar Companies

3. Cognizant

Cognizant is a leading technology and consulting company that excels in helping businesses transform their operational and technology models to become more efficient and innovative. Located in key markets worldwide, Cognizant specializes in an array of services within business development, including digital engineering, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation strategies. Their strong focus on accelerating business growth and adapting to market changes positions them as a strategic partner for companies looking to thrive in the digital era. Cognizant’s dedication to client success is demonstrated through their tailored solutions that address unique industry challenges and drive competitive advantage.

Location 🇺🇸 United States, New Jersey, Teaneck	Size View 255,764 employees
Revenue $ >1000M	Industries Professional Services, Information Technology
	View Similar Companies

4. KPMG Deutschland

KPMG Deutschland, part of the global KPMG network, is renowned for its expertise in professional services, including audit, tax, and advisory. Tailored specifically for business development, KPMG Deutschland helps companies streamline their operations and strategize for growth amidst dynamic market conditions. Its comprehensive approach includes risk assessment, performance improvement, and financial management, making it an indispensable partner for businesses aiming to enhance competitiveness and innovation in their respective sectors.

Location 🇮🇳 India, Haryana, Gurugram	Size View 14,310 employees
Revenue $ 500-1000M	Industries Professional Services, Financial Services
	View Similar Companies

5. Mahindra Group

Mahindra Group is a multinational conglomerate with a prominent presence in over 100 countries, engaging in a variety of sectors including automotive, agriculture, aerospace, and real estate. Known for its innovation in developing sustainable and versatile business solutions, Mahindra excels at driving growth and operational efficiency in markets around the world. The group’s commitment to sustainability and its strong ethos in corporate responsibility are integrated into its business strategies, ensuring it remains a leader in fostering economic development while promoting environmental stewardship.

Location 🇮🇳 India, Inde, Mumbai	Size View 30,103 employees
Revenue $ >1000M	Industries Professional Services, Financial Services, Lending and Investments
	View Similar Companies

6. Societe Generale

Societe Generale is a powerhouse in global banking, offering a robust array of services including corporate and investment banking, private banking, asset management, and securities services. As a key driver in business development, the company stands out for its strategic advisory services and financing solutions that empower businesses to grow, innovate, and compete on a global scale. With a deep commitment to sustainable finance, Societe Generale is dedicated to supporting projects and companies that contribute to a positive economic, social, and environmental impact, making it an essential partner for businesses looking towards future growth and sustainability.

Location 🇫🇷 France, Île-de-France, Paris 9e Arrondissement	Size View 51,773 employees
Revenue $ >1000M	Industries Professional Services, Financial Services, Community and Lifestyle
	View Similar Companies

7. Saint-Gobain

Saint-Gobain is a multinational corporation excelling in the development, manufacturing, and distribution of materials and solutions crucial for wellbeing and sustainability in the building and construction industry. They leverage their extensive expertise in advanced material science to innovate products that enhance comfort and efficiency in urban environments. With a strong emphasis on sustainability and eco-friendly practices, Saint-Gobain is committed to helping professionals and communities around the world build better, smarter, and more environmentally sustainable structures. Their strategic mastery in business development has propelled them as a leader in creating innovative solutions that meet the evolving demands of the global construction sector.

Location 🇫🇷 France, Île-de-France, Courbevoie	Size View 3,676 employees
Revenue $ >1000M	Industries Sustainability, Professional Services, Manufacturing
	View Similar Companies

8. Cencosud

Cencosud is a prominent South American conglomerate, heavily engaged in various sectors including retail, real estate development, and financial services. With a robust foundation in operating supermarkets, shopping centers, home improvement stores, and department stores, Cencosud plays a vital role in the economic landscape of countries like Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Peru. The company’s strategic initiatives in business development aim to foster growth and diversification, particularly focusing on enhancing its digital platforms and customer-centric services to better meet evolving market demands and consumer expectations. This approach helps Cencosud maintain a significant competitive edge in the region’s dynamic retail environment.

Location 🇵🇪 Peru, Lima Province, Miraflores	Size View 21,666 employees
Revenue $ 500-1000M	Industries Professional Services
	View Similar Companies

9. BNP Paribas

BNP Paribas stands as a pillar in the global banking sector, excelling notably in business development. As one of the largest and most trusted banks in the world, BNP Paribas offers a comprehensive suite of services including corporate and institutional banking, asset management, and personal banking. With a robust presence across Europe and strong networks in Asia and the Americas, the bank facilitates seamless and innovative financial solutions that drive growth and efficiency for businesses worldwide. Their strategic initiatives focus on sustainable finance and digital innovation, positioning BNP Paribas as a dynamic leader in shaping the future of banking.

Location 🇫🇷 France, Île-de-France, Paris 9e Arrondissement	Size View 4,894 employees
Revenue $ >1000M	Industries Financial Services, Professional Services, Sustainability
	View Similar Companies

10. Swire

Swire is a diversified conglomerate with significant interests in sectors such as property, aviation, beverages, marine services, and trading and industrial activities. Known for a strategic approach to business development, Swire focuses on long-term sustainable growth across its operations, leveraging extensive industry knowledge and a broad international network. This emphasis on strategic growth and collaboration enables Swire to consistently expand its market presence and enhance its portfolio, making it a powerhouse in driving business innovation and development across multiple industries.

Location 🇬🇧 United Kingdom, London	Size View 324 employees
Revenue $ 500-1000M	Industries Professional Services
	View Similar Companies

Want to see more Business Development companies?

Things to Consider When Prospecting into Business Development Companies

Common Pain Points and Challenges for Companies in Business Development

Navigating Regulatory Compliance

Adhering to industry-specific regulations and laws is often a significant challenge for businesses, particularly those expanding into new markets.

Increased complexity and cost of operations.
Risk of non-compliance penalties.
Need for constant updates on new laws.

Sales Insight: As you approach potential clients, emphasize your knowledge and solutions that can help manage or simplify their compliance requirements. By showcasing your understanding and readiness, you can build trust and alleviate concerns about regulatory challenges.

Understanding Market Trends

Keeping pace with rapid changes and developments in the market is crucial for businesses looking to expand and innovate.

Difficulty in predicting market shifts.
Risk of making uninformed business decisions.
Constant need for market research and analysis.

Sales Insight: Use your deep understanding of market trends to advise and guide your clients. This expertise can help them make more informed decisions and position you as a trusted advisor in their business growth journey.

Building Strategic Partnerships

Forming the right partnerships can be transformative, yet finding and securing these partnerships is often a major hurdle.

Challenges in identifying compatible partners.
Negotiation complexities.
Long-term alignment and value verification.

Sales Insight: Highlight your ability to facilitate beneficial partnerships, addressing how you can help identify, broker, and nurture strategic relationships that offer mutual growth opportunities.

Scalability of Solutions

Businesses need to scale their operations effectively to grow, but adapting existing solutions to larger scopes can be challenging.

Balancing cost with growth.
Integrating new technology or processes.
Maintaining quality and performance at scale.

Sales Insight: Demonstrate how your offerings are designed to effortlessly scale alongside their business, assuring prospects that your solutions can grow and adapt as they do.

Differentiation in Competitive Markets

Standing out in a saturated market is essential for acquiring and retaining clients, which can be a substantial obstacle for many companies.

High competition leading to aggressive pricing strategies.
Difficulty in establishing unique value propositions.
Market noise obstructing visibility.

Sales Insight: Leverage your understanding of the competitive landscape to help your clients craft unique value propositions and marketing strategies that truly differentiate them from their competitors.

Technology Integration

Implementing new technologies to improve efficiency and competitiveness is necessary but integrating them smoothly is often difficult.

Technical compatibility issues.
Staff training and adoption hurdles.
Initial investment costs.

Sales Insight: Offer solutions that simplify the integration of new technologies into existing infrastructures, and highlight your support in training and adoption processes to ease transitions for your clients.

Customer Retention

Maintaining a loyal customer base is crucial, yet developing strategies that effectively enhance customer retention can be elusive.

Evolving customer expectations.
Need for continuous product and service enhancement.
Importance of customer engagement and satisfaction.

Sales Insight: Discuss strategies with your prospects that focus on customer engagement and satisfaction, which can lead to higher retention rates. Explain how your insights into customer behavior and preferences can aid in tailoring their offerings for better customer loyalty.

Start finding new prospects that match your ICP

Key Decision-Makers and Influencers in Business Development

Key Departments

Marketing

Insight: Aimed at market expansion and brand positioning. Marketing professionals are interested in solutions that can increase lead generation, improve campaign effectiveness, and offer granular analytics to gauge ROI.

Customer Success

Insight: Dedicated to ensuring client satisfaction and fostering long-term relationships. They prioritize solutions that enhance customer service, improve client retention rates, and increase upselling and cross-selling opportunities.

Strategic Planning

Insight: Involved in setting long-term goals and aligning business initiatives with market opportunities. They look for data-driven tools that support decision-making, trend analysis, and strategic forecasting.

Finance

Insight: Focuses on budget management and financial planning. Finance departments assess tools based on cost-efficiency, ROI, and their potential to contribute to overall business growth.

Operations

Insight: Oversees day-to-day activities and ensures operational efficiency. Solutions that automate processes, reduce costs, and improve organizational efficiency are crucial for operations leaders.

Seniority Level

Not joined surfe yet? Sign up to Surfe today

Buying Processes and Behaviors in Business Development

Extended Decision-Making Processes

In Business Development industries, buying decisions often involve several layers of approval and validation.

Decision-making processes can be complex due to the strategic importance of the purchases.
Multiple stakeholders, including executives and department heads, usually need to consent.
Risk assessment is thorough to ensure alignment with long-term business goals.

How to leverage: Familiarize yourself with the corporate structure of your potential clients. By understanding who the key decision-makers are, you can tailor your presentations and communications to address the specific interests and concerns of each stakeholder. Establishing a rapport with each influencer within the company can also facilitate smoother negotiations and quicker approvals.

Value-Driven Purchasing

Business Development sectors prioritize purchases that directly contribute to growth and efficiency.

These industries look for solutions that promise a clear ROI and competitive advantage.
Cost-efficiency without sacrificing quality is typically a major consideration.
Long-term benefits and scalability of the product or service are critically evaluated.

How to leverage: Ensure that your sales pitch highlights how your product or service can increase efficiency or growth. Provide concrete data and case studies that demonstrate past success and clear ROI metrics. Emphasize not just the immediate benefits but also how your solution can scale with their business development efforts.

Reliance on Trusted Relationships

Companies in this sector often rely on established relationships when making purchasing decisions.

Trust is built through consistent and positive past interactions.
There’s a preference for vendors known for reliability and strong support.
Relationships may even trump cost or product features in some decision-making scenarios.

How to leverage: Focus on building long-term relationships with clients from the outset. Regular follow-ups, personalized service, and showing genuine interest in their business challenges can set you apart. Being seen as a trustworthy partner rather than just a vendor can significantly influence their purchasing decisions.

Emphasis on Innovation

Business Development industries are often focused on staying ahead through innovation.

Innovation drives competitiveness and is a key factor in most purchasing decisions.
They prefer solutions that are adaptable and future-proof.
There’s a high value placed on cutting-edge technology and new methodologies.

How to leverage: Clearly communicate the innovative aspects of your products or services. Be prepared to discuss how your offerings are aligned with the latest industry trends and technologies. Demonstrating forward-thinking and adaptability in your solutions can make a compelling case for why your product is the optimal choice.

Not joined Surfe yet? Get 20 free credits

Prospecting Tips for Selling to Business Development Companies

Leverage Success Stories

Success stories and testimonials from similar industries or market segments can significantly influence decision-makers in business development. They provide proof of concept and credibility to your pitch.

Tip: Include specific examples of how your product or service has helped similar clients achieve their business goals.

Emphasize Innovation

Innovation is a critical component in business development sectors. Companies are always on the lookout for new and innovative solutions that can provide them with a competitive edge.

Tip: Demonstrate how your product leads in innovation and discuss any awards or recognitions it has received that validate its uniqueness and effectiveness.

Build Trust Through Transparency

Trust is crucial in any business relationship, but especially so in business development where strategic partnerships and investments hinge on transparency. Clear communication about capabilities and limitations of your product can enhance trust.

Tip: Be upfront about what your product does and does not offer, ensuring expectations are properly set from the outset.

Book a demo

267,059

Want to see more Business Development companies?

Things to Consider When Prospecting into Business Development Companies

Common Pain Points and Challenges for Companies in Business Development

Scalability of Solutions

Differentiation in Competitive Markets

Technology Integration

Customer Retention

Start finding new prospects that match your ICP

Key Decision-Makers and Influencers in Business Development

Key Departments

Seniority Level

Not joined surfe yet? Sign up to Surfe today

Buying Processes and Behaviors in Business Development

Emphasis on Innovation

Not joined Surfe yet? Get 20 free credits

Prospecting Tips for Selling to Business Development Companies

Need prospects?

Top 10 Business Development Companies — a guide for sales

Want to see more Business Development companies?

Things to Consider When Prospecting into Business Development Companies

Common Pain Points and Challenges for Companies in Business Development

Technology Integration

Customer Retention

Start finding new prospects that match your ICP

Key Decision-Makers and Influencers in Business Development

Key Departments

Seniority Level

Not joined surfe yet? Sign up to Surfe today

Buying Processes and Behaviors in Business Development

Not joined Surfe yet? Get 20 free credits

Prospecting Tips for Selling to Business Development Companies