UK firms slash consulting spend amid rising AI adoption Economics British businesses are paring back their spending on consulting firms as they turn to AI for problem-solving, according to City AM’s new Business Spend Pulse. Median spending on consulting fees fell by 1.9 per cent in August compared to last year, the tracker found, despite an overall 2.2 per cent increase in corporate spending. That [...]
Top FTSE headhunter rescued by rival after plunging into administration Consulting A City-based boutique headhunter which won executive-level talent for a host of FTSE 250 firms and collapsed after pumping investment into an AI platform has been purchased by one of its competitors, City AM can reveal. 6 Group, a global executive recruitment consultancy, purchased Savannah Group and its AI platform, MapX, in July after founder [...]
Budget supermarket Iceland’s sneaky jab at Big Four management consultants Retail Supermarket chain Iceland has shared a subtle dig at management consultants on its website. There is a tongue and cheek reference to a £16m spend on external consultancy firms which include Big Four giant PwC, during a turbulent era for the business in the early 2000s. The retailer, known for selling frozen food, published a [...]
BTG Consulting cites poaching from ‘major competitors’ for boosted revenues July 7, 2026 London-listed professional services giant BTG Consulting’s revenue has spiked by 10 per cent for the financial year, partly driven by a push to poach senior talent from top competitors in the City. The consulting firm, previously known as Begbies Traynor before undergoing an official rebrand in February this year, said its revenue for the financial [...]
Exclusive: Top FTSE executive recruiter goes bust after AI platform launch July 4, 2026 A City-based boutique recruitment consultancy which has won executive-level talent for a host of FTSE firms has plunged into insolvency after pumping investment into an AI platform, City AM can reveal. Savannah Group, which has recruited directors and executives for the likes of Starbucks, hospitality giant Fullers, Burger King, Aston Martin, and global cruise titan [...]
PwC UK chief swipes global role in international shake-up June 19, 2026 The UK boss of PwC has been appointed to head up a larger role in the Big Four firm’s global network as the consultancy looks to centralise decision-making and reshape its international executive structure. Marco Amitrano will take up the new position on 1 July in addition to his current post leading the professional services [...]
IBM’s consulting chief warns AI will ‘implode’ unprepared rivals June 10, 2026 IBM Consulting, under Mohamad Ali, claims to have surged ahead in AI by pioneering a human-plus-digital workforce and transforming its own operations before selling innovative solutions to clients, leaving less-prepared consulting rivals scrambling to keep up, writes Maria Ward-Brennan. IBM’s consulting chief, Mohamad Ali, warns that AI will “implode” unprepared rivals, claiming the group has [...]
Private equity faces ‘sharp shock’ of triple threat stalling market momentum June 8, 2026 The global private equity market has stalled as it faces a triple-shock of issues which are contributing to a slowdown in market momentum, according to new figures from Bain & Company. The Big Three consulting firm said in its midyear report on private equity that the industry, “which was gathering momentum at the start of [...]
Professional services firms’ future hinges on private equity, Kroll chief says June 4, 2026 Private equity has been rewiring the professional services industry over the last few years, and with the sector undergoing enormous disruption from AI, stagnant growth, and a highly competitive market, PE investment is increasingly becoming a lifeline for firms to stay afloat. According to Jacob Silverman, chief executive of advisory and consultancy firm Kroll, private [...]
‘Outdated’ consultancy sector faces a reckoning as AI rips up the old model May 27, 2026 For years, the consultancy sector has relied on a traditional model and profitable formula: retained clients, billing time and upselling clients. Another crucial element has been the blend of ‘senior counsel’ supported by a team of juniors carrying out research and compiling reports. But the rug is being pulled from under this model and a [...]