UK consulting sector growing its international footprint, says MCA

Britain’s consultants are facing a sustained local slowdown in demand. Amid this, they are looking further afield for fresh opportunities, with UK consulting exports outside Europe growing by 5% over the last year.

The slowdown in the consulting sector has seen the UK industry’s collective revenue move into slower or negative growth. After the 2020 lockdown period, consultants enjoyed an immediate rebound, which saw a brief glut in demand lead to major hiring campaigns – but in the years following, many of the largest firms have downsized their headcount, as clients once again postponed projects amid geopolitical uncertainty and rampant inflation.

Source Global Research confirmed its estimate of the size of the UK consulting market fell from £15.4 billion to £14.9 billion in 2024. While the Management Consultancies Association uses different metrics (based on its own membership) to estimate the health of the sector, and believes the market was flat, rather than shrinking, seeing revenues hit £20.4 billion again in 2024, it also reported anxiety among advisory leaders going into 2025.

In January, the industry body said its members – including many of the world’s largest consultancies – feared growth would fall to around 6%, the lowest rate they predicted themselves since the pandemic.

Half way through the year, the MCA has published further research suggesting members are slightly more pessimistic now – anticipating 3.6% growth for 2025. But they seem more confident looking ahead – predicting a rebound to 7.8% for 2026.

This confidence is powered by a pivot which is seeing the UK consulting sector look overseas for new opportunities, trading on its long-time reputation for expertise, and its connections to both mainland Europe and the United States.

The MCA estimates the consulting industry to be worth £20.4 billion and currently exports generate around £5.9 billion of sales.

Industry examples

Examples of UK consulting firms that have leading international presences include PA Consulting, as well as the Big Four audit and advisory firms KPMG, EY, PwC and Deloitte, who have cemented their place as the world’s largest professional services firms building out from an initial UK base. But recent years have seen a number of smaller, boutique players (MCA and non-MCA members alike) also lead the charge into international markets, with consultancies like Q5, Analysys Mason, and The Sports Consultancy among those successful enough that they have been commended by a King’s Award for international trade.

Other successful examples include CIL Management Consultants, Grant Thornton and Mason Advisory.

While not all of those mentioned firms are MCA members, who would have directly impacted the organisation’s research, they do reflect a wider trend across the UK consulting market. Overall, it is a trend which has helped to fuel an export boom in, with exports of consulting services outside Europe rising by 5%; led by North America, Asia, and the Middle East.

Income by region

While economic challenges led to a decline in fee income from Europe, from 15% in 2023 to 11% in 2024, this was replaced by North America, which now accounts for 9% of export income, Asia Pacific 4%, and the Middle East rose from 2% to 3%. Something which reflects growing demand for UK expertise in infrastructure, technology, and financial services. The “rest of world” category meanwhile jumped from 13% to 18%, underscoring the sector’s adaptability and global reach – especially in the US, Saudi Arabia, India, and Japan.

Tamzen Isacsson, chief executive of the Management Consultancies Association, commented, “Supported by a wide talent pool, commercial expertise, and a regulatory environment conducive to business growth, the sector remains steadfast in delivering high-quality advisory support to clients worldwide. These achievements reflect the UK consulting sector’s commitment to meeting global challenges, driving economic development, and providing trusted professional guidance across industries and borders.”