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MCA FORECASTS GROWTH AND HIGHLIGHTS CONTINUING IMPROVEMENTS IN SOCIAL MOBILITY IN THE CONSULTING SECTOR

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The UK consulting sector is expected to grow by 6.4% in the next 12 months and by 8.7% in 2026 with AI being the biggest area of growth for consulting in the next year Nearly 40% of consulting firms are looking to expand further with more regional offices outside the capital this year and investments estimated at £2.8 millionThe proportion of young consultants from Russell Group universities has decreased to its lowest point ever at 30%, compared to 73% in 2011Flexible working has overtaken competitive salary as the top driver of job satisfaction, for the first time in 6 years

LONDON, Jan. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The latest research from the Management Consultancies Association (MCA) reveals a cautiously optimistic forecast for the consulting industry in 2025, with particularly strong growth expected in the Digital & Technology and Energy & Infrastructure sectors. According to the MCA Member Survey 2025 conducted by independent research firm Savanta, MCA leaders believe that the consulting sector will grow by 6.4% in the next 12 months and by 8.7% in 20261, signaling a resilient sector despite challenging economic conditions in the UK and overseas.

Consulting services in AI (66%), digital technology (59%) and cost reduction (46%)2 are expected to help drive greatest growth with the Energy and Resource sector (71%), Infrastructure (54%) and Digital and Technology (85%)3 sectors the top three by sector size. Nearly all member firms anticipate increased demand for AI-related services, with three-quarters planning significant internal investments in AI over the next two years averaging at £1.9 million4. AI is also expected to play a crucial role in meeting rising client expectations for highly specialised expertise and innovative solutions, allowing consultants to focus on higher-level strategic thinking while AI handles routine and data-intensive tasks. The survey responses forecast consultants will increasingly leverage AI-powered tools to streamline processes, augment decision-making, and deliver more personalised solutions to clients. As the sector moves into 2025, cautious optimism prevails, with a focus on embracing opportunities and overcoming emerging challenges. Clients are looking for consultants to do more, assisting with productivity and helping support business growth. It is important to remember that over the past five years the overall size of the consulting sector in terms of revenue has doubled to over £20 billion.5

The MCA Annual Industry Report in 2024 showed a significant regional investment trend, with more than half of all new hires being recruited outside the capital last year. MCA member firms now have 312 office locations outside London. In the MCA Member Survey 2025, nearly 40% of consulting leaders indicated plans for regional office investments this year, with the average outlay estimated at £2.8 million, rising to £5.3 million among larger firms6. This investment underscores the industry’s commitment to expanding its footprint and tapping into diverse talent pools across the UK.

The survey also highlights the industry’s increasing commitment to inclusivity. Data shows a significant shift in the educational backgrounds of young consultants, with the proportion of consultants from Russell Group universities decreasing to 30%, compared to 73% in 20117. This change underscores a deliberate effort by consulting firms to enhance social mobility and attract talent from a broader range of educational backgrounds and regions across the UK.

Flexible working (37%) has overtaken a competitive salary (26%)8 as the top driver of job satisfaction for consultants for the first time in six years. This shift reflects a broader trend towards valuing work-life balance and the flexibility to work from various locations, which has become especially relevant in today’s work environment. Despite these advantages, there remains a strong desire for more in-person interactions among consultants. In fact, 56%9 of members have expressed a preference for increased face-to-face engagements, highlighting the ongoing need for personal connection and collaboration in the industry, both with clients and colleagues.

Tamzen Isacsson, MCA Chief Executive, said:  

“From geopolitical instability to high inflation, it has been another challenging year for the economy, and the resilience of our sector in such a climate is testament to our members’ perseverance and surefootedness. Nearly three quarters of business leaders say their performance either met or exceeded expectations last year and it’s encouraging that our leaders expect client demand to bounce back this year and next. It is no wonder therefore that the consulting sector has been identified as a growth-driving industry by the government.

“This survey, now in its sixth year, illustrates not only the scale of the challenges, but the speed at which the market is moving and how management consulting will be supporting clients from around the globe to grow. There is positive but cautious optimism for the year ahead with a focus on embracing opportunities and overcoming emerging challenges. Our sector continues to lead the way on diversity and inclusion and continues to attract more diverse talent into the sector from all backgrounds and regions of the UK.”

Independent market research agency Savanta partnered with the MCA to collect and analyse member data for the 2024 report. Further information can be found at www.mca.org.uk   

Notes to Editors:

1.  1,268 management consultants from the Management Consultancies Association membership participated in the survey conducted between 7th of October and 20th November 2024. It was carried out by the independent research company Savanta

The Management Consultancies Association (MCA):

The MCA is the representative body for the UK’s leading management consulting firms. For nearly 70 years, the MCA has been the voice of the consulting industry, promoting the value of consulting to business, the public sector, media commentators and the general public. The MCA’s mission is to promote the value of management consultancy for the economy and society as a whole. The MCA’s member companies comprise over 50% of the UK consulting industry and work with the vast majority of the top FTSE 100 companies and almost all parts of the public sector. The UK consulting industry is amongst the best in the world and a vital part of the business landscape.

1 Question asked to MCA Council Representatives – To what extent do you expect your organisation’s overall consulting activity to grow or contract over the periods Jan 2025Dec 2025 and Jan 2026Dec 2026

2 Which consulting services do you believe will grow the most over the period between Jan 2025 and Dec 2025. % of respondents who put service in top 3.

3 Respondents who expected consulting activity to increase in certain sectors

4 MCA Council Representatives asked how much they anticipate investing in AI and innovation in the period Jan 2025 to Dec 2026

5 MCA Annual Industry Report 2024

6 MCA Council representatives – approximately how much do you anticipate investing in regional expansion outside of London in the period of January 2025 to December 2026

7 If applicable, which university did you attend during your undergraduate degree (inc I did not attend university/I attended university as an apprentice)

8 Which elements of your role provide the most job satisfaction? (% who had the response in their top 3)

9 % of respondents who agree or disagree with statements about hybrid working

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/mca-forecasts-growth-and-highlights-continuing-improvements-in-social-mobility-in-the-consulting-sector-302354320.html

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BitradeX BXC First Two Subscription Rounds Sell Out, Total Subscriptions Exceed 14M USDT

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LONDON, May 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — BitradeX Capital’s ecosystem equity token, BXC, has completed its first and second subscription rounds, selling a total of 50 million BXC with subscriptions exceeding 14 million USDT. The first round sold out in 90 seconds, while the second closed within 48 hours.

While the fundraising size is not unusually large by crypto standards, the structure of the sale has attracted market attention. The first two rounds were not open to the public, but limited to high-tier BitradeX users. The first round was available only to V5 users and above, while the second round expanded access to V3 users and above.

According to BitradeX’s tier system, V3+ users typically have higher recurring investment activity through AiBot, longer platform usage history, and stronger ecosystem participation. This means the early BXC allocation was absorbed mainly by the platform’s internal high-value user base, rather than short-term speculative participants.

This approach differs from many token fundraising campaigns that prioritize broad public participation and market hype. BitradeX instead adopted a more selective, staged model, gradually lowering the participation threshold while keeping the sale within its active ecosystem community.

BXC is positioned as more than a standard platform token. Its value framework is linked to BitradeX Capital’s broader ecosystem, including its exchange business, AiBot quantitative strategies, BTX Card payments, and Labs incubation platform. Public information indicates that BXC holders may receive staking rewards, benefit from ecosystem buybacks and burns, and gain priority access to Launchpad projects and governance participation.

The third subscription round is launched on April 30 at $0.35 USDT per BXC, with a total supply of 100 million BXC. It is now open to users participating in AiBot recurring investment. The fourth round price is expected to rise to $0.45 USDT.

The long-term value of BXC will ultimately depend on the growth of BitradeX’s underlying businesses, including exchange profitability, AiBot user expansion, and BTX Card adoption. However, the rapid sellout of the first two rounds suggests that BitradeX’s core user base has already shown strong confidence in the ecosystem’s future.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bitradex-bxc-first-two-subscription-rounds-sell-out-total-subscriptions-exceed-14m-usdt-302767467.html

SOURCE BitradeX Capital

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South and East Asia identified as hotspots of global warming related impacts on male fertility

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BEIJING, May 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A major new study has shown that South and East Asia dominate patterns of global warming related decline in male fertility with the strongest and most consistent evidence coming from India, Pakistan and the southern parts of China.

The effects of increased environmental temperatures on male reproductive health include declining sperm concentration and motility and increased sperm DNA fragmentation, or genetic damage that can hinder fertilisation and embryo development.

Male related factors account for around 50 per cent of infertility cases around the world and the impact of rising ambient heat on semen parameters raises serious implications across wide areas of Asia where total fertility rates are in serious decline.

Outcomes of the study undertaken by the Taiwan IVF Group and Ton Yen General Hospital, Taiwan (China) in collaboration with Stanford University (USA) are being presented at the 2026 Congress of the Asia Pacific Initiative on Reproduction (ASPIRE) in Beijing.

Research principal and Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor at Stanford University, Dr Jack Yu Jen Huang, MD, PhD, FACOG said: “Given the temperature sensitivity of spermatogenesis, even modest increases in ambient temperature could have cumulative, population-level effects over time.

“As global warming accelerates, male reproductive health may represent an emerging climate sensitive public health concern.”

The testes function optimally at temperatures lower than the internal body heat level, and previous studies have shown elevated scrotal or ambient temperatures can impair sperm production.

The latest research explored global patterns to reveal comparative data across regions. It is based on a systematic review of international studies on temperature exposure and semen parameter trends between 2000 and 2024. Artificial intelligence algorithms and machine learning tools were applied to extract key variables including geographic regions and semen outcomes.

Dr Huang said studies examining occupational heat exposure alone were excluded from the analysis as they reflected localised, job-specific conditions rather than broader climatic trends.

“Our findings therefore represent population level climate associated temperature effects including consistent seasonal variations showing poor semen quality parameters in warmer periods.”

The global patterns on temperature associated lower sperm concentration and motility show South and East Asia as major hot spots of concern followed by the Middle East, Europe and North America.

“South and East Asia are likely more affected due to a combination of factors including higher baseline ambient temperatures and rapid urbanisation that contribute to greater cumulative heat stress on spermatogenesis,” Dr Huang explained.

“With ongoing global warming, chronic heat exposure may increasingly impact male reproductive health.”

Dr Huang said potential approaches to address the issue include:

increasing public awareness of heat exposure and reproductive health;encouraging protective behaviours;expanding research integrating climate and reproductive health data; andexploring clinical and lifestyle interventions to mitigate heat-related effects.

The research team was assisted by research intern Jeffrey Zi Kang Huang from Taipei American School, particularly in the application of artificial intelligence in biomedical research including AI-assisted data analysis and pattern recognition across global datasets.

“Further longitudinal and mechanistic studies will be important to better define causality and guide interventions,” he added.

The ASPIRE Congress is being held at the China National Convention Centre in Beijing. More than 3,000 scientists, clinicians, nurses and counsellors in assisted reproduction from around the world are attending the Congress.

For further information, go to https://www.aspire2026.com

 

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SOURCE ASPIRE

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eclicktech Attends Amazon Ads unBoxed 2026, Highlighting Four Key Trends Shaping AI-Driven Global Marketing

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SHENZHEN, China, May 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Amazon Ads recently hosted its annual flagship event, Amazon Ads unBoxed 2026, in Shenzhen, bringing together advertisers, agencies, and technology partners to explore the next phase of AI-powered marketing innovation. This year’s event focused on how AI is reshaping the advertising ecosystem through advancements in audience targeting, creative production, campaign management, and measurement capabilities.

Yeahmobi, the global marketing brand under eclicktech and an Amazon DSP validated partner, attended the event alongside industry leaders and ecosystem partners to discuss emerging opportunities for international brand growth in an increasingly AI-driven media environment.

During the conference, Amazon Ads introduced a series of product and solution updates across four major areas:

Advanced audience targeting powered by Amazon’s first-party data infrastructure to help brands reach high-intent consumers more effectively;AI-assisted creative production designed to improve content efficiency and support personalized advertising at scale;Intelligent campaign management tools aimed at simplifying cross-channel advertising workflows;Enhanced measurement and attribution capabilities to provide advertisers with clearer visibility into campaign performance and return on investment.

According to Yeahmobi, Amazon DSP is evolving beyond a standalone programmatic buying platform into a broader marketing infrastructure supporting the full customer journey, from brand awareness to conversion.

Since becoming an Amazon Ads partner, Yeahmobi has developed integrated advertising solutions spanning awareness, audience engagement, and conversion optimization. The company stated that it has supported brands across sectors including cross-border e-commerce, consumer electronics, AI applications, and financial services in scaling their global advertising efforts through Amazon DSP.

At the event, Yeahmobi also showcased its proprietary advertising management platform, Yeahgrowth, which integrates campaign management, data analytics, and performance optimization capabilities to support centralized multi-platform operations and improved campaign visibility.

“AI is fundamentally reshaping how brands approach global growth,” said William Liu, General Manager of Yeahmobi. “We see Amazon Ads as a strategically important part of the global marketing ecosystem. Our focus is not only on media execution, but also on building scalable growth infrastructure through deeper API integration, AI-driven optimization, and data collaboration.”

Yeahmobi stated that it will continue expanding its collaboration with Amazon Ads to support brands navigating increasingly complex global media environments.

About Yeahmobi
Yeahmobi is a global marketing brand focused on helping businesses achieve international growth through digital advertising, data-driven operations, and AI-powered marketing solutions.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially due to various risks and uncertainties. The company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/eclicktech-attends-amazon-ads-unboxed-2026-highlighting-four-key-trends-shaping-ai-driven-global-marketing-302767470.html

SOURCE Yeahmobi

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