Market conditions

The UK consulting market, still the biggest in Europe, grew by just over two per cent between 2011 and 2012.

Recovery (if you can call it that) came in the form of a surprisingly resurgent financial services sector and a public sector which, though greatly reduced from its size a few years ago, was nevertheless fairly bouyant and...yadda yadda yadda. Up a bit, down a bit. A few per cent here, a few per cent there.

“If you had to be reborn anywhere in the world as a person with average talents and income, you would want to be a Viking”, wrote The Economist recently.

Speed: we’ve lost count of how many times we’ve heard that word from clients based in the Gulf states over recent weeks.  Here’s a typical comment, from a senior Saudi executive:  “We want to get a move on.  We need to make decisions and get started.”  Whether it’s their corporate strategy that’s being talked about, a leadership development programme or the implementation of new technology, time is of the essence.