Today's Management Consulting Pulse
IBM Consulting claims 18‑month AI lead as it reshapes operations
IBM Consulting says it has an 18‑month advantage in AI after re‑engineering its workforce around a “human‑plus‑digital” model. The unit reported $21.16 bn in FY 2025 revenue, a 1.8% year‑over‑year rise, and $5.27 bn in Q1, up 4% YoY. Pairing consultants with AI agents helped cut $5 bn of spend, lowering total costs to $20 bn and boosting free cash flow.
Accenture Deploys Microsoft Copilot to 743,000 Staff, Claiming 15‑Fold Speed Gains
Accenture has begun a global rollout of Microsoft 365 Copilot to 743,000 employees, saying the AI assistant is already delivering up to 15‑times faster task completion for most users. The deployment is the largest single‑seat win for Microsoft and signals a new scale of AI adoption inside consulting firms.
Scale Teams by Multiplying Digital Workers, Not Headcount
What does it mean to scale a team when part of your workforce is digital labor? #Sponsored At @salesforce TDX, I sat down with Brandon Metcalf, CEO of @Asymbl_Inc, and what he shared challenged the assumption that growth is tied to...
Cognizant to Acquire Astreya for $600M, Bolstering AI‑First Services
Cognizant announced a $600 million cash acquisition of San Jose‑based Astreya, a managed‑services firm with AI‑Ops capabilities and partnerships across six hyperscalers. The deal, slated to close in Q2 2026, positions Cognizant to capture a share of the projected $6.7 trillion AI data‑center...
On the Move: Actum Adds Beck
Actum has hired former Trump 2024 campaign and Department of Energy transition team member Andy Beck as senior managing director in Washington, D.C., bringing deep federal‑policy experience to its consulting practice. Beck will advise clients on sectors where government funding...
Human Judgment, Not Models, Becomes the New Competitive Moat
The skills surging right now? Critical thinking. Strategic planning. Not prompting. Not fine-tuning. As AI tools proliferate, the floor for automation rises. The ceiling for human judgment rises with it. The next moat isn't your model. It's the thinking on top of it. https://t.co/2YO6AA87nc
Mid-Market SAP Implementations Fail Too—Learn From Real Case
ERP and digital transformation failures aren't exclusive to giant corporations. Mid-market companies, even those you haven't heard of, face dramatic SAP implementation fails too. Learn from a publicly traded company's disclosed struggles. #ERP #DigitalTransformation #SAP https://t.co/Bo7aP7afGm
MHP Marks 30 Years as Porsche‑Affiliated Management and IT Consulting Firm
MHP, the Porsche‑owned management and IT consulting subsidiary, celebrated its 30th anniversary on April 20, 2026. The milestone underscores the firm’s evolution from an SAP implementation partner to a leader in AI‑driven industrial transformation across automotive, manufacturing and beyond.
FIS and Antara Convene Jakarta Forum on Treasury Transformation and AI‑Driven Finance
FIS partnered with state news agency Antara to host a closed‑door finance leaders forum in Jakarta, where senior executives from Deloitte, BNI, Pegadaian and others examined treasury transformation, AI‑enabled analytics and strategies for building resilient, data‑driven finance functions across Indonesia.
Coastal Cyber Launches to Help MSPs Tackle the Security Gap
Coastal Cyber, a new independent cybersecurity advisory firm based on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, has launched to provide fractional CISO and governance, risk and compliance (GRC) services to mid‑market companies in finance, healthcare, SaaS and technology. The firm focuses on helping...
Airbus Hires Former Roland Berger Partner Eric Kirstetter as EVP of Strategy
Airbus has appointed Eric Kirstetter, a former senior partner at Roland Berger, as Executive Vice President of Strategy effective May 18. Reporting to CEO Guillaume Faury, Kirstetter will steer the aerospace giant’s long‑term roadmap as it confronts rapid technology shifts...
The Framework Graveyard: What the Consulting Industry Did to Good Research
Anthropologist Corina Enache traced popular management frameworks back to their academic origins, revealing that most have been heavily simplified or misrepresented by the consulting industry. She shows that Maslow’s fluid needs, Kübler‑Ross’s grief stages, Lewin’s field theory, and the MBTI...
Accenture and NSK Launch Multi‑Year Digital Transformation Pact for Japanese Manufacturing
Accenture and NSK announced a multi‑year partnership on April 27, 2026 to overhaul NSK’s manufacturing and back‑office operations through automation, AI and workforce reskilling, with efficiency gains earmarked for new product development. The deal marks a deep consulting‑led push into Japan’s heavy‑industry...
Your Growth Resources Are Already Within Reach
One of my favorite moments in client work is when a founder realizes the resources they need to grow are already around them. They just need someone with a zoomed out view to see it and the design the right structure...
Augment Humans to Evolve; Cost‑Cutting Leads to Extinction
Navigating AI Darwinism: Why companies that augment human potential will evolve, while those obsessed with cost-cutting and efficiency face extinction. https://open.substack.com/pub/briansolis/p/the-new-roi-why-return-on-intelligence
ServiceNow Gains Traction in Asia‑Pacific as Consulting Firms Build AI‑Powered Operations Platforms
A new ISG Provider Lens report finds consulting‑driven enterprises across Asia‑Pacific accelerating ServiceNow deployments to create AI‑powered operations platforms. The shift reflects heightened focus on AI readiness, regulatory compliance and cost efficiency.
Change Is Not Persuasion: These 3 Key Elements Are What Every Transformation Strategy Needs
Most change initiatives stumble because they rely on passion alone, assuming righteousness will carry them through. Effective transformation demands a clear grievance, a compelling vision, and a focused "Schwerpunkt"—concentrated effort on a decisive point. The approach must stay dynamic, continuously...
McKinsey Deploys AI Agents to Automate Performance Reviews and Consultant Staffing
McKinsey announced it will use generative AI agents to help conduct performance reviews and assign consultants to client teams, augmenting its long‑standing professional development staff. The move signals a new internal application of AI in a top consulting firm and...
Cognizant to Acquire Astreya, Expanding AI‑builder and AI‑ops Capabilities
Cognizant has signed a definitive agreement to acquire San Jose‑based Astreya, a platform‑led AI‑first managed‑services provider, for an undisclosed sum. The deal is positioned to broaden Cognizant’s AI builder portfolio and add production‑grade AI‑ops tools as the industry races toward...
Capgemini Launches Google Cloud AI Enterprise Hub to Speed AI Transformation
Capgemini announced the launch of a Google Cloud AI Enterprise Hub designed to move AI projects from pilots to production at scale. The hub combines Google’s Gemini models with Capgemini’s industry‑focused engineering to deliver turnkey AI solutions for sectors including...
Accenture Leads $110 Million Series C in Netomi, Boosting Agentic AI for Enterprise CX
Accenture Ventures spearheaded a $110 million Series C round for San Francisco‑based Netomi, pairing the funding with a strategic partnership to embed the startup’s agentic AI platform into enterprise customer‑experience operations. The deal also brings Adobe Ventures on board, signaling a broader...
Enterprise AI Scaling Demands Data Superhighway, Governance and New Security Tools
Accenture’s research shows 86% of enterprises will boost AI spend in 2026, yet only 21% have redesigned end‑to‑end processes around AI. At the same time, Anthropic has launched Claude Security, a code‑vulnerability scanner for enterprise customers, underscoring the need for...
Start with Structure, Not Software, for Successful Overhauls
Unpopular take: Most operating model overhauls fail because they start with software selection. Software is downstream of structure. Pick the structure first. The right tool reveals itself.
Design First: Avoid Unscalable, Risky System Rollouts
Building systems without upfront organizational design leads to location-specific solutions that don't scale. Don't be overly optimistic; if reports seem too green, trust your gut and dig for risks before launch. #ProjectManagement #BusinessStrategy https://t.co/GL8dCZ9oFM
ERM Elevates Louise Pearce to Lead Global Sustainability and Risk Amid ESG Surge
ERM has named veteran Louise Pearce as Global Leader of Sustainability and Risk, consolidating its ESG, enterprise risk and corporate affairs under one executive. The move reflects rising investor focus on mining, energy infrastructure and supply‑chain resilience, and signals a...
Internal Politics, Vendors, Consultants
Digital transformation is a perfect storm of problems. My new book, "Welcome to the Machine," explores the systemic issues rooted in internal politics, software vendors, and consultants. Understanding these three dimensions is key. #DigitalTransformation #Tech https://t.co/et5YVRV1pc
Balancing Agent-First Architecture with Human Buyer Relationships
How does an enterprise pivot to an “agent-first” architecture without completely alienating its traditional human buyers? https://t.co/YV3RT3pqcl @DLAIgnite #SocialSelling #DigitalSelling #Leadership #ArtificialIntelligence #AIAgents #AI #Strategy #Marketing #MarketingSuccess #MarketingStrategy #Branding
Aon Posts $5.0 Billion Q1 Revenue, 6% YoY Rise, Boosts Dividend
Aon announced first‑quarter 2026 revenue of $5.0 billion, a 6% year‑over‑year increase, while adjusted operating margin rose to 39.1%. The insurer‑consultant also lifted its quarterly dividend 10% to $0.82 and reaffirmed full‑year guidance.
Translate Strategy Into Simple Daily Actions for Lasting Results
Telling people “we need to grow” doesn’t work if it doesn’t connect to their reality. Strategy only sticks when it’s translated into simple, actionable principles people can actually live by every day. That’s where clarity beats complexity. The real challenge is...
McKinsey Deploys AI Agents to Match Consultants with Client Projects
McKinsey & Co. announced it will use generative AI agents to help select consultants for client engagements, a move designed to streamline its internal matching process for nearly 40,000 staff. The firm says the technology will ensure the right expertise...
LIFT Consulting Teams with Scoot to Deploy Live AI Sales Coaching
LIFT Consulting and Scoot have formed a strategic partnership to embed Scoot's Live Advisor AI into every virtual prospect and customer interaction. The integration brings LIFT's Sales Optics® diagnostics and SalesFilm® framework to the moment of the call, promising 2.5‑times...
Exponent Posts 14% Revenue Rise, Announces New President Amid Strong Consulting Demand
Exponent (EXPO) posted a 14% jump in first‑quarter revenue to $166.3 million and a 15% increase in EBITDA to $43.1 million. The firm also announced that John Pye will assume the presidency on May 1, while expanding its share‑repurchase program, underscoring a bullish...
KPMG Trims US Advisory Business and Audit Partners
KPMG confirmed it will cut about 400 advisory employees—roughly 4 % of its U.S. advisory workforce—and separate approximately 100 audit partners, representing 10 % of its U.S. audit partners. The firm is also exiting its U.S. federal audit practice, impacting around 450...
CGI Posts 3.3% Revenue Growth and Pushes AI-First Consulting Strategy
CGI announced Q2 fiscal 2026 revenue of $4.16 billion, a 3.3% year‑over‑year increase, and a 10.6% jump in diluted EPS to $2.09. The Canadian IT services firm emphasized its AI‑first strategy as a core growth driver, underscoring rising client demand for...
Willis Towers Watson Q1 2026 Earnings Spotlight AI‑Enabled Benefits and Workforce Analytics
Willis Towers Watson posted $2.4 billion in Q1 2026 revenue and a 19% jump in adjusted EPS to $3.72, driven by AI‑enabled benefits platforms and workforce analytics. The firm highlighted new AI tools while acknowledging pricing pressure and Middle‑East geopolitical uncertainty.
McKinsey Study Says 2026 Marks Quantum Computing’s Commercial Turning Point, Europe Leads Adoption
McKinsey & Company's new Quantum Technology Monitor 2026 finds that 2026 will be the year quantum computing shifts from a research promise to a strategic business priority. Global investment in quantum start‑ups hit $12.6 billion in 2025 and revenues topped $1 billion,...
Organizational Silos Stall Implementation of Clear Recommendations
Good recommendations and implemented recommendations are two very different things, and the gap between them is almost always organizational rather than technical. I keep running into the same dynamic. A team identifies a problem. An audit gets done, often a thorough...
Independent, Tech‑Agnostic Support Keeps Digital Transformations on Track
Ensure independent, technology-agnostic support for your digital transformation. This keeps projects on track, avoids conflicts of interest, and prioritizes your business needs over vendor or integrator agendas. #DigitalTransformation #TechSupport https://t.co/Kago9XZc50
Tetra Tech Posts 8% Q2 Revenue Rise on Surge in High-End Consulting
Tetra Tech announced second‑quarter 2026 net revenue of $1.05 billion, an 8% year‑over‑year increase, as high‑end consulting for water, environment and sustainable infrastructure lifted EBITDA to a record $146 million. The results prompted an upgrade to full‑year guidance and a larger dividend.
Skip Consulting After Graduation: Pursue Better Opportunities
This is an instance of the more general principle: If you are graduating university and are about to join a consulting firm, don't do that.
Making Self-Funding Supply Chains Real
Supply chains lag in digital maturity—only 36% overall and 21% for autonomous processes—making them costly and slow. Accenture proposes a self‑funding model that uses AI to target high‑impact cost drivers, capture early savings, and reinvest them for broader transformation. The...
Data Migration Remains Underestimated Despite Persistent Industry Challenges
Data Migration Is Still Hard: Why the Industry Keeps Underestimating It "Every few years the IT industry rediscovers something that experienced practitioners already know: moving data is difficult." https://t.co/Qy0esoSAIR
Lazard to Acquire Campbell Lutyens for $575M, Forming Global Private Capital Advisory Leader
Lazard announced a definitive agreement to acquire Campbell Lutyens for an initial $575 million, with up to $85 million in earn‑out, creating Lazard CL – a combined private‑capital advisory unit projected to generate $500 million in 2027 revenue and serve as the firm’s...
Hopping over the Debt - Process Intelligence Can Show Banks How They Operate, Not How They Think They Operate
Process intelligence firms like Celonis and ProcessLab are exposing the gap between banks' designed workflows and their real‑world execution, often shocking middle managers while confirming senior executives' hunches. Research shows 94% of organizations still suffer siloed data, and AI projects...
Moving From AI Pilots to Business-Wide Value Requires a Superhighway - How to Ramp Up
Accenture warns that moving from isolated AI pilots to enterprise‑wide value requires a robust, governed data foundation and a re‑engineered operating model. While 86% of firms plan to boost AI spending through 2026, only 21% have redesigned end‑to‑end processes with...
Business Case Drives Ongoing ERP Governance and Benefits
A business case does more than just justify an ERP project. It's crucial for ongoing governance, guiding key decisions and ensuring benefits are measured and optimized post-deployment. #BusinessCase #ERP #ProjectManagement https://t.co/8UBmNruRtR
PwC Expands Partnership with Appian to Launch AI‑augmented Enterprise Solutions
PwC and low‑code platform Appian announced an expanded alliance at Appian World 2026, rolling out AI‑augmented solutions for regulated labeling, legacy codebases and critical spreadsheets. The partnership aims to unlock up to $100 million in annual operational risk savings for large...
Underdog Studio Launches Boutique Transformation Firm Targeting Private‑Equity Growth Clients
Thomas Tearle and Brent Clarke have founded Underdog Studio, a new transformation consultancy that bills on outcomes rather than hours. The boutique targets private‑equity‑backed companies with ambitious growth goals, positioning itself between agencies and global consultancies.
GE Aerospace, Delta TechOps Target 34% Faster CF6 Engine Maintenance
GE Aerospace and Delta TechOps announced a joint effort to slash CF6 engine maintenance turnaround time by 34% by the end of 2026. The partnership has already delivered a 25% reduction and promises significant cost and safety benefits for Delta’s...
Harvard Business Review Offers Playbook for Negotiations With No Plan B
Harvard Business Review published a guide that distills 30 years of consulting experience across hundreds of multi‑million‑dollar negotiations. The piece outlines concrete tactics for leaders who face high‑stakes talks with no clear alternative, emphasizing creative leverage and partial solutions.
Redefining ROI for Distributed, Behavioral Value Metrics
#CIOChat Q3: Traditional ROI models break down when value is distributed, compounding, or behavioral (productivity, experience, speed). How are you redefining ROI, such as leading indicators, value realization tracking, product-level P&Ls, to make it actionable? https://t.co/puLY66fnSw