UK professional services: momentum, investment and opportunity in 2025
The UK’s professional services sector continues to outperform the broader economy with strong M&A activity, international investment and sector-specific growth. For firms hiring marketing and business development professionals, this presents a unique opportunity to align recruitment strategy with market momentum.
M&A activity: a catalyst for commercial hiring
Professional services M&A remained resilient last year. While overall UK deal volumes fell by 20% in the first half of 2024 according to PWC, professional services saw a smaller 10% decline. More importantly, deal value rose by 66% to £68 billion – driven by larger transactions and renewed confidence among strategic buyers.
This uptick in deal value often signals a need for commercial talent within firms scaling through acquisition. Post-deal integration, brand repositioning and client retention all require experienced marketing and business development professionals.
Private equity and the demand for scalable commercial teams
Private equity (PE) accounted for 44% of all professional services transactions in 2024 – significantly higher than the 37% share across the wider UK market. PE firms continue to favour buy-and-build strategies, particularly in accountancy and legal services where recurring revenues and consolidation potential are high.
These strategies often require firms to professionalise their commercial functions quickly. That means hiring marketing leaders to unify brand messaging across acquisitions and business development specialists to drive cross-selling and client growth. Recruiters like Carter Murray who understand the nuances of PE-backed growth are well placed to add value.
Technology and consultancy: a growing talent gap
Only 14% of UK companies are using AI at a strategic level, despite 85% of business leaders recognising its potential. This gap is fuelling demand for consultancy, which is forecast to grow by 7% annually through to 2027.
As firms invest in digital transformation, they also need marketing and business development professionals who can articulate complex tech propositions, build go-to-market strategies and support client acquisition. This is a fast-moving space where commercial talent is crucial for success.
International investment and cross-border hiring
The UK remains Europe’s top destination for foreign direct investment in financial and professional services, attracting £1.1 billion in 2023. In the first half of 2024, 69 international investments were recorded including the Shearman & Sterling and Allen & Overy merger. The second half saw over 70 more deals, including Epam’s £230 million acquisition of First Derivative.
Cross-border deals often trigger hiring needs in marketing, communications and client development – especially where firms are entering new markets or integrating global teams. Specialist recruiters with international reach or sector-specific expertise can play a key role in supporting this transition.
Outlook for 2025: growth, consolidation and commercial opportunity
Looking ahead, PE firms are expected to accelerate platform-building strategies particularly in legal and consulting. ESG and regulatory advisory are also set to grow, creating new demand for specialist services – and for the commercial talent to position and promote them.
For recruitment, this means continued demand for:
- Heads of Marketing to lead brand and growth strategy
- Business Development Managers to support fee-earner engagement and client targeting
- Bid and proposal specialists to drive conversion in competitive markets
- Digital marketers to support lead generation and automation
Challenges and how recruitment can help
While interest rates remain high, the professional services sector has shown resilience. A more pressing challenge is talent retention – particularly in high-growth areas like consultancy, where skilled marketing and business development professionals are in short supply.
This is where recruitment strategy becomes a differentiator. Firms that invest in employer branding, candidate experience and proactive pipelining will be better placed to attract and retain top commercial talent.
Get in touch today to discuss your hiring needs.
