The Financial Times has released the 2026 edition of its UK’s Leading Management Consultants index. As well as lauding large firms such as Accenture, Deloitte, KPMG, PwC, IBM Consulting and McKinsey & Company, the ninth edition of the ranking also listed a number of mid-market and boutique firms in terms of the quality and breadth of their services.
Reflecting the perceived importance of consultants to organisations as they address slow economic growth, rising costs, and supply chain disruption, the Financial Times (FT) and Statista have highlighted the brands they see as leading the industry. The researchers have published their annual industry benchmark, highlighting the top-performing consulting firms across 16 sectors and for 14 types of specialist work.
Compiling industry intelligence with client and consultant feedback, the seventh annual listing of the UK management consulting firms found that large, multi-faceted firms were those most often recommended by their clients and peers. Analysing the number of gold ratings attributed by the FT, two firms emerged as the clear front-runners of the evaluation.
As was the case with the previous edition, Deloitte and Accenture topped the list. Deloitte received 25 gold ratings, with 12 in expertise, and 13 in services; narrowly ahead of 2025’s victor Accenture, with 11 golds in expertise and 11 in services.
Big Four firm PwC received 14 golds, the only other firm to hit double-figures. Meanwhile, IBM Consulting was lauded with the top rating seven times; KPMG six times; strategy giants McKinsey & company received four, Bain & Company three, and Boston Consulting Group two.
Elsewhere, 11 other firms received one gold rating. They were: Aecom; AtkinsRéalis; BAE Systems; Baringa; Capgemini; CF; EY; Manifesto Growth Architects; Oaklin; Pearson Ham Group; Simon-Kucher.
And while having a large, generalist network clearly paid dividends with regards to receiving the most gold ratings, however, the FT listing also highlighted the important contributions of mid-market, boutique and specialist firms to the strength of the market. More than 170 other firms were listed in the silver and bronze tiers.
What the firms said
Alan Hodgson, Senior Business Development Manager – Consulting Services, Central Government and National Security at BMT: “Being recognised by the Financial Times for the second year in a row, and now in two categories, is a testament to the dedication and expertise of our teams. It demonstrates the trust our government, security and infrastructure customers place in us to deliver transformative solutions that strengthen resilience, improve operational readiness and contribute to the UK’s long-term security.
“This recognition also aligns with BMT’s global strategy to innovate, collaborate and invest in the future. As we continue to grow in central government, national security and wider infrastructure, our focus remains on helping customers tackle complex challenges – from digital transformation and cultural change to estates transformation and workplace optimisation – and making a real difference for our customers and communities alike.”
Nick Smith, Co-Founder & Partner at Manifesto Growth Architects: “The mark of true innovation lies not in outshining competitors but in redefining what competition means. Our victories are not just our own, they reflect the success our clients are seeing day-in, day-out from the customer centricity and hyper-focus on customer needs that we help them identify.
“Zooming out a little further, this recognition serves as a key indicator of where our industry is headed. The industry is undergoing a paradigm shift where nimble thought, deep client connections and co-creation rivals big budgets, bigger resources and even bigger names.”
Matt Cheung, CEO, Clarasys: “To achieve this recognition for six consecutive years is a direct result of the exceptional work delivered by our people. It shows that far from delivering one-off successes, we provide a sustained level of excellence that our clients have come to rely on. Whether we’re supporting the rollout of a new technology like AI, or advising on organisational design and transformation, our success is rooted in our ability to embed ourselves with our clients to solve their toughest challenges as one team.”
James O’Sullivan, CEO, Project One: “We’re extremely grateful to our customers and peers who took the time to recommend Project One. Being recognised in the Financial Times report for the seventh consecutive year is a powerful endorsement of the quality and impact our change experts deliver for our customers every day.
“Securing 13 awards reflects the strength of our core capabilities and the depth of expertise we bring across an expanding range of sectors. I’m immensely proud of our team and thankful to everyone who has supported us. Congratulations to all the consultancies recognised in this year’s report.”
Roei Haberman, CEO, BIP: “Being recognised by the Financial Times for a second consecutive year is a strong validation of the work our teams are doing every day for our clients. Data and AI are now central to how organisations operate, compete, and grow, and this recognition reflects our ability to help clients harness data effectively and transform at pace. As a management consultancy, we are proud to support organisations across sectors as they navigate increasingly complex change agendas, delivering measurable impact through insight-led, technology-enabled transformation.”
Graeme Curwen, Founder, Enfuse Group: “Being recognised by the Financial Times for the fifth consecutive year is an incredible milestone for all of us at Enfuse Group. To earn rankings across six categories this year, including new areas where we’ve expanded our capabilities is a testament to the expertise, energy and commitment of our brilliant team. We’re grateful to our clients and peers for their continued trust and recommendations, and we remain focused on delivering meaningful, measurable impact in everything we do.”
Pete Smyth, CEO, Leading Resolutions: “We’re honoured to be recognised in such a reputable list for the sixth year in a row. 2025 was a year of great momentum for the team, and I believe our commitment to a customer-first approach has been the key to keeping us ahead of legacy firms. We hope to continue our close relationships across clients, old and new, and put expertise and empathy at the forefront of transformation strategy.”
Sean Hanson, CEO of IMPOWER, said: “Most of the work we do is with leaders who are trying to do the right thing in very difficult circumstances – stretched services, tight finances and ongoing reform. Being recommended by those organisations matters to us far more than any headline. Our focus is on helping the NHS and local government leaders make progress where it’s hardest: improving care, supporting staff and making change stick in complex systems. We’re proud that this work has been recognised by the Financial Times and Statista.”
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