MCA Awards 2025 Finalists Reception celebrates broadening UK consulting impact
The MCA Awards has hosted a reception to celebrate its 2025 nominees, while highlighting the impact the consulting industry has on the UK’s economy and wider society. The event at Lancaster House, comes ahead of the MCA Awards’ annual ceremony in November.
For more than six decades, the MCA (MCA) has been the UK consulting industry’s collective voice. Its more than 90 members make up over 60% of the UK’s £20 billion consulting industry, and employ roughly 45,000 professionals. Each year, the organisation hosts the MCA Awards, which has become one of the key highlights of the UK consulting industry calendar.
As the organisation ramps up for the climax of its 2025 awards calendar, the MCA has hosted a gala attended by more than 250 finalists and clients from leading organisations. Taking place in Lancaster House, more than 280 finalists and clients from leading organisations gathered for the largest ever MCA Awards Finalists Reception.
Speaking at the reception, Tamzen Isacsson, Chief Executive of the Management Consultancies Association, said, “At the heart of this sector are our people. People with expertise, experience, talent, passions, dreams, and determination. Those are the qualities that shine through in the interviews—the human qualities of consultants. They are the power behind this growth-driving sector and they’re what make these awards so special. Being nominated for an accolade like this really means something. Not just within our industry but far beyond it. So, to everyone who has been shortlisted, to the people who embody that quality and excellence, you deserve a huge congratulations.”
Sponsored by Capgemini Invent, the event brought together representatives from over 50 consulting firms, alongside clients from 100 top organisations, national media, government officials, ahead of the showpiece awards ceremony, in London this November.
The finalists represent a broad mix of MCA Member Firms, with strong participation from both large and medium-sized firms, while smaller firms continue to impress, securing 50% of finalist entries. At the same time, reflecting the growing visibility and recognition of the consulting sector across the UK. Organisations championing the role of consultancy include Bupa, Whitbread, Warner Brothers, AstraZeneca, Tesco, Volkswagen, and Sainsbury’s.
The finalist cohort includes project teams and individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and career stages; apprentices, technology consultants, thought leaders, and experienced hires who have transitioned into consulting as a second career. Meanwhile, diverse projects such as Whitbread’s booking platform overhaul, Warner Bros Discovery’s back-office modernisation, and the NHS Federated Data Platform show how consultants are contributing to operational resilience, improved services, and innovation – highlighting “the sector’s relevance and adaptability in a fast-changing environment”, according to a release from the MCA.
Alex Slater, managing director of Capgemini Invent, added during the reception, “Against a backdrop of volatility – inflation, tariffs, supply chain risks, AI disruption, sustainability targets, workforce upheaval and more – our clients need help more than ever before. They want that help but are under more pressure than ever to prove value for every penny spent. It’s clear from the projects and people nominated this year that despite the challenges, the sector continues to pull rabbits from hats and deliver work that is creative, focused, sustainable and commercially brilliant.”
