The Professional Services Talent Playbook
Original research into the leadership, talent and organisational decisions that distinguish high-performing firms.
Four research studies. One playbook for building high-performing firms.
Professional services firms are being reshaped by new ownership models, AI, changing client expectations and increasing pressure to deliver sustainable growth. Together, these four research studies explore the leadership, talent and organisational decisions that have the greatest influence on long-term performance.
Compensation
How are consulting firms rewarding and retaining today's Partners?
Growth
What separates firms that scale from those that stall?
Integration
Why do so many lateral Partner hires fail?
Expansion
What really determines successful expansion?
European Partner Compensation Report
Part of The Barton Partnership's global Partner Compensation research programme, with corresponding studies conducted across North America and APAC.
How are consulting firms rewarding and retaining today's Partners?
Partner compensation has remained resilient, but the research reveals an increasingly varied Partner proposition across Europe. Based on responses from 471 Consulting Partners across the UK, DACH, France/Benelux, Southern Europe and the Nordics, the report explores how compensation, ownership, equity participation, transparency and career expectations differ across markets and consulting models.
of Partners report no reduction in fixed or on-target earnings despite continued commercial pressure.
describe compensation determination as only slightly or not at all transparent; overall satisfaction remains moderate.
of Partners are unsure or unlikely to remain in consulting over the next three years.
of Partners considering a transition identify an Operating Partner or CTrO role as their most likely next step.
Partner satisfaction remains moderate
The mean satisfaction score is 5.9 out of 10, with relatively little variation between consulting models. Strategy Consulting Partners report the highest average score at 6.1, while Large Multi-Disciplinary firms record the lowest at 5.6.
AI, margins and business model change lead the challenge list
The most frequently cited challenges for the year ahead are the impact of AI (69%), pricing and margin pressure (63%) and adapting the business model (60%). These rank ahead of competition and client demand uncertainty.
Compensation is not the main reason Partners consider leaving
Reduced confidence or enthusiasm in the consulting model or current Partner role is the most commonly cited motivation among those considering a move (27%), followed by the desire for a new challenge (20%). Compensation ranks third at 14%.
The Private Equity effect on Partner pay
Private Equity ownership is reshaping the Partner proposition across Europe. In both the UK and Continental Europe, PE-backed Partners report lower annual cash compensation than the wider market, but higher levels of equity participation.
In the UK, mean cash compensation among PE-backed respondents is £401k, compared with £546k across the wider market, while equity participation stands at 79% versus 72%. Across Continental Europe, mean cash compensation is €419k at PE-backed firms compared with €543k elsewhere, with equity participation at 80% versus 63%.
The difference is also structural. Among PE-backed Partners receiving equity, 66% realise value only on exit or transaction, compared with 39% across the wider market, making the timing and eventual realisation of equity a much more significant part of the Partner proposition.
As firms compete for senior leadership talent, the strongest Partner propositions will increasingly be defined by ownership, career opportunity, culture and long-term value creation, not financial reward alone.
Driving Growth in Professional Services
What separates firms that scale from those that stall?
Sustainable growth depends on building the leadership, operating model and talent architecture needed to deliver it. Drawing on examples from consulting, legal and accounting firms, the report identifies how leading firms are redesigning their organisations to support long-term growth.
Build talent strategies around value creation plans
Leading firms design capability against a defined value creation plan rather than hiring opportunistically.
Strengthen central leadership to sustain growth
Growth increasingly depends on strengthening central leadership rather than relying solely on revenue-generating Partners.
Strategic COO, CCO and CPO roles as growth enablers
Strategic COO, Chief Commercial Officer and Chief People Officer roles are becoming critical enablers of sustained growth.
Flexible capability models
Flexible capability models are helping firms access specialist expertise while maintaining organisational agility.
The most successful professional services firms are not necessarily the ones making the biggest capital investments or moving fastest, but those with clear strategic ambitions and an understanding that transformation starts with building the right talent infrastructure.
Partner Integration Playbook
Why do so many lateral Partner hires fail?
Lateral Partner hiring remains one of the most important investments consulting firms make, yet success rates remain stubbornly low. The report identifies why experienced Partner hires fail to deliver expected value and the operating disciplines that consistently improve integration outcomes.
Integration begins before the search
Successful integration begins before the search starts, not after the offer is accepted. The commercial case, mandate and internal alignment need to be resolved up front.
Commercial sponsorship over onboarding
Commercial sponsorship is consistently more important than traditional onboarding. Active partner sponsors, not HR programmes, drive early revenue and internal traction.
Own integration as a business initiative
Firms that treat integration as a business initiative outperform those that delegate it to HR. Ownership sits with the practice, with clear commercial accountability.
Mandate, sponsorship and performance discipline
Clear mandates, active sponsorship and structured performance management significantly improve long-term success and materially reduce the two-year failure rate.
Hiring exceptional Partners is only part of the challenge. Long-term value depends on structured integration, commercial alignment and sustained organisational support.
Successful Office Launches
What really determines successful expansion?
Successful office launches rarely fail because of market demand. They fail because of decisions made long before the office opens. Drawing on interviews with founders and senior consulting leaders, the report identifies the leadership, governance and operating choices that consistently underpin successful expansion.
Add-on acquisitions are driving PE-backed expansion in consulting. Overall deal volume has grown by approximately 73% between 2021 and 2025, with add-on acquisitions consistently representing the majority of transactions.
Local senior credibility consistently outperforms brand recognition as the driver of early traction.
The first year requires sustained founder-led business development and is often underestimated.
Launching with a single Partner creates avoidable execution risk.
Integration should begin on day one, not after the office has been established.
Build, lift or buy are all viable expansion routes—but each depends on different organisational capabilities.
What the strongest new offices do in their first quarter
Laying the groundwork
Governance and commercial foundations: mandate, pricing authority, cross-border credit rules, and the first named target accounts.
Building capability
Talent and integration capability: second senior hire, culture carrier from HQ in seat, and the operating cadence with the mothership.
Embedding and scaling
Integration execution and operating cadence: cross-staffed delivery, HQ presence rotation, and a first costed proposal in market.
Successful expansion depends on deliberate leadership, strong governance and local credibility, not simply confidence that an existing model will transfer into a new market.
Access the Professional Services Talent Playbook
Together, these four studies form The Professional Services Talent Playbook. Each report provides detailed analysis, proprietary data and practical recommendations drawn from original research with consulting leaders. Request the report most relevant to your priorities, or access the complete playbook.