2025: A Year of Transition for Professional Services Firms

2025: The Year of Transition for Professional Services Firms

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Paris, 25 March 2025 – Projects are slowing down, experts are in short supply, and junior staff are still struggling to find their place. 38% of professionals anticipate an economic downturn in 2025. Faced with this widespread pressure, professional services firms are being forced to fundamentally rethink how they recruit, organise, and bill. With its 2025 study, Napta asserts: the sector’s model is undergoing a profound transformation.

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More Cautious Clients, Services Under Scrutiny

Confronted with rising costs and increasingly unstable markets, clients of professional services firms are becoming more selective. Generalist services are becoming rarer, with priority given to operational impact on critical topics such as cybersecurity, AI, or regulatory compliance (CSRD, DORA). The result? Smaller budgets, more demanding clients, mounting pressure on profitability, and increasingly stringent evaluations of the value delivered.

In this context, client satisfaction is emerging as a key driver of profitability in professional services. The most successful firms are doubling down on efforts to offer the best profiles, enhance the quality of deliverables, and implement client monitoring KPIs — true barometers of performance.

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"Our relationship with clients is a genuine partnership. Our goal is to outperform and exceed expectations." Olivier Hervo, Managing Director, Mc2i

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Success Fees: The End of the Reign of “Billable Hours”

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In a climate where clients demand results, firms are increasingly turning towards hybrid models combining fixed fees and success fees. This marks a profound shift in billing logic, where delivered value now takes precedence over time spent. This transformation is reshaping commercial, contractual, and organisational practices.

"The rules have changed. We no longer sell time; we sell impact. Those who adapt to this logic gain market share. The others stagnate or even regress." Arnaud Caldichoury, CEO of Napta.

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AI, Cybersecurity, Data: The New Race for Experts

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Pressure is at its peak for specialised profiles: cybersecurity, AI, data science, and ESG. Demand is soaring, but supply cannot keep up. Firms are striving to recruit senior profiles or invest in internal training while grappling with new challenges: attracting and retaining expert talent.

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"The market is extremely unbalanced in terms of skills. There are shortages in technical, IT, and sustainability fields." Mathilde Le Coz, DRH, Forvis Mazars en France

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The End of the Pyramid Model: The Rise of the Diamond Structure

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Fewer juniors, more experts: this is the new equation. The traditional pyramid model is giving way to a diamond-shaped structure, where value stems from expertise rather than volume. This requires a rethink of pricing structures, career paths… and even the role of young consultants in the age of AI. All this comes with social indicators that are now key to managing both human and economic performance.

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"Versatile senior profiles are increasingly sought after. Their experience and analytical skills are vital to navigating these new ways of working." Isabelle Chevallier, COO Groupe, Palo IT