What are the layoff figures across all Middle East consulting firms?

Hello :)

There are no reliable public layoff figures for consulting firms in the Middle East. In general, the region has seen far fewer layoffs than the US or Europe because demand for consulting, especially in government transformation, energy, and large scale projects, has remained strong. MBB and most Tier 2 firms have mainly slowed hiring or been more selective rather than doing large layoffs. Big4 firms have adjusted teams in some areas but are still expanding in many practices. Overall the Middle East market is still considered one of the more stable consulting regions.

Happy to help if you have any other questions.

Best,
Alessa :)

You might get more accurate responses for this type of question on Fishbowl as current employees will be posting about this there.

Good luck!
Annika

It's a question on a lot of people's minds, especially given the global market dynamics right now. The reality is, you won't find specific, public layoff figures broken down by region for any of these firms – whether MBB, T2, or the Big 4. This data is fiercely guarded, highly sensitive, and simply not released, even internally at a granular level.

What happens instead is often a quieter process. Firms manage headcount through attrition (not backfilling roles), more stringent performance reviews leading to "managed exits," and very targeted, quiet adjustments based on specific practice or industry group performance. While the Middle East market can be more resilient in certain sectors, it's not entirely immune to global economic shifts or internal strategic realignments.

Instead of trying to find these elusive numbers, focus on what you can observe: a general slowdown in hiring, increased competition for open roles, and a longer time-to-offer process. Your best bet is to leverage your network to get a feel for individual firms and specific practice areas, and to continue refining your profile to be exceptionally strong.

Hope this helps shed some light.