Dynamism, adaptation and solidity. These are the key findings of the annual report prepared by the Spanish Association of Consultancy Firms (AEC), to which Izertis belongs and which has once again participated in the study. The data speak for themselves: 

• The sector achieved total revenues of €21,982 million in 2024, which translates into an increase of 8.8% over the previous year. 
• This puts the sector above Spain's nominal GDP, which grew by 6.3% in the same period.
• In 2024, Spanish consultancy firms increased their investment in R&D&I to 5.6% of their total revenues, i.e. 1.23 billion euros. 

Most of the increase came from the domestic market, which saw an increase of 13.6%, while international revenues contracted slightly by 1.1%. This performance confirms the robustness of the Spanish business fabric, especially in the area of digital transformation.

The consultancy sector is therefore one of the main drivers of the Spanish economy and the outlook for 2025 is promising, with revenues expected to increase by around 6.7% thanks to the continued demand for innovative digital solutions.

In statements included in the ACS report, the President and CEO of Izertis, Pablo Martín, points out "the increasing complexity of the geopolitical and economic environments in which companies have to work, we are increasingly forced to have strategic levers on which to rely to create long-term sustainable differential advantages. One of these key strategic levers is the adoption of technologies advanced enough to transform companies' business models. Technology consultancies are the strategic partner that organisations need to transform and adapt these technologies, creating great value and contributing decisively to the sustainability and competitiveness of their businesses".  

Highly qualified talent and a growing commitment to equality

Growth in the sector is not limited to revenues. In terms of employment, consultancy in Spain exceeded 285,000 professionals, 8.5% more than in 2,023. Of these, 65.8% are university graduates and almost two thirds come from STEM disciplines. The presence of women continues to increase, representing 32.6% of the total workforce, half a point more than the previous year.
Furthermore, some 70.300 new hires were made in 2024, and although the proportion of junior profiles has decreased, companies continue to demand professionals with specific experience and skills, especially in technological and management areas.

Training, innovation and technological specialisation

Investment in training also reached new highs, with 102 million euros spent on training employees, representing an average of 358 euros per professional, almost three times the national average. The focus of these trainings was clearly strategic: 37.6% of the hours were dedicated to technologies such as IA, big data and cybersecurity.

The commitment to innovation translates into an investment of 1,230 million euros, i.e. 5.6% of the sector's total revenue, well above the average investment effort in Spain or the European Union. These figures reflect the relevance of consultancy as a strategic ally for the technological transformation of companies and public administrations.

Booming services and sectors

In terms of business lines, outsourcing is the most demanded service, accounting for 46.9% of the sector's revenues, followed by development and integration (32.5%) and strategic consultancy (20.6%). Application management services (AMS) lead the outsourcing segment, accounting for more than half of the volume.

By sector, financial services once again led demand (29.1%), followed by Public administration (17.2%), distribution and consumption (10.3%) and energy and utilities (9.8%). The report also points to a loss of prominence of the telecommunications and mediasector, which has reduced its share to 8.6%.

Digitalisation and AI at the centre in 2,025

For the coming year, the sector expects growth of 6.7%, especially in development, integration and outsourcing services. Automation, artificial intelligence and data analysis will be the most promising technologies, reinforcing the need to continue to focus on training and innovation.

The ACS report, therefore, highlights the essential role played by consultancy firms in the strategic accompaniment of companies, administrations and organisations in their transformation process, as well as highlighting the fact that Spanish consultancy is consolidating its position as one of the key pillars of national competitiveness.