PRESSROOM

H1 2025 MARKET BRIEF

Consulting demand held up in H1 2025 as buyers shifted to bigger, ROI tied deals and GenAI experimentation—while small discretionary work stayed soft.

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Key takeaways

Enterprise IT spend backdrop

Gartner’s 2025 outlook remained expansionary through H1, supporting services tied to AI/cloud infrastructure.

Deal flow & tech services

Contracting shifted toward larger engagements; bigger managed services transactions rose, and smaller discretionary deals fell. First half combined ACV rose YoY with strength in XaaS.

Client caution on GenAI payoffs

Boards funded AI but pressed for concrete ROI; early outcomes were mixed.

Consulting employment & pricing

U.S. consulting jobs broadly flat; pricing indices stable through late spring.

M&A context

H1 deal values up despite lower volumes—supporting diligence/integration work.

What this means for CoreScale client

Frame proposals around quantifiable savings and 90-day milestones.

Run GenAI pilots tied to measurable run rate impact.

Emphasize commercial & tech diligence and value capture PMOs in transaction work.

Keep rate cards firm; offer outcome-based mechanics for discretionary budgets.

Boilerplate

In the first two quarters of 2025, organizations invested in larger, ROI-anchored consulting and IT services programs while smaller discretionary projects slowed. CoreScale’s H1 programs mirrored this demand pattern: fast-moving sprints that unlock cost, resilience, and revenue in weeks, not years.

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Examples provided in this document may include the experiences of Jo Joyner, Joyner Executive Partners, and/or CoreScale Partners. These examples are for illustrative purposes only and do not constitute promises or guarantees of similar results. All information is confidential, proprietary, and may not be sold, disclosed, or duplicated without prior written consent.

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