MCA AWARDS 2027 TIMELINE ANNOUNCED

The Management Consultancies Association (MCA) has announced the timeline for the MCA Awards 2027, with the official launch taking place on Thursday 24 September. The Awards are the UK’s leading celebration of consulting excellence, highlighting the outstanding work firms deliver in partnership with clients and the individuals and teams driving innovation, transformation and growth across every sector of the economy, both in the UK and globally. 

Widely regarded as the benchmark for the profession, the MCA Awards are judged by independent experts from business, government, academia and the media. They champion the projects, firms and individuals delivering outstanding client impact and setting new standards across the profession. 

This year’s MCA Awards once again demonstrated the breadth and diversity of consulting’s contribution. Forty-five consulting firms reached the finalist stage, supported by more than 90 client organisations. Finalists represented a wide range of sectors, including healthcare, financial services, defence, energy, transport and technology, with projects spanning everything from large-scale transformation and digital innovation to improving public services, tackling financial crime, strengthening resilience and supporting economic growth. 

The MCA Awards continue to attract entries from firms of every size, from global consultancies to smaller specialist and boutique firms. With 24 categories spanning individual achievement, team performance and client impact, the Awards provide an opportunity for organisations across the consulting profession to gain recognition for exceptional work and benchmark themselves against the best in the industry.  

Entering the Awards enables firms to demonstrate their achievements to clients and industry leaders, while gaining national recognition through media, marketing and promotional opportunities. Finalists and winners benefit from increased visibility, enhanced credibility and the chance to demonstrate the measurable impact they deliver in an increasingly competitive market. 

Categories for 2027 will once again include Young Consultant of the Year, Technology Transformation, Sustainability, People & Leadership and Chartered Management Consultant of the Year, alongside awards recognising outstanding client outcomes, innovation and project delivery. The Best New Consultancy category is also open to eligible non-member firms, providing an opportunity for emerging consultancies to gain recognition alongside some of the profession’s most established names.  

While the Best New Consultancy category is open to eligible non-member firms, MCA membership enables consultancies to enter the full range of Awards categories and become part of the UK’s leading community of consulting firms. Membership helps firms strengthen their reputation, access valuable industry data and research, build their networks, develop their teams and help shape the future of the consulting profession. Firms interested in joining the MCA are encouraged to contact membership@mca.org.uk for further information. 

Entries are assessed by more than 50 independent judges drawn from business, government, academia and the media. Previous judges have included Dame Penny Mordaunt, former Leader of the House of Commons; Simon Jack, Business Editor at the BBC; Dan Figueiredo MBA MBE, Senior Partner – Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft; and Lord Victor Adebowale CBE, Leadership Coach and Consultant. Together, they help identify the projects, firms and individuals setting the standard for excellence across the consulting profession. 

Tamzen Isacsson, Chief Executive of the MCA, said: 

“At a time when organisations face growing pressure to deliver measurable results, improve productivity and embrace new technologies, the MCA Awards provide a unique opportunity to recognise the incredible impact consulting delivers for clients in the UK and overseas. 

“Every year, we see consultants helping organisations solve complex challenges, transform services, unlock growth and create lasting value. The quality of entries continues to rise, making the Awards more competitive than ever and demonstrating the exceptional work being delivered across the profession.” 

For the MCA Awards 2027, the timeline is as follows: 

For more information on the awards, please go to www.mca.org.uk/mca-awards  and you can also sign up to the online launch event at MCA Awards 2027 Launch – MCA 

 Further details including how to apply as well as details of sponsorship packages can be obtained from Natalie Mendez.