Beyond the Big Names: The Case for Freelance Consultants in a Changing Market

I recently read an excellent LinkedIn post reflecting on the past decade of engagement with global consulting firms in Saudi Arabia. His post, while focused on the Saudi market, resonates globally and deserves wider reflection.

It highlights how partnerships with the world’s top consulting firms (McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, EY, PwC, and KPMG) became commonplace from 2015 to 2025, especially across public sector transformation projects. Yet, despite the multi-million-dollar contracts, the results often fell short of expectations. He identifies three recurring concerns:

-          High spending with modest long-term impact

-          Poor knowledge transfer to internal teams

-          Limited hands-on support with implementation

These issues are not unique to Saudi Arabia, they’re familiar in almost every market where global consulting giants dominate.

So what’s the alternative?

For organisations seeking real value, the answer might lie in bringing in independent, freelance consultants.

-           Sector-aligned expertise: Freelancers are often highly experienced professionals with a track record of delivery in specific sectors. They don’t just bring theory, they’ve lived the reality.

-           Cost-effective delivery: Without the overheads and layered teams of global firms, freelance consultants offer senior-level expertise at a fraction of the cost.

-          Practical, hands-on involvement: Unlike many large firms that stop at strategy decks, independents often embed themselves in the team, support implementation, and transfer skills along the way.

-           Mentorship & capability building: Independent consultants are well-placed to coach and mentor emerging leaders, helping to build local talent and reduce future dependency on external support.

I’ve seen first-hand how global firms sometimes field junior teams to advise experienced senior management, offering over-engineered solutions, bypassing internal insights, and requiring yet another round of expensive implementation support.

This isn't a call to dismiss all global firms. They absolutely have their place, especially in large-scale diagnostics or when global benchmarking is required. However, for sustainable results, practical delivery, and capability building, freelance consultants should not be overlooked.

As organisations worldwide tighten budgets and focus on real outcomes, I believe we’ll see a growing shift toward trusted independent consultants who deliver more, cost less, and leave behind stronger internal teams.