5 Top Consulting Companies in Dubai and Abu Dhabi | UAE
In this fast-paced world the United Arab Emirates has become a global hub for various businesses, and its cities Dubai and Abu Dhabi have solidified their status as pivotal platforms for the formulation and execution of strategic and transformative solutions.
Since businesses thrive in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the need for consulting companies in these regions has also grown exponentially to navigate modern business complexities. Nowadays numerous organizations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi are seeking help from consulting companies, adding valuable significance to the UAE economy.
What are Consulting Firms, and how do they help Businesses in the UAE?
Consulting companies in the UAE have emerged to help organizations overcome the daunting challenges of the modern business landscape. Industries hire consultants to seek unbiased solutions to internal problems, expert strategies to shape business, cost-cutting measures to boost profitability, maximise opportunities, and achieve the company’s strategic goals.
Apart from offering legitimate solutions for complex problems, consulting companies assist businesses in various ways, such as:
- Help entrepreneurs set up their business
Emerging entrepreneurs, with a new startup, often seek precise guidance and the right structure to ensure a successful initiation, otherwise they might face financial setbacks. To this end consulting firms step in to provide invaluable support to entrepreneurs in setting up the company while taking care of their needs and requirements. - Find the perfect location
For a new business in the UAE, it is necessary to find a legitimate and optimal starting point for generating substantial sales. Apart from offering business strategies, consulting firms in UAE also provide ideal business locales. - Increase operational efficiency
Consulting firms know the latest market trends, they help companies identify the intricacies, provide unbiased solutions, and keep organisations ahead of the competition with innovative strategies. Executives of companies frequently employ consultants to get advice tailored to their sector and organisational requirements. - Financial management
Consulting firms also help organisations to manage their finance and budgets. Niche-specific consultants implement advanced strategies to enhance operational effectiveness and increase the cash flow. - Sustainability and CSR
Consulting firms support businesses in putting corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability strategies into action, supporting the UAE’s commitment to sustainable development.
How should corporates and entrepreneurs in UAE choose Consulting companies?
UAE is a diverse business landscape where countless industries are flourishing successfully. However, to face the shift and drift in business trends, companies must seek an expert’s advice.
Consulting firms provide the necessary advice and suggestions to companies depending on their stage of growth, goals, and objectives. Although consulting firms offer immense help to industries, finding the consulting company that best fits with the organisation’s needs and preferences is challenging.
To ensure the right choice, it is necessary to contemplate the following considerations.
- Check for previous experience
Evaluate the consulting firm’s previous experience in your industry or relevant domain. Short-list the firms that have successfully addressed similar challenges to yours in the past. A consulting firm with prior experience in the same niche will help you develop an all-round view of the problem. - Compare services
Review and compare the range of services offered by reputable consulting firms. Before making any decision, evaluate the firm’s comprehensive problem-solving approach. Opting for a firm offering additional services beyond the required ones will increase the value of collaboration. - Ask for proposal outline
Requesting a proposal outline from the short-listed consulting firms will provide your organisation with a valuable window into their problem-solving strategies. This step empowers the organisation to pick the consulting firm that is clear, feasible, and aligned to their business goals. - Extensive knowledge and expertise
To stay ahead of the competition, the consultant must have deep knowledge and a combination of innovation and creativity so that they may address the problem in its entirety from various perspectives. A single solution does not universally apply to all organisations so consultants should adopt a nuanced perspective on the unique dynamics of every client to create a customised and ideal solution. - Must align with your budget
It is necessary to consider the potential return on investment (ROI) from the consulting firm’s services. If the consulting firm doesn’t meet your budgetary parameters, it won’t bring any value to the business. Thus, make sure consultants are affordable before using them in the UAE.
What are different types of Consulting Services in the UAE?
Consultancy is a diverse toolkit for businesses where consultants specialise in particular domains to effectively address business challenges. Niche-specific consultants in the UAE have deep industry knowledge and problem-solving efficiency. They offer tailored solutions that cater to the unique needs of clients. Consulting firms guarantee the provision of effective solutions to a wide range of company difficulties by providing a variety of consulting services across different areas. Below are some popular consulting services in the UAE.
- Business consulting service
Business consultants play a vital role in assisting organisations in attaining their goals and optimizing operations. Consulting firms such as McKinsey & Company, Bain & Company, and Boston Consulting Group hold prominent positions as distinguished providers of business consulting services. - Management consulting service
Management consulting firms are expected to serve clients in various industries by carrying out ways to deal with the challenges and help their clients improve their systems, functional proficiency, and strategies. - Digital technology consulting service
Digital technology consulting stands out as a highly sought-after and dynamic type of consulting service. Experts in this field are responsible for helping businesses through the integration of the most recent innovation, management of tech hardware, and maintenance in their organisations. - Accounting consulting services
Accounting consulting services offer knowledgeable, legal, and accounting consultants who assess guidelines to guarantee compliance and handle paperwork. Deloitte, PwC, and EY are on top of offering the best types of assistance in legal and accounting consultancy. - Real estate consulting service
Real-estate consulting firms are very popular in the UAE as they help businesses grow by conducting market analysis. Moreover, real-estate consultants offer help in property valuation, investment advisory, and property-planning strategies. - Environmental consulting service
Over the past ten years, the UAE has experienced significant environmental changes. As a response to these changes, environmental consultants offer their valuable services to organisations on sustainable practices and environmental regulations to manage complex business challenges in environmental considerations.
Top 5 Consulting Companies in UAE that Businesses should consider
The global consulting services industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of roughly 3.9% by 2028, which forecasts that the upcoming years are very crucial for the consulting industry in the UAE. (Global Growth Insights) Rivalry for the top-of-the-bill projects is intense, as every company seeks consultations with experts to survive in the rapidly changing environment.
Mentioned below are the top 5 consulting firms in the UAE. The selection is purely based on our opinion and has nothing to do with the Vault ranking. We selected the best consulting firms of the UAE based on their work, employees, contributions, and how clients perceive them.
Strategy&
Strategy& is known as one of the most reliable and high-end firms in the UAE. It is said that the firm pulls in among the highest revenues in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
We work with leading businesses in the United Arab Emirates on concept validations, pricing strategies and organisational reviews. We build our foresight based upon powerful analytics, deep capabilities, and longstanding experience.
Currently, Strategy& does public-sector consulting work. Even though the MBB firms are more costly and selective, even in the Middle East, Strategy& has a rich history in the locale, knows the market better, and has strong government and private-sector connections.
The firm offers services like Strategy consulting, business advisory, and digital consultancy. It has 22 offices across 12 nations and 6,000+ employees from 35+ nationalities working in the Middle East.
McKinsey & Company
Even though McKinsey has been a celebrated name and brand in the consulting market for some time, its effect here has not been as far-reaching as Strategy&. McKinsey is still very much active and accomplishing significant work in areas including banking, industrials, telecoms, energy, real estate, construction, healthcare, and others. Its Middle East practice is developing quickly, and the firm has significantly grown its presence in the GCC region.
Deloitte
Today, Deloitte in the UAE comprises five practice offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, and Sharjah. In the UAE, they are a full-service firm with established practices that serve top businesses and organisations in the banking and financial services, real estate, leisure and hospitality, construction, trading, manufacturing, telecom, retail, and energy and resources industries.
Deloitte is aware of the region's rich cultural diversity, as well as its languages and customs. It is known for being the firm that many governments, major institutions, and commercial companies rely on for objective professional advice.
Boston Consulting Group (BCG)
Dubai is one of the company’s key offices — the city has become a hotspot for tourism, real-estate investment, trade, and private equity. Dubai-based organisations are increasingly implementing their business models globally and building momentum in international markets, thus requiring top, innovative-thinking consulting firms like BCG.
BCG has four offices in the Middle East – Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Riyadh. They opened their first regional office in 2007.
Bain & Company
Bain is a renowned firm in the Middle East, and its clients include major organisations, government institutions, family-owned businesses, and global conglomerates. Two or three prominent clients include global conglomerates in Middle East & North Africa, the GCC, and the government of Egypt.
The firm has offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Istanbul. Bain is among the more established and prolific consulting firms in the region.
Its key industries in the Middle East include Airlines & Transportation, Media, Mining, Oil & Gas, Retail, Private Equity, Social & Public Sector, Technology, Telecommunications, Utilities, and Alternative energy.
Top Boutique Consulting firms in Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Kinetic Consulting
Kinetic Consulting is a renowned Dubai-based business growth management consultancy. They assist businesses in creating strategies explicitly designed to accelerate growth and reduce operating expenses. The company is ideal for businesses looking to expand and meet evolving client expectations; Kinetic challenges itself to keep up with the changes and advancements. Their business consultants can assist organisations in the UAE and beyond in learning how to implement pragmatic business-enhancing initiatives.
Suppose you want optimal business solutions to ensure your company keeps up with the latest industry trends. In that case, this boutique management consulting firm will outline a course of action specific to your needs, whether you are looking for a new strategy to differentiate your brand or want to revolutionise your business.
Hashtag Startup
Hashtag Startup is a boutique consulting firm offering tailored advice to corporations and aspiring business owners. To assist their clients worldwide, they work closely and collaboratively with lawyers and international experts. Established businesses, new ventures, and SMEs benefit from their corporate-structuring services. They are among the reputable companies that aid in bank account opening due to strong relationships with leading banks in the UAE. They provide a comprehensive, affordable cost structure without sacrificing effective service delivery. Their solutions are intended to help their clients grow their businesses locally and internationally. They were winners of the Top Consultants DMCC Awards under the category for Startups, having been in business since 2013.
Affility Consulting
Affility Consulting is a comprehensive advisory-services company that offers management, risk, and IT consulting services to clients locally and internationally. Affility was founded in 2017 by a group of accomplished professionals from diverse consulting domains. Thanks to its trained and experienced staff, it boasts more than 60 person-years of consultancy expertise. They offer personalised advice on making better decisions, increasing performance, restructuring, managing risk, and achieving sustainable growth.
You may also be interested in the top consulting firms in NYC shaping global markets.