When Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund handed PwC a one-year suspension from advisory and consulting work earlier this year, it raised questions across the industry.
In April, the company confirmed its retreat from nine African markets – officially a strategic rebalancing, but to many, a reflection of a broader shift already under way across the Gulf and beyond.
This is not about one company, nor is it about cost-saving. What is happening is a quiet, but fundamental, recalibration of how governments in the region define and engage with external expertise.
Rather than a temporary cooling-off, the trend points to a longer-term transition: one in which Gulf clients are reassessing the value, relevance and structure of advisory relationships. They are not rejecting external input – but they are being more intentional about when, how and with whom they work.
In Saudi Arabia, this shift is part of a wider transformation embedded in the ambitions of Vision 2030, a programme to diversify the economy, create jobs for Saudis and reduce reliance on oil.
The country’s localisation drive – which aims to build domestic capability – is not simply about reducing reliance on foreign consultants, but about building lasting expertise within ministries, companies and institutions.
It is about creating the conditions for self-sufficiency – not by closing the door to global companies, but by redefining the terms of engagement.
Foreign companies operating in the kingdom are now required to employ a 40 per cent share of Saudi citizens – part of a broader “Saudisation” policy aimed at embedding local talent more deeply in high-value sectors.
Alongside this, internal strategy units, delivery offices and transformation teams are being built within government and state-backed entities to take on work that was once routinely outsourced.
At its core, this is not a reaction to fiscal pressures or market cycles. The shift is not driven by economics, but by alignment. Alignment with national vision, local context and the pace of transformation that is now shaping the region.
New terms
What clients in the Gulf increasingly seek is not just technical excellence but cultural fluency. An ability to work within – and understand – the mindset that drives decision-making here. A mindset rooted in ambition, optimism and the belief that bold transformation is not only possible, but essential.
This is where some companies still struggle. Conventional frameworks, cautious models, or advice that downplays the scale of change can appear misaligned. The issue is not a lack of expertise – it is a mismatch of tempo and outlook.
And that is where policy has started to catch up. The trend towards localisation, the reassessment of advisory relationships, and the preference for in-house capability building all point to a more mature, self-directed approach to development.
Gulf states are not stepping away from global ideas – they are reshaping them to fit a regional vision.
This mindset is visible not only in whom governments choose to work with, but in where they continue to invest. In Saudi Arabia, for example, the Public Investment Fund remains fully committed to major transformation projects, including Neom – the $500 billion futuristic city on the Red Sea – even as it applies greater scrutiny to other areas of spending.
In the UAE, massive investments are going into clean energy, in projects such as the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, while Dubai’s Al Maktoum airport, set to be one of the world's largest when fully ready, also reinforces the long-term direction of travel.
Qatar is advancing its national vision through two of its most prestigious future projects – Lusail City and the Simaisma Project – and across the region, the energy sector is investing heavily in new, innovative and sustainable models.
These are consultant-heavy projects, but the nature of consultancy itself is shifting. Companies that deliver real value, transfer knowledge and embed themselves in local systems will continue to find opportunity. But those that rely on legacy relationships or rigid models may find themselves increasingly on the outside looking in.
Meanwhile, as local professionals gain more experience and visibility, a new kind of strategic voice is emerging from the region. One that combines global training and regional perspective – and, increasingly, one that is being heard beyond the Gulf.
Wider scope
In sectors such as sovereign wealth management, infrastructure and urban development, there is growing potential for Gulf-born expertise to shape global conversations.
What is happening here may soon echo elsewhere. In parts of Asia and Africa, governments are also investing in in-house advisory capabilities, building local talent pipelines and reconsidering how they engage with international companies. The Gulf’s shift may not be an exception – it may be a first mover.
For the consulting industry, this moment is not a loss of relevance. It is an invitation to rethink what relevance means. The role of consultants is not disappearing – but it is evolving. From delivering advice to transferring capability. From setting the pace to keeping up with it.
The region still welcomes strategic input. But the bar is higher now – and the expectations are different.
PwC’s suspension may have made headlines. But the real story is quieter, deeper and still unfolding.
