Cinode (Int)

2026 got off to a positive start for the Swedish and Finnish consulting industry. But as the uncertain global situation has worsened, not least as a result of the war in Iran, clients have once again become more hesitant. Growth remains slightly negative and headcount has started declining again after last autumn's trend reversal. This is shown in Cinode's latest compilation of the listed consulting companies' Q1 reports

The Nordic consulting industry shows clear signs of stabilization in the fourth quarter of 2025. Following the trend shift in Q3, when more firms began returning to growth, the growth rate in Q4 remains subdued but stable. At the same time, several underlying indicators suggest that conditions are improving ahead of 2026. This is shown in Cinode’s latest compilation of quarterly reports from publicly listed consulting firms.

Kvadrat, Sweden’s largest network of independent consultants, has chosen Cinode as its strategic platform. With over 500 active independent consultants, competency management and CV administration are now consolidated in a modern solution. The decision means Kvadrat is replacing its previous system with Cinode’s AI-driven platform – an important step toward streamlining work with its extensive network.

The latest quarter shows the first indications that the consulting industry in Sweden and Finland may be starting to leave its most difficult period behind. A new summary from Cinode reveals that more than half of the listed consulting firms increased their headcount during the quarter – something that has not happened in the past two years.

The publicly traded consulting firms continue to report weak performance in Q2 2025. According to Cinode’s aggregated Q2 financial reports, the majority of firms are experiencing negative growth, compressed profit margins, , and workforce reductions. Calendar effects — such as fewer working days and late Easter — have adversely impacted the results.

Cinode is entrusted to deliver a scalable end-to-end solution for CRM, resource planning, skills management, and automated partner management to NEKTAB – one of Sweden’s fastest-growing engineering consulting firms in the power grid sector.

The publicly listed consulting firms in Sweden, Finland and Norway continue to face headwinds in the first quarter of the year. According to Cinode’s summary of the Q1 reports, the majority of the companies are showing negative growth and declining operating margins.

Rejlers, one of the Nordic region’s leading engineering consultancy, has chosen Cinode to enhance its skills and resource planning in preparation for future growth.

itm8, a leading IT services provider with 1,700 employees across four countries, has chosen Cinode to gain a clear overview of competencies, streamline CV management, and enhance cross-team collaboration. With Cinode, itm8 is breaking down silos and improving efficiency across the organization.

Publicly listed consulting firms in Sweden and Finland faced a challenging 2024, experiencing declining margins and negative growth over multiple quarters. The fourth quarter marked the second quarter of the year with negative growth, with both average and median growth rates falling below zero. At the same time, differences among companies are evident—technical consulting firms have continued to grow, both through acquisitions and organic expansion, while others have had to reduce their workforce and adjust to a weaker market

HiQ, with 1,700 experts across Sweden, Finland, and Germany, has selected Cinode as its new platform for skills management and resource planning. The decision is part of HiQ’s strategy to streamline processes and establish a solid foundation for continued growth

Consid, one of Sweden’s leading IT and communications giants with over 2,000 employees, is taking another step forward by selecting Cinode as its strategic partner for AI-driven solutions in CV generation and skills mapping

The turnaround for the consulting industry is taking longer than expected. Growth during the third quarter averaged only 0.6% (compared to 5.5% last year), and for the first nine months of the year, it was just 0.5%. Companies have maintained good cost control, with half reporting higher operating margins compared to last year, though the average margin slightly declined to 4.4% (4.9%). This is highlighted in Cinode’s latest summary of Q3 reports from publicly listed consulting firms.

Despite favorable calendar effects, growth remains low for consulting firms in the Nordics for the second quarter. The average growth was 3.1 percent, compared to 7.5 percent last year. However, this was a step in the right direction considering the negative growth in the first quarter. The number of layoffs in the industry continues, and 70 percent of companies have reduced their number of employees. This is shown in Cinode’s latest summary of the Q2 reports from publicly listed consulting firms.

Cinode, a leading platform for consultancies, is excited to announce the launch of the "Catch All the Opportunities" fishing competition. This unique event invites consultants and consultancies across Europe to showcase their fishing skills from May 15th to August 15th The competition features two categories: Individual Contest, where participants compete to catch the biggest fish, and Company Contest, aiming for the highest total number of fish caught by a consultancy. Participants simply post their catches on LinkedIn, tagging @Cinode and using #catchalltheopportunities. Prizes include: Individual: Choose any Westin W10 rod. Company: A gift basket filled with fishing goodies and a special interview for the winning consultancy. "At Cinode, we believe in fostering community and fun among professionals," said Hampus Lagerberg, International Expansion Manager as well as passionate Fisherman of Cinode. "This competition is a great way to connect, compete, and enjoy the summer season." For

Consulting firms in the Nordics faced challenges in Q1, with the majority showing negative growth figures. The average growth rate fell to -1.2 percent compared to 15.1 percent a year ago. However, profit margins remained relatively high, and only one out of 24 companies posted a loss. This is shown in Cinode's latest summary of the Q1 reports of listed consulting firms in the Nordics.

2023 was both a tough year and a challenging final quarter for consulting firms. The average growth for publicly listed consulting companies in Sweden and Finland during Q4 was only 3.1 percent, compared with 15.3 percent in 2022. Furthermore, a quarter of the companies had lower revenue than the year before.

Cinode, a leading SaaS-platform for consultancy firms, proudly announces its expansion to the Netherlands, marking a significant milestone in its mission to drive growth and success in the global consultancy sector. Founded in 2010 in Stockholm, Cinode has established itself as the go-to platform for consultancy firms in the Nordics, and is now set to bring its innovative solutions to Dutch consulting companies.

The challenges persist in the consulting industry, but it is a diversified market, and many companies have already adapted to the new market conditions. The median growth averaged 6.4 percent for the listed Swedish and Finnish consulting firms, compared to 19.9 percent a year ago. The operating margin has also decreased for the majority of companies. This is according to Cinode's compilation of Q3 reports from listed consulting firms

The growth of consulting firms has significantly decelerated during the second quarter. On average, growth was at 8.5 percent, which is lower than inflation. This is in contrast to 15 percent just a quarter ago. The operating margin has also dropped considerably. This is according to Cinode's compilation of the Q2 reports from publicly traded consulting firms