There’s no escaping the long shadow of the PwC tax leaks scandal. More than 18 months after it first came to light, it is still reshaping the consulting sector, as the big four firms cede ground to smaller players and independent contractors.

Private sector clients are more selective about what they get external advisers to do and are increasingly sourcing services from smaller firms. The Commonwealth has an ongoing war on the major firms. Not helping is the rapid takeup of artificial intelligence which will likely be as much of a revenue destroyer as it is a generator for the firms.