Zacks Industry Forecast for FTI, Exponent, and CBIZ
Industry Overview: The consulting services industry is thriving due to economic strength, digital transformation, and the work-from-home trend, with companies like FTI Consulting, Exponent, and CBIZ showing strong growth potential.
Economic Recovery: The sector benefits from a resilient economy, with a 3.8% GDP growth in Q2 2025, and remains less disrupted by global uncertainties, as organizations seek guidance in navigating challenges.
Company Highlights: FTI Consulting has diversified operations and strong revenue growth; Exponent is capitalizing on technological innovation; and CBIZ is expanding through strategic acquisitions, enhancing its market position.
Market Performance: Despite the industry's strong fundamentals, it has underperformed the S&P 500 over the past year, with a current P/E ratio of 19.76X, indicating potential value for investors looking to enter the market.
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- Team Expansion: FTI Consulting has appointed Mark Reimer as Senior Managing Director and Dr. Alexander Keller as Managing Director, further enhancing its sector-specific expertise in the chemicals field across the DACH region and broader Europe.
- Industry Challenge Response: Amid global overcapacity, shifting demand, and rising energy costs, Reimer and Keller will assist chemical companies in making strategic and organizational changes to improve performance and restructure portfolios to adapt to market dynamics.
- Experienced Leadership: Reimer brings over 16 years of consulting experience, previously leading the energy and chemicals sector at Deloitte Consulting, focusing on business model transformations and market positioning, which is expected to provide clients with deep industry insights.
- Enhancing Market Competitiveness: Keller's expertise in adapting business models and creating value in response to changing market and regulatory conditions is anticipated to help clients navigate evolving challenges, thereby strengthening FTI's competitive position in the chemicals sector.
- Executive Appointment: FTI Consulting has appointed Jane Wanklyn as a Senior Managing Director in the Corporate Finance & Restructuring segment, leveraging over 20 years of experience in procurement and supply chain transformations to drive sustainable results for clients.
- Professional Background: Wanklyn previously served as a Partner at Kearney, focusing on large-scale procurement and organizational transformations, with extensive experience across industries, particularly in automotive, aerospace, and consumer products.
- Strategic Focus: At FTI Consulting, Wanklyn will concentrate on helping clients achieve significant cost transformations through innovative strategies and capability advancements while mitigating geopolitical and regulatory risks.
- Enhancing Client Value: Her appointment is expected to provide clients with customized procurement programs and cost-saving strategies aimed at optimizing value creation and delivering lasting business benefits.
- Senior Management Appointment: FTI Consulting has appointed Shelly Irvine as Senior Managing Director in the Dispute Advisory Services practice, leveraging nearly three decades of experience in intellectual property to provide strategic consulting and litigation support for clients.
- Global Perspective: Irvine has extensive experience in IP matters across the U.S., Asia, the UK, and Europe, focusing on sectors such as life sciences, telecom, software, and clean energy, helping clients navigate complex cross-border IP challenges.
- Litigation Support Experience: She has provided testimony in federal and state courts and arbitration proceedings on cases involving patent, copyright, and trademark infringement, showcasing her expertise in IP valuation, licensing, and strategy.
- Company Background: FTI Consulting generated $3.70 billion in revenue during fiscal year 2024 and employs over 8,100 people across 32 countries and territories, underscoring its leadership in crisis and transformation consulting.
- Expanding Legal Role: The 2026 CLO Survey reveals that 30% of 1,049 global CLOs prioritize trade and tariffs, indicating rising geopolitical risks and the rapid expansion of the CLO role to navigate complex business environments.
- Increased AI Expectations: 47% of CLOs report that CEOs now expect them to develop technology and AI proficiency, with 63% anticipating stable headcount while focusing on upskilling existing teams through AI-driven efficiency, highlighting the growing importance of tech fluency.
- Transformation Demands Amid Constraints: CLOs are expected to lead AI-driven transformations, yet 35% cite budget and resource constraints as major barriers to success, indicating significant challenges in achieving their strategic goals under tight resources.
- Record CEO Reporting Levels: A record 84% of CLOs now report directly to CEOs, up 5% from last year, while direct reporting to boards has decreased from 7% to 1%, underscoring the increasing significance of CLOs in corporate strategy.
- Expanded Legal Role: The 2026 CLO Survey reveals that 84% of 1,049 CLOs now report directly to CEOs, indicating a growing importance of legal functions in corporate strategy.
- AI and Technology Expectations: 47% of CLOs report that CEOs expect them to develop technology and AI proficiency, signaling a shift towards higher-value work, with 63% expecting stable headcount in their departments.
- Transformation Challenges Amid Constraints: 35% of CLOs cite budget and resource constraints as major barriers to success, yet they are still expected to lead AI-driven transformations despite these limitations.
- Rising Geopolitical Risks: 30% of CLOs prioritize trade and tariffs, reflecting increased concern over geopolitical risks, with nearly half of legal departments allocating more resources to adapt to changes driven by new government policies.

- Executive Appointment: FTI Consulting has appointed Ernesto Estrada González as Senior Managing Director in Mexico City, leading the Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice, leveraging over 25 years of experience in economic analysis and competition policy to enhance the firm's capabilities in Latin America.
- Rich Industry Expertise: Estrada's deep expertise in antitrust investigations, merger reviews, and complex litigation enables him to support clients facing high-stakes disputes and regulatory challenges, thereby increasing FTI's competitive edge in the Mexican market.
- Global Platform Advantage: FTI Consulting's Economic Consulting segment is globally recognized for its leadership in complex disputes and competition matters, and Estrada's addition will further solidify its position in Latin America, assisting clients in navigating increasingly sophisticated regulatory environments.
- Previous Experience: Prior to joining FTI, Estrada served as an independent economic consultant and held senior roles at various law and economics consulting firms, bringing extensive public sector experience from his time at Mexico's Federal Telecommunications Institute and Competition Commission.







