DUBAI – The Gulf’s consulting sector is demonstrating remarkable resilience in the face of regional volatility, as businesses swap traditional expansion projects for high-stakes digital defense. Despite the geopolitical headwinds following the outbreak of conflict involving Iran, a new report by Source Global Research reveals that the appetite for professional services remains robust. Rather than retreating, nearly half of the companies in the region are actively reallocating their budgets toward cybersecurity and digital infrastructure to insulate their operations from the fallout of the war.
The shift comes as US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, which commenced in late February, triggered a wave of warnings regarding retaliatory state-sponsored cyberattacks. The data suggests a sophisticated “double down” strategy among Gulf firms; only 10% of surveyed organizations plan to pause current projects, while 48% are pivoting toward bolstering their digital ramparts. This strategic realignment is expected to propel the cybersecurity consulting niche to a staggering 19% growth rate this year, reaching a valuation of $1.8 billion.
“The demand from companies for help in building up their resilience, managing new risks, and strengthening cyber security capabilities will ensure that this consulting service line’s growth rate stands head and shoulders above the rest in 2026,” says Dane Albertelli, Senior Research Analyst at Source Global Research. This sentiment is echoed by the UAE Cyber Security Council, which recently reported a 40% surge in remote-work-related incidents, emphasizing that the conflict has merely accelerated an existing trend toward securing decentralized data networks and hardening critical infrastructure.
Despite a cooling of business confidence across the GCC, the broader consulting market is forecast to expand by 13% to reach $11.1 billion by the end of the year. The United Arab Emirates is leading this charge with an expected 14% growth rate, closely followed by Saudi Arabia at 13%. While the era of “limitless” contracts for generic advice appears to be ending, the region continues to outperform global counterparts. Professional service firms are now being forced to evolve, moving away from broad pitches toward highly specialized, sector-specific technology solutions, particularly in energy-intensive areas like data center development.
The maturation of the market is also visible in the shifting nature of regional “gigaprojects.” While some large-scale developments—particularly in Saudi Arabia—are being rationalized or scaled back due to tightening budgets, core infrastructure remains on track. For consultants, the current environment demands a blend of risk planning and artificial intelligence integration to predict future shocks. Industry insiders maintain that as long as the conflict does not become a protracted regional war, hiring trends will remain stable, focused on efficiency and the long-term survival of the digital economy.
