Overview
Across the industry, regulatory change, digital transformation and the growing adoption of AI are reshaping workforce requirements, driving demand for professionals who can combine deep technical expertise with commercial and strategic capability.
While many organisations remain cautious around permanent headcount and are increasingly leveraging contract and project-based hiring, competition for high-quality talent remains strong across specialist disciplines.
This market update explores the key trends shaping recruitment across financial services and the outlook as we head into FY26/27.
Table of Contents
Risk, Compliance and Governance
Risk
From Regulatory Implementation to Optimisation
The risk recruitment market by mid-2026 has shifted from regulatory implementation to assurance and optimisation, with hiring demand becoming more targeted but still structurally strong. Following the July 2025 go-live of APRA’s CPS 230, organisations that have moved into the BAU Assurance phase of operations have found that following the change implementation phase, there is more work required in order to support optimisation and uplifting
The April 2026 targeted amendments to CPS 230, effective 1 July 2026, have further extended hiring needs across third-party risk, service provider governance, and material service provider (MSP) frameworks. Firms are continuing to invest in uplift across outsourcing risk, scenario testing, and resilience validation, with growing pressure from boards to demonstrate ongoing compliance rather than one-off delivery. This has been seen with multiple super funds in the industry leaning on external service providers for Investment Governance, particularly as internally they are either too lean in structure or lacking in resources.
The Need for Increasing AI Capability
At the same time, AI has become a central risk theme in 2026, moving from experimentation to embedded capability across financial services. Regulators have explicitly flagged that risk management practices are not keeping pace with the scale and complexity of AI adoption, increasing scrutiny on governance, oversight, and model risk. This has created strong demand for AI risk, model validation, and AI governance professionals, particularly within second-line functions. Increasingly, employers are seeking hybrid profiles combining risk, technology, investments and data expertise. However, this is a skill set not yet in high volume from a hiring perspective, particularly as AI Governance has only recently begun to exist as a skill set.
Candidates are making clever decisions to plug the gaps, particularly by undertaking additional certification and courses designed to improve technological capability and support machine learning for risk best practice within teams.
From a recruitment perspective, the broader Australian market in 2026 is more measured and selective, with slower hiring cycles but continued competition for niche skill sets. We have seen a huge focus on Investment Governance within Risk over the past 12 months, mainly within Superannuation and Platform environments. Most of the firms in these industries continue to outsource major functions in the business, including call centres and administration, meaning they now need to find candidates who can perform detailed operational due diligence reviews and ongoing monitoring of the providers in question.
In a particular example, we brought a role to market with a super fund for this skill set, in which a number of other funds were needing the same type of candidate. As a result, the expectations from a remuneration perspective for all candidates increased as they knew they were in demand. The knock-on effect is a slower hiring process due to candidates pulling out and revising expectations mid-process.
In risk specifically, mid-to-senior talent remains constrained, especially candidates with both CPS 230 exposure and technology/AI capability.
Overall, the 2026 risk market is characterised by a shift toward deep specialisation: CPS 230 assurance and AI risk are the two dominant hiring drivers, underpinning sustained demand for highly adaptable, technically literate risk professionals
Compliance
The Compliance market in 2026 is characterised by a shift from regulatory uplift to embedded governance and accountability, with demand remaining steady but increasingly focused on specialist capability. Following a heavy period of regulatory change across financial services, organisations are now concentrating on operationalising frameworks, strengthening oversight, and evidencing ongoing compliance effectiveness.
We have seen this within the super industry where funds have focused hiring on professionals with extensive experience in both Line 1 and Line 2 capability in the defence model to oversee regulatory compliance and wider activity across the business, i.e., Investments.
A key driver continues to be the intersection between CPS 230 and broader conduct and compliance obligations. While CPS 230 sits within operational risk, its implications for outsourcing, service provider governance, and accountability frameworks (including FAR alignment) have flowed directly into compliance hiring. FAR exclusive roles have become much more common within larger organisations to combat these changes. As a result, there is sustained demand for professionals who can bridge risk and compliance, particularly those with experience in policy uplift, governance design, and regulatory engagement.
In parallel, AI and cybersecurity are emerging as a major compliance theme in 2026, reshaping the function’s mandate. As mentioned above, AI was non-existent a few years prior, and so the nature of hiring for this has only recently begun to increase, particularly in technology risk and compliance, but is primarily focused on those individuals, as mentioned, who have sought out extra credentials and certification to upskill in this area. Regulators are increasingly focused on how organisations manage AI-related conduct risk, customer outcomes, and decision transparency, particularly in areas such as credit decisioning, claims handling, and customer communications. Traditional compliance roles are evolving to require a stronger understanding of data, models, and automation, rather than purely policy-driven expertise.
Financial crime continues to be a particular focus area as Superannuation trustees and wealth managers continue to face heightened scrutiny, and with Tranche 2 reforms and obligations expanding, transaction monitoring and due diligence have been increasingly strengthened. Line 1 continues to be a key hiring area to support these changes and reforms.
From a recruitment standpoint, hiring conditions are more disciplined and selective than in previous years. Organisations are prioritising quality over volume, with a clear preference for candidates who can demonstrate practical implementation experience and regulator-facing capability.
Legal
The Legal market in 2026 is defined by measured hiring activity, rising specialisation, and sustained regulatory influence, particularly across financial services. While overall hiring volumes are more cautious compared to previous years, there is a clear expectation of incremental growth driven by both newly created roles and backfilling of critical positions.
A key theme is the continued impact of regulatory reform, including CPS 230, FAR, and broader APRA/ASIC requirements, which are driving demand for legal professionals with strong financial services regulatory, governance, and compliance expertise. Legal teams are increasingly expected to operate as strategic partners to the business, supporting risk-aligned decision-making, product development, and regulatory engagement. This has elevated demand for lawyers who can combine technical legal knowledge with commercial acumen and stakeholder influence.
From a sector perspective, superannuation, private markets, and banking remain particularly active. The ongoing internalisation of investment functions within super funds, alongside growth in private credit and alternative assets, is fueling demand for in-house lawyers with experience in funds management, infrastructure, and complex transactions.
At the same time, fintech and digital assets continue to drive niche hiring across payments, privacy, and data governance.
Salary growth in 2026 is more moderate, with average increases of 3–4%, reflecting a more cautious hiring environment. However, competition remains strong for midlevel talent (3–8 PQE), where demand significantly outweighs supply. There is still a strong remuneration gap between legal and senior legal counsel roles, highlighting the critical need for progression to attract candidates.
Beyond remuneration, flexibility and culture have become critical differentiators, with many candidates unwilling to move roles without maintaining hybrid working conditions. As a result, attracting talent requires a compelling employee value proposition, not just salary uplift.
Overall, the 2026 legal market is competitive but disciplined, with demand centred on regulatory expertise, commercial capability, and niche sector knowledge, reinforcing the premium placed on high-quality, adaptable legal professionals.
Investments
Within the superannuation sector, recruitment activity has continued at the Senior Analyst level as funds selectively invest in internal capability and succession planning. Recent movement at the Chief Investment Officer level across funds such as Prime Super, First Super and Legal Super reflects the ongoing evolution of leadership and a continued focus on long-term investment capability across the industry. Larger super funds continue expanding offshore investment teams, which has moderated some domestic hiring activity, particularly at the more senior end. While opportunities prevail, recruitment processes have become increasingly targeted and selective.
Family offices continue to be one of the most attractive and active segments. Hiring activity has been buoyant across all levels, with firms seeking investment professionals who can operate across multiple asset classes and bring broad portfolio management experience to increasingly sophisticated investment mandates. Generalist investors with multi-asset capability are attracting strong interest, particularly within family office and boutique investment environments.
Traditional active fund managers have experienced relatively subdued conditions, with overall recruitment activity relatively flat. Private debt, however, stands out as a notable exception, with strong demand for investment professionals across a range of seniority levels as firms continue to expand their capabilities and investors allocate increasing capital to the asset class.
Alternatives rank among the most sought-after areas of expertise. The rising need for professionals with experience across private markets, infrastructure, private credit and other alternative investments is particularly strong in wealth management and family office environments as investors seek greater diversification and differentiated sources of return.
More broadly, private markets capability holds a strategic priority across superannuation funds, wealth managers and family offices.
ESG and Sustainable Investments
Within the ESG and sustainable investment scope of financial services, most organisations maintain a cautious approach to headcount - keeping hiring consistent yet selective through the first half of 2026.
Sustainability reporting and disclosure roles are still highly relevant, commanding the most attention as more firms prepare for the introduction of the Australian Sustainability Reporting Standards (ASRS). With Group 2 entities required to begin reporting for financial years starting from 1 July 2026, we’re seeing more activity from consulting firms as they support clients through implementation.
That said, there’s a noticeable disconnect between what clients are hiring for and what candidates are looking to do. Most hiring mandates are currently weighted towards reporting, risk, and compliance-focused roles, while a large proportion of the candidate market is still seeking more strategic positions, particularly across sustainable investment, transition strategy, and commercial ESG integration. This misalignment is contributing to longer hiring processes and, in some cases, roles being reshaped or paused.
More broadly, while hiring volumes are subdued, commitment to ESG has become more embedded. Many organisations continue to build capability more gradually, whether through internal mobility, upskilling, or targeted hiring rather than large team buildouts.
There is a distinct shift in how clients are thinking about ESG talent. Now, there is an increasing recognition that ESG is no longer a standalone function; it cuts across risk, investment, legal, and strategy teams. As a result, the most in-demand profiles tend to be those who can operate at that intersection, combining technical knowledge with commercial awareness.
Looking ahead, there’s a general expectation that activity will pick up as key regulatory deadlines approach. This is an excellent time for clients to take stock, understand their capability gaps, refine role design, and engage early with the talent market. The businesses that are doing this groundwork now will be in a much stronger position when hiring conditions inevitably tighten again.
Investment Operations and Fund Accounting
Hiring across investment operations has been resilient into mid‑2026, with steady activity levels following a stronger-than-expected close to 2025. While the market activity is healthy, hiring strategies reflect a degree of caution, with many firms favouring fixed-term contracts and project-based hires over adding permanent headcount, particularly where potential future productivity gains arise from AI and ongoing geopolitical uncertainty.
With private markets fuelling hiring activity (including private credit, infrastructure and real assets), superannuation funds are prioritising allocations to private assets. This is driving requirements across portfolio monitoring, valuations, fund accounting, and performance and analytics functions. By contrast, public markets - particularly active equities - remain subdued, with continued outflows and fee pressure. As a result, hiring across traditional asset management operations teams has been relatively flat.
Consequently, ETFs are a structural growth story, with continued expansion across providers such as Vanguard, VanEck, Betashares, and Global X.
Ongoing M&A and industry consolidation continue to reshape the talent market. Mergers across the superannuation and funds management landscape are driving:
Redundancies and reduced senior leadership headcount
Increased demand for change, integration, and transition specialists
A surplus of senior candidates, particularly at Head of / COO level
As a result, senior hiring has been slow, with many impacted candidates spending extended periods (6–12 months) on the market and, in some cases, considering step-down roles or moving into consulting.
In contrast, hiring momentum is strongest at the mid-level (Senior Analyst to Manager), where hiring is highly competitive. This segment continues to see upward pressure on salaries due to a shortage of high-quality, immediately deployable talent.
A clear thematic shift over the past six months has been the acceleration of data and automation capabilities within investment operations. Firms are increasingly prioritising candidates who can combine operational expertise with:
Data analytics and visualisation (Power BI)
Querying and automation (SQL, Python)
Systems expertise (Aladdin, Charles River, SimCorp)
Process improvement and change delivery
AI proficiency
There is a growing expectation that investment operations professionals are data-enabled problem solvers, rather than purely BAU-focused operators. Candidates without exposure to these skill sets are finding it more challenging to stay competitive.
Within fund accounting specifically, hiring activity has increased compared to late 2025, with a surge in contract opportunities towards the financial year-end.
Distribution
A cornerstone of Australia's funds management industry, the three main distribution channels are exhibiting many of the same conditions seen over the past 12 months. Institutional markets continue to face headwinds; wholesale remains the focal point for capital-raising activity, and retail is still being shaped by asset consulting and passive fund dominance. These ongoing dynamics are directly influencing hiring patterns, candidate expectations, and the type of talent firms are competing for.
Retail
Hiring across the retail channel has been limited, with market conditions largely unchanged. Passive funds continue to outperform most active managers, while asset consultants play a dominant force in determining which products get traction with advisers.
As influence becomes concentrated among research houses, asset consultants and larger dealer groups, distribution professionals are increasingly judged on their ability to navigate research processes and build strong consultant relationships. These capabilities have become key differentiators in the market.
Wholesale
Wholesale continues to be the most active and arguably most congested segment of the market. The vast majority of funds management firms are directing their distribution efforts toward private wealth advisers, brokers, direct HNW and UHNW clients, and family offices - which has been the case for some time.
This concentration of activity in a single channel has kept competition intense, both for capital and for talent. Firms have a growing requirement for experienced wholesale Business Development Managers with genuine networks across private wealth and family office segments. However, qualified candidates are selective about which opportunities they pursue. Firms without strong brand recognition, a differentiated product story, or realistic capital-raising expectations will struggle to attract this calibre of candidate.
Institutional
The institutional channel is quiet, as sustained inflows from active external mandates driven by super fund consolidation, insourcing of investment capabilities, and ongoing fee pressure continue to limit the volume of institutional distribution activity and hiring.
Where roles are being filled, they tend to be at a more junior level, with senior positions made redundant and not replaced like-for-like. Firms are running leaner coverage models, and several senior institutional professionals are currently navigating uncertainty around the future of their roles. The outlook for meaningful institutional hiring over the near term appears limited.
Talent and Role Demand
Most in-demand roles:
Candidates continue to gravitate toward roles with global managers, particularly those offering exposure to multi-strategy private markets. With active equity managers continuing to struggle, private markets are highlighted as an attractive space for distribution professionals. That said, given the sheer volume of private market funds now operating in Australia, hiring in this space is competitive. To attract the right talent, funds need a clear point of difference: a compelling investment story, strong leadership, a differentiated structure, or a remuneration package that reflects the opportunity they are asking candidates to back.
Most in-demand talent:
Firms are consistently seeking experienced wholesale BDMs with deep networks across private wealth and family offices and a demonstrated track record of capital raising. The combination of genuine relationships, product credibility, and commercial acumen proves challenging to find, and candidates who can evidence all three continue to command premium packages and, in many cases, multiple competing offers.
Wealth and Advice
Adviser numbers are still under pressure, sitting at approximately 15,500 today, nearly half of what they were six years ago. Driving these numbers down are mounting compliance obligations and regulatory scrutiny, a trend that shows no sign of easing following the collapse of First Guardian and Shield Master Trust.
M&A activity has picked up across the wealth management space, with consolidation creating both uncertainty and opportunity for advisers and hiring firms alike. The most consistent theme emerging from this activity is the need for advisers with a portable book of clients, the most sought-after professionals in the market by some margin.
The talent shortage appears acute. Experienced advisers are highly selective about their next move, and firms are competing hard to attract them, especially when talent can bring over an existing client base. At the junior end, hiring activity is growing as firms attempt to fill gaps. However, many new entrants lack the depth required for complex advice, making training and development a priority.
Superannuation funds have been among the more active hirers, expanding advice teams to meet compliance requirements and rising member priorities. These roles appeal to advisers seeking stability after years of industry disruption.
Looking ahead, managed accounts and simplified advice models will continue to gain traction, offering scalable solutions in an environment where adviser capacity is constrained. Technology-enabled delivery and flexible service models are becoming increasingly important for firms trying to meet growing client demand without a proportional increase in headcount.
Firms that can offer advisers a clear value proposition, whether that is a strong client pipeline, a supportive compliance framework, or genuine flexibility, will be best placed to attract and retain talent in what seems a very tight market.
Marketing, Communications, Digital, Product
The first half of 2026 opened with a notable surge in finding Marketing, Communications, Digital and Product talent - a trend that held firm from January through to May. Since then, the market has shown signs of softening, driven in large part by a wave of C-suite executive-level changes across the sector. Superannuation funds and other fund management organisations are taking a cautious approach to permanent appointments while they finalise new operating models. Contract resources step in to provide the flexibility needed during this transitional period.
The senior end of the market — Head of level and above — remains sluggish, with activity concentrated below that threshold. A key driver is a clear shift in what organisations are prioritising: a growing preference for hands-on execution capability over strategic leadership.
Marketing
A key development is the emergence of Marketing Transformation roles — a new category revealing the scale of change underway across the sector. These roles sit at the intersection of marketing strategy, technology and organisational change, attracting professionals who can lead marketing functions through significant structural and operational transformation.
Somewhat surprisingly, traditional above-the-line (ATL) skill sets are experiencing a resurgence. After years in which digital and performance marketing dominated hiring conversations, there is renewed appetite for brand, campaign and channel expertise rooted in more traditional marketing disciplines — indicating both the maturation of digital channels and a recognition that brand-building remains a critical long-term capability.
Leaders are also placing a stronger premium on industry-specific experience. There is a clear preference for candidates who bring deep familiarity with the financial services context — for example, professionals with marketing backgrounds in financial advice, superannuation or funds management — rather than strong generalist marketers who lack sector knowledge.
Communications
A firm, in-demand expertise for organisations is regulatory communications, particularly for professionals who can develop Product Disclosure Statements (PDSs), Significant Event Notices (SENs) and similar compliance documents. However, the scope has expanded beyond traditional regulatory writing. There is growing emphasis on "plain language" capability — professionals who can assess member understanding of technical documents and meaningfully improve clarity and accessibility. This reflects a broader industry shift toward customer-centric communication that balances regulatory requirements with genuine comprehension.
Digital
A strong and growing member preference for digital interactions throughout the customer journey is keeping digital specialists highly valued — from the website experience through to app features and self-service options. Organisations are investing in optimising these end-to-end digital touchpoints, creating a sustained necessity for professionals who understand both the technical and experiential dimensions of digital engagement.
There is now a clear distinction in how digital expertise is being deployed at different seniority levels. More senior digital professionals are increasingly being absorbed into broader Marketing leadership roles, where digital capability is expected as part of a wider skill set. Alternatively, experienced digital practitioners are leveraging their technical expertise to transition into Digital Project roles, reflecting the growing complexity of digital transformation initiatives across the sector.
The influence of AI is particularly visible in digital hiring, with organisations seeking professionals who can work alongside AI-powered tools for personalisation, content optimisation and data-driven decision-making.
Product
The Product discipline presents a nuanced and evolving picture. While contract roles remain the dominant hiring model (consistent with broader market trends), hiring activity has been notably strong at the analyst level. Demand for PDS-focused analysts grows alongside ongoing regulatory complexity and product rationalisation, while the introduction of Payday Super legislation is adding a further layer of change that organisations need specialist support to navigate.
A more significant structural shift in the Product space is the continuing evolution of the Product Manager role toward a Product Owner model. This reflects the broader adoption of agile methodologies across the sector, with organisations restructuring their product functions around delivery-focused, sprint-based ways of working. Product Owners who can sit at the interface of technology, member experience and business requirements command significant interest from employers, while the more traditional strategic Product Manager role has become less prevalent at the entry-to-mid level. This movement is actively reshaping hiring criteria — less emphasis on pure strategy credentials and more on the ability to work iteratively, collaborate closely with technology teams, and drive outcomes through structured delivery frameworks.
The softening since May is likely to be temporary, and activity is expected to pick up once the current round of executive transitions settles and organisations gain greater clarity on their operating models. The underlying required fundamentals - regulatory change, digital transformation, member experience investment and AI adoption - demonstrate resilience. The professionals best placed are those who combine genuine specialist depth with cross-functional adaptability, sector-specific experience, and a working familiarity with AI tools and their implications for their discipline.
Finance and Accounting
Following the strong levels of activity experienced throughout Q3, the Accounting, Finance and Tax market has sustained its robustness during Q4, where demand continues to outpace supply across several specialist disciplines.
Ongoing divergence between the search for senior technical professionals and more transactional accounting staff marks a notable trend. Across both financial services and broader commercial organisations, there continues to be a strong push for experienced subject matter experts capable of providing strategic insight, navigating increasingly complex regulatory environments and leading transformation initiatives. With easing inflation, a more stable interest rate environment and ongoing pressure to improve productivity, many financial institutions are still cautious, and investment is being directed towards transformation, automation and operational efficiency.
This discretion extends to hiring junior and transactional accounting professionals, including Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable and Payroll staff. The need for talent persists, but employers are increasingly favouring fixed-term contracts and temporary appointments rather than permanent hires. Much of this deliberation appears to be driven by expectations that progress in AI, automation, and outsourcing will reshape these functions in the years ahead. As a result, businesses are reluctant to make long-term headcount commitments in areas where future operating models seem uncertain.
Tax
The tax market has been particularly active throughout the quarter. Among superannuation funds, fund managers and broader investment management businesses, we observed a significant increase in hiring Deals Tax professionals at the Manager and Senior Manager levels. This trend is noteworthy as it often serves as a leading indicator of increased transaction activity and corporate investment confidence. Organisations appear to be positioning themselves for elevated deal flow while simultaneously responding to heightened regulatory scrutiny and increasingly complex tax governance requirements.
Despite the growth in hiring activity, the tax market is heavily candidate-short. Both commercial organisations and professional services firms continue to compete aggressively for a relatively small pool of experienced professionals, particularly those with strong international tax, funds tax, M&A tax and tax governance capabilities. This competition has begun to place upward pressure on remuneration packages, marking the first meaningful salary growth we have seen since the post-COVID "Great Resignation" period.
Financial Transformation and Systems
Another area demonstrating strong momentum is financial transformation and systems. In recent months, there has been a marked surge in firms seeking experts on ERP implementation, finance transformation, process improvement, data analytics and AI optimisation. After several years of delaying large-scale investment decisions due to economic uncertainty, many organisations now appear ready to modernise legacy finance functions and invest in technology designed to improve efficiency, reporting capability and decision-making. Candidates with experience across platforms such as SAP, Oracle, Workday and Microsoft Dynamics continue to be highly sought after.
Employers are particularly keen on those who can combine technical accounting capability with strong commercial acumen, stakeholder management and systems expertise, and there is a consistent need for Financial Accounting and Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) professionals. While the majority of high-calibre candidates are not actively seeking new opportunities, most remain open to confidential discussions where there is a clear opportunity for career progression, increased scope or exposure to strategic business initiatives. As a result, employers continue to face challenges attracting talent through traditional advertising channels and increasingly need to engage passive candidates to secure successful outcomes.
Salary Growth in Accounting, Finance and Tax
Salary growth has moderated compared to previous years, with most job movers securing increases of 5–10%, whereas specialist skill sets continue to attract premium remuneration. On the other hand, candidates' main drivers in deciding on a move are flexibility, career progression and organisational stability.
From a macroeconomic perspective, geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have had minimal direct impact on hiring activity across the Accounting, Finance and Tax market to date, keeping employer confidence relatively stable. Upon observation, there is no meaningful slowdown in recruitment activity attributable to these events.
Looking ahead, we expect steady demand for senior technical talent, transformation specialists and tax professionals throughout the rest of 2026. The combination of regulatory change, digital transformation initiatives, increasing adoption of AI technologies and ongoing talent shortages is likely to continue shaping hiring trends across the market for the foreseeable future.
Projects and Transformation
Across Australia’s superannuation sector, Projects, Change and Transformation teams are entering one of the busiest periods in more than a decade. The theme is execution rather than strategy, with funds, administrators, and service providers focused on delivering major regulatory, technology and retirement-outcome programs simultaneously.
Starting on 1 July 2026, the largest industry-wide program is Payday Super, and funds are upgrading contribution processing, employer interfaces, data validation, payment reconciliation and member allocation capabilities to support near real-time contributions.
A second focus is retirement transformation. As a result, many funds are investing in retirement product design, retirement journey mapping, digital engagement, advice capability and member segmentation programs.
Artificial intelligence is also moving from experimentation to deployment, particularly in service operations, advice delivery, workflow automation and member support. AI is a key enabler for the future of financial services; it also introduces substantial and emerging risks as adoption accelerates across the industry.
Across the superannuation sector, the next six months will be defined by a strong focus on delivery, with multiple large-scale programs running in parallel and placing real pressure on execution capacity. From a recruitment perspective, this is driving employers to seek experienced project, program and change professionals who can operate in complex, fast-moving environments. AI is beginning to shape hiring needs more directly, with funds looking for talent that can bridge technology, operations and transformation as adoption moves from experimentation into delivery.
Overall, there is a clear shift towards hybrid skill sets that combine domain expertise with technology and delivery experience. The next six months are critical; organisations that can move quickly and position roles within broader transformation agendas will be best placed to secure talent in an increasingly competitive market.
Market Outlook
Moving into the next phase, the Australian financial services recruitment market is anticipated to stay active, though selective in specific areas.
While organisations continue to balance cost discipline with investment in strategic capability, the search for professionals who can navigate regulatory change, leverage technology and drive transformation is unlikely to ease.
Across virtually every discipline, the premium on specialist expertise, adaptability and commercial acumen continues to grow.
Employers that move decisively, offer compelling career opportunities, and remain flexible in their hiring approach will be best placed to secure the talent needed to achieve their strategic objectives. On the other hand, candidates with niche technical skills and the ability to embrace change will continue to be well positioned throughout the remainder of 2026.
