Demand for specialist skills continues to be driven by technology adoption and competition from other sectors, with regulatory change further intensifying pressure.

In our view, limited candidate availability and rising salary expectations will continue to be defining challenges. Being results-driven and forward-thinking is key to securing outcomes. For example, a consumer retail and ESG team upskilled their internal finance staff while introducing targeted retention incentives, while a pharmaceutical tax team recruited remote specialists to meet compliance deadlines.

We believe organisations that invest in internal development, succession planning and flexible hiring models will be best positioned to secure critical skills in 2026.