Morning, Friday, 17th April 2026
Online
This conference will consider next steps for UK professional and business services - including legal services, accountancy and audit firms, and management and business consultancy - following publication of the Government’s Sector Plan.
It will bring stakeholders and policymakers together to assess the strategy being put forward to support PBS, and the implementation of sector-specific measures outlined in the plan.
Areas for discussion include expectations for the impact of five AI and technology adoption programmes backed by investment of £150m through the Spending Review - including the Made Smarter-style pilot - as well as the rollout and governance of new PBS hubs across five UK regions, and initiatives such as the export support guarantee for SMEs.
Regional PBS growth, local authorities, coordination & support for SMEs
Implications of place-based interventions and local growth strategies for PBS firms across the UK will be assessed, including for those outside the initial hub areas as well as smaller and mid-tier firms.
Sessions will explore priorities for local authorities, involvement of existing clusters, and how PBS hub governance can avoid duplication with devolved and city‑region strategies. The functioning of hubs will be discussed, alongside strategies for effective rollout of technology adoption and innovation programmes for SMEs, trade and investment promotion, and sector-specific careers advice.
AI, technology adoption & regulation
The agenda will explore how integrating technology and increasing R&D spend can most effectively support growth and productivity in the PBS sector, with a focus on addressing issues for firm capacity and workforce adoption, and implications for market competitiveness - also looking at priorities for the AI champion appointed in November 2025.
How initiatives can best translate into practical help will be examined, with discussion on funding models, shared tools, procurement templates, and skills support. Delegates will assess how smaller firms can be helped in adopting AI and automation tools - particularly in areas such as compliance and document processing - as well as approaches to tackling barriers to uptake including costs, skills gaps, and procurement complexity.
Stakeholder concerns around regulatory clarity will also be discussed, including liability boundaries, and options for developing consistent standards when AI is used in professional judgement and advisory work. The development of the Made Smarter Professional Business Services delivery model to enable AI adoption and innovation at scale will also be examined, including how the service can work alongside existing business support structures, as well as priorities for ensuring equitable access across regions, and ways forward for meeting tailored sub-sector needs.
Discussion will also address how technology may influence consultancy pricing models, with potential shifts towards outcome-based or subscription approaches for PBS firms.
Finance, oversight & sector skills
Key issues for funding and finance will be examined, including the role of the British Business Bank in access to growth finance, as well as mechanisms for commercial banks and financial institutions to support the sector through IP-backed lending, including for emerging PBS-focused technologies. Regulatory priorities will also be discussed, looking at ways forward to achieve optimal conditions for investment, innovation, and resilience across the sector.
Delegates will also assess approaches to addressing skills shortages, including priorities for deployment of funding raised by the Growth and Skills levy to create more apprenticeship options and improve workforce digital and AI skills. Next steps for collaboration between PBS firms, Skills England and HEIs in developing courses will be considered. Discussion will also centre on expansion of the AI Skills hub across the PBS sector, as well as how further recognition of international professional qualifications might help tackle workforce mobility barriers faced by UK PBS firms.
Coordination between the PBS Council, Skills England, Innovate UK, local authorities and firms will be discussed, looking at the role of the proposed Office for PBS and new Industrial Strategy Council in overseeing implementation and tracking progress across the PBS sector.
International competitiveness & trade
Sessions will also examine approaches to further developing the UK’s position in global professional services. Areas for discussion include trade access and regulatory compatibility, strategic priorities for supporting export growth and boost global competitiveness, and internationally-focused promotional initiatives for overseas firms such as the recently launched concierge service.
We expect further discussion on priorities for the Trade Digitalisation Taskforce in supporting trade for PBS firms and their clients, with government to invest £12m into data sharing and infrastructure initiatives from April 2026.
With a new specialist panel of experts convened in September 2025 to boost legal services exports, discussion is also expected on next steps for supporting access to UK services and priorities for driving international competitiveness.
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates. As well as key stakeholders, those already due to attend include officials from the Department for Business and Trade; Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office; Office for Investment; and The Scottish Government.
