Revolutionary Regulatory Environment Pushes Companies to Pursue HR Consulting as a Preemptive Strike

PETERBOROUGH, NH--(Marketwire - August 18, 2009) - Employers in the US and the UK face a
number of changes to regulations on pensions and retirement accounts.
Emerging markets, such as China, are ramping up requirements, as well.
According to industry research firm Kennedy Consulting Research & Advisory,
this flood of new and revised regulations promises to be the preeminent
driver of client demand for HR consulting, specifically for consulting
services in and around benefits and actuarial work.

To meet their fiduciary responsibilities, client organizations must provide
ongoing communication to employees on the impact new federal rules have on
their retirement plans. Employers are compelled to manage their retirement
and healthcare benefits programs with an eye on risk as well as leveraging
their total rewards to attract and retain their top talent.

"As regulatory mandates evolve," said Mary Ann Bui, Senior Research
Analyst, Kennedy Consulting Research & Advisory, "consultancies are called
upon not only to keep organizations informed of changes to legislature but
also to implement these edicts in balance with their client's perspectives
and goals."

Of all three HR sub-segments -- Talent Management, HR Technology and
Benefits -- Benefits currently takes up the largest portion of market share
and is expected to reach $12.51 billion in 2011, according to Kennedy's "HR
Consulting Marketplace 2009-2011." As a whole, HR consulting has a market
size of $21.4 billion and will grow at a CAGR of 3.9% through 2011.

In addition, "HR Consulting Marketplace 2009-2011" names the top five firms
that trump all others in the HR consulting competitive arena. Of the 22
firms rated, Kennedy analysts indicate 12 firms as advancing in service
breadth or depth, and only two firms as diminishing. Among the HR
consultancies rated for this research are: Mercer, Watson Wyatt, Deloitte,
Hewitt, Towers Perrin, Aon, Buck, PwC, Accenture, Hay Group, Milliman, IBM,
Atos Consulting, KPMG, Right and Segal Group.

About Kennedy Consulting Research & Advisory

Since 1970, Kennedy Consulting Research & Advisory, a division of Kennedy
Information, has been the world's leading source of market analysis on the
Management Consulting and IT Consulting industries, serving the most highly
regarded professional services firms and Fortune 500 companies across the
globe.

Kennedy provides accurate and reliable market sizing and forecasts for
consulting services world-wide; needs analysis and vendor profiling for
buyers of consulting services; timely and insightful intelligence on the
top consulting firms in their respective markets; and operational
benchmarks that measure consulting performance. Kennedy's research spans
multiple service areas, client vertical industries, and geographies.

Kennedy's stand-alone consulting advisory unit, Kennedy Information
Advisors, provides results-oriented strategic guidance to buyers and
sellers of consulting services.