FORECAST, a fast-growing Edinburgh-headquartered data consultancy business, has seen demand for its services surge despite the challenging economic environment.
Responses to COVID-19 have accelerated digital transformation as more companies race to become data-driven and digital-first businesses. Forecast is scaling to meet demand and is looking to hire seven new consultants by Easter 2021.
Founded in 2010 by Neil Macdonald, Forecast started as a financial modelling consultancy. It has since evolved into a full-service global data consultancy business offering financial modelling, data analytics and data visualisation services.
The firm has doubled both headcount and turnover in three consecutive financial years and opened offices in Australia and Canada to support its international client base.
The addition of data engineering capabilities through new service, Decima – innovative cloud-based engineering solutions – enables the firm to offer fully integrated data consultancy.
Decima delivers a compelling customer experience across multiple channels, providing the platform for businesses taking their first steps into the world of data analytics. For larger businesses already undertaking data analysis, Decima allows them to deliver faster insights.
Dr Paul van Loon Head of Analytics at Forecast, says:
“Forecast is growing a reputation as the premier independent data consultancy for Scottish companies. Decima – our exciting new data engineering service enables businesses to turbocharge their digital acceleration.
“Currently, ambitious Scottish businesses or public organisations have limited access to the expert advisors at the vanguard of the data industry – we are changing that, and hope to be that solution in Scotland and further afield.”
Neil Macdonald, founder of Forecast, says:
“Decima allows Forecast to deliver tools to its clients in innovative and more scalable ways, by combining the power of data and the wide range of tools and services cloud platforms deliver at low cost. The ability to deliver tools through a web front-end that allow our clients to tap into cloud tools provides a genuine alternative to Excel-based models where the need and opportunity arises.
“We are also delighted to be in a position where we are looking to recruit new consultants across our data analytics, data insights, data engineering and financial modelling teams, and we would love to hear from experienced consultants or graduates with a background in these disciplines.” Forecast has an enviable client list that includes industry-leading blue-chip companies and SMEs in media & telecoms, financial services, public sector, infrastructure, energy, retail, construction, education, and healthcare, among others.
