What Cameron MacAllister Group does

Cameron MacAllister Group (CMG) is a privately held, boutique management consulting firm that serves architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms across North America and internationally. Founded in 1984 by Mark Cameron and rebranded under its current name in 2004 when Jack MacAllister, FAIA joined, the firm is built around a senior bench of 18-20 principal consultants who advise on the business of design and construction rather than on technical design itself. Its advisory offering is organized into seven integrated service lines: Organizational Development and Governance, Leadership Development, Marketing, People Services, Justice/Equity/Diversity/Inclusion (JEDI), PR and Communications, and Sustainability and Resilience.

CMG operates no proprietary technology platform, software product, or API; its deliverable is human-delivered consulting and advisory work. The firm supplements fee-for-service engagements with two flagship annual programs—the Design Colloquium and the New Generation Leaders Roundtable—and a proprietary research series called New Realities, which publishes survey-based reports on industry trends including employee wellness, organizational culture, climate action, and DEI. CMG's New Realities work has produced sizable industry benchmarks (e.g., a 2022 study with 2,750 responses across 57 firms) and underpins the firm's thought-leadership positioning.

Commercially, CMG runs a sales-led, trusted-advisor model. Client acquisition is driven by industry reputation, peer referrals, event participation, and research-driven thought leadership rather than outbound sales. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is structured around project-based and retainer engagements with AEC firms, including over a dozen recipients of the National AIA Firm Award. The firm is headquartered in San Francisco (415 area code), has no external investors, no parent company, and underwent a major ownership transition in April 2026 when seven principal consultants joined the ownership team and founder Mark Cameron stepped back from formal ownership while remaining active as a consultant.

Name

Cameron MacAllister Group

Legal name

Cameron MacAllister Group

Website

https://cameronmacallister.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cameron MacAllister Group is a privately held boutique consulting firm that advises architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms on leadership, organizational development, marketing, JEDI, PR, and sustainability, serving clients across North America and internationally through a team of 18-20 senior consultants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

AEC Industry Management Consulting

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Management Consulting Services (541618), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Strategy Advisory (BPAHADAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sustainability & ESG Consulting (BPAHACAK)

Keywords

• Management consulting
• AEC industry advisory
• Leadership development
• Organizational development
• Strategic consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Orinda

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: Professional consulting and advisory services delivered to architecture, engineering, and construction firms. Services include organizational development, leadership development, marketing consulting, JEDI consulting, PR and communications, and sustainability and resilience consulting. Engagement types include individual consultant work and team-based consulting.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cameron MacAllister Group is a trusted advisor to architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms, providing professional consulting and advisory services across seven practice areas: Organizational Development and Governance, Leadership Development, Marketing, People, Justice/Equity/Diversity/Inclusion, PR and Communications, and Sustainability and Resilience. Services are delivered by a team of principal consultants through individual engagements and team-based consulting projects. The firm also hosts the annual Design Colloquium, the New Generation Leaders Roundtable, and publishes the New Realities survey research series.

Product overview

Cameron MacAllister Group is a consulting and advisory firm serving the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. Their offering consists of seven integrated service areas: Organizational Development and Governance, Leadership Development, Marketing, People Services, Justice/Equity/Diversity/Inclusion (JEDI), PR and Communications, and Sustainability and Resilience. These consulting services are delivered by a team of principal consultants through individual engagements and teams. The firm also runs industry events including the annual Design Colloquium and the New Generation Leaders Roundtable, and publishes the New Realities research series.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Consulting and Advisory Services Integrated professional advisory services for architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms addressing leadership, management, marketing, equity and inclusion, public relations, and sustainability.
• Organizational Development and Governance Strategic planning, organizational development, operations and financial management, internal ownership transition, meeting facilitation, merger and acquisition representation, firm performance audits, and project team performance services for AEC firms.
• Leadership Development Leadership training, assessment, succession planning, coaching, and mentoring programs designed to develop leaders in architecture, engineering, and construction firms.
• Marketing Services Business development, marketing assessments, marketing strategies, presentation coaching, communication training, client surveys, and market intelligence services for AEC firms.
• People Services Communication workshops, employee surveys, team building, and alignment services focused on helping AEC firms develop their workforce.
• Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) JEDI assessments, facilitation, workshops and training, mentorship and coaching, EDI strategy and action plans, change management, and benchmarking/tracking progress for AEC firms.
• PR and Communications Communications assessment and strategy, media relations, brand messaging, media training, and social media assessment and implementation services for AEC firms.
• Sustainability and Resilience Sustainability assessment, sustainability and resiliency strategy, regenerative thinking, and climate action plan development for design and construction firms.

Quantifiable outcome

• Client firms achieve improved organizational effectiveness, successful ownership transitions, and enhanced business performance through strategic planning and leadership development.

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered notable and core.

• Lens (Annelise Pitts)notableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Collaboration between Cameron MacAllister Group and Lens on the New Realities survey study on organizational culture and employee wellness in design firms. The study garnered 2,750 responses from 57 firms across the United States, Canada, and international locations.
• Global Design AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational network of 19 design, planning, and construction firms committed to fostering dynamic growth and change. Saskia Dennis-van Dijl serves as Executive Director of the Global Design Alliance. The partnership enables knowledge sharing and collaboration across international markets.
• WTW A&EnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerCMG's Clark Davis led a survey of design firms about the impacts of remote/hybrid work on design and technical quality, commissioned by WTW A&E, WTW's division focused exclusively on the A/E industry.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• FMI Corporation: Management consulting and investment banking firm dedicated to the built environment, serving engineering, construction, and architecture clients on strategy, leadership, and M&A. Overlaps with CMG's organizational development and governance practice for AEC clients.
• PSMJ Resources: AEC-focused management consulting practice offering strategic planning, leadership development, ownership transition, and financial management services to architecture and engineering firms. Highly comparable in service mix and target buyer to CMG.
• Zweig Group: Management consulting, advisory, and research firm dedicated to the AEC industry. Closest direct peer to CMG — it sells leadership, marketing, M&A advisory, and benchmarking services to architecture and engineering firms, competing for the same enterprise client mandates.
• The Coxe Group: Boutique consultancy serving AEC firms on strategic planning, ownership transition, and firm management. Competes head-to-head with CMG for the same senior-leadership and ownership-transition engagements at mid-to-large design firms.
• Morrissey Goodale: AEC-focused management consulting and M&A advisory firm that advises architecture, engineering, and environmental firms on strategy, ownership transition, and growth — directly comparable to CMG's organizational development and governance offering.

Broad incumbents

• McKinsey & Company: Global management consultancy with an Engineering & Construction practice serving AEC clients on strategy and organizational transformation. Competes with CMG only at the very top of the market and on adjacent topics, not as a niche specialist.
• Deloitte: Big Four advisory firm with real estate, construction, and design industry practices covering strategy, organizational transformation, and ESG. Overlaps with CMG on the enterprise portion of the AEC market but does not specialize in serving AEC professional services firms.
• Bain & Company: Global strategy consultancy with a dedicated Engineering & Construction practice serving large owner-operators and EPC firms. Adjacent to CMG but operates at enterprise/owner-operator level rather than advising design firms directly.

Emerging players

• JLL (Advisory Services): Global real estate services firm whose advisory practice serves design firms and owners on strategy, sustainability, and workplace. Overlaps with CMG on sustainability and organizational development but from a larger commercial real estate platform.
• WTW (A&E Industry Practice): Global advisory firm whose A&E division (formerly"WSR&A+E") commissions and co-publishes industry research with CMG and serves AEC firms on people, benefits, and risk. Partial overlap — adjacent rather than direct head-to-head competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/with_replies
• Facebookfacebook.com/cameronmacallister
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cameron-macallister-group
• Instagraminstagram.com/cameronmacallister?igshid=1g1blsf66bwef

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cameron MacAllister Group