Maximising your value to management
The Dorchester, London, UK
Friday 14 November 2008
The MPF Panels workshop brings together all MPF Panels for the first time, with a stellar set of speakers to explore how management experts can best add value to management. Participants can expect to gain new insights and renewed confidence in their ability to add significant value to their firm. MPF members are also welcome.
08.30 Chairman’s Introduction
Nigel Knowles, Joint CEO, DLA Piper and MPF Chairman
08.45 Management approaches at professional firms
Alan Hodgart, Chairman, H4 Partners
Many management experts have only experienced the executive committee at one professional
firm. Yet management approaches vary widely from firm to firm. Alan Hodgart reviews the pros
and cons of some of the more popular approaches being adopted by firms worldwide, and
assesses the extent to which different management disciplines are recognised by leaders as
having a valuable contribution to make.
10.45 Selecting the battles to fight
The key to success on any committee is to select the agenda items where you have a relevant contribution to make and
then research the topic to overcome scepticism from others at the table. The panel describe some of the contentious
issues that they have championed at executive committees, followed by a workshop moderated by Gillian Sutherland.
13.30 Working with other disciplines
Best practice encourages those from different management disciplines to contribute to the debate before a decision is
taken. Crucially, it allows the leader to understand the importance attached to an issue by those who may appear to be
from different planets. The panel describe insights that they have gained from working with other disciplines at executive
committees, followed by a workshop moderated by Maureen Migliazzo.
15.15 The art of boardroom behaviour
Theory and practice can be as close or as far apart as art and science. Even if an expert understands the commercial
issues being debated and has the ammunition to make a relevant contribution, effective presentation is usually critical to
a successful outcome. The panel describe the ways that executive committees evaluate contributions from experts, and
how experts can maximise their impact through boardroom behaviour, followed by a general debate moderated by
Richard Oakes.
16.45 Chairman’s closing remarks
Growth strategies for professional services firms
HBJ Gateley Wareing, Exchange Tower, 19 Canning Street, Edinburgh EH3 8EH
Wednesday 3 September 2008
White & Case LLP is a leading global law firm with more than 2,300 lawyers in 37 offices in 25 countries. Over the last five years the firm’s London revenues have grown at an annual compound rate of 34.5%, making White & Case one of, if not the, fastest-growing of the major law firms in London. The firm now has more than 400 fee-earners in London.
In this session, Peter Finlay, senior partner, and James Martin, director of business development and marketing at White & Case in London, will speak about the drivers of this growth, the challenges it has brought and where the firm plans to go next in the London market.
About our speakers
Peter Finlay is the senior partner of White & Case’s London office and co-heads the firm’s corporate practice in London. His practice involves financings with an emphasis on acquisitions, joint ventures, privatisations and project financings and with a particular focus in the energy and infrastructure sectors. Peter worked in the firm’s New York office from 1980 to 1983, in Paris from 1983 to 1986 and in Istanbul from 1986 to 1990. He has been based in London since 1990.
James Martin is the director of business development and marketing at White & Case in London. Previously he headed external communications for White & Case in Europe. He has spent 10 years in corporate communications and marketing, working both in-house and in agency, across a broad variety of industry sectors. Prior to joining White & Case in early 2004, James worked in the corporate and professional services arm of worldwide marketing and communications agency, GCI.
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Influencing partner behaviour to drive profit
Martineau, No 1 Colmore Square, Birmingham B4 6AA
Thursday 4 September 2008
Now more than ever it is vital that partners’ energies are focused on delivering those outputs the firm needs - and it is the managing partner's job to make that happen. The use of the right metrics can ensure that you get what you want!
Highlights include:
- The PSF model - ‘Get the work - Do the work - Collect the cash’
Why do so many partners only focus on the ‘doing’ at the expense of the other two and to the detriment of the firm? How can Managing Partners change that?
- Metrics - ‘Sustainable Value’ supported by the appraisal process
- Motivation - Not everything that counts can be counted!
- At all times focusing on bottom line results
There will be lots of opportunity for participants to share their views and ask questions. We hope you can join us.
About our speaker
Jonathan Holt qualified as a solicitor in 1980 and established boutique firm Holt Phillips in 1984. Following a merger with Eversheds Jon quickly rose to become head of both the Volume Business and Commercial Practice Groups and was appointed to the senior management team. He was accountable for some 58 partners and 260 fee earners across 13 offices in the UK and Europe turning over in excess of £75m. As client partner for some of Eversheds largest clients Jon was a key member of the team which devised and implemented the firm's CRM strategy. When he moved to London Jon led the firm's drive to maximise opportunities arising out of the 2012 Olympics. Jon is an experienced coach and mentor.
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"Decision-making processes stifle entrepreneurial spirit"
Linklaters, One Silk Street, London EC2 8HQ
Thursday 4 September 2008
New research carried out by Kingston University entrepreneurship centre and executive search firm, Cripps Sears & Partners, as reported by Stefan Stern in the Financial Times on 15 July, confirms that business leaders wrestle constantly with a big dilemma: how to encourage risk-taking and entrepreneurial flair without exposing the whole organisation to unquantifiable danger. It is one of the great paradoxes of leadership.
The current adverse economic climate poses a challenge for leaders - rein in and concentrate on existing clients, or actively invest in new opportunities. If firms favour the investment route, do partners have the necessary business development skills and/or will the new post-Enron risk management culture throw up insurmountable obstacles to their entrepreneurial activity?
Some firms set out detailed processes to ensure there is consistent compliance with management best practice. Others seek to create a climate of confidence that fosters entrepreneurial activity. Where do you stand?
The audience will be invited to vote twice on the motion: at the outset to determine existing opinions; at the end to gauge the extent to which the presenters have influenced attitudes. The results will be widely circulated.
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Recruitment and retention or restructuring and redundancy?
Managing HR and rewards in uncertain economic times
Cobbetts, 58 Mosley Street, Manchester, M2 3HZ
Thursday 18 September 2008
According to classical economic theory, in a downturn demand for labour falls, so pay pressures and staff attrition rates should correspondingly decline. Yet many employers today appear to be facing a unique 'cost/talent crunch', as sharply higher prices and costs combine with continuing key skill and talent shortages.
So how are organisations responding in this challenging climate to maximise their performance through effective HR management? Does performance-related pay work in the bad times as well as the good? Should you be investing more in your staff or laying them off? Will the popular notions of employee engagement and 'great place to work' survive a downswing? Should we be continuing to improve employee involvement and communications or are we seeing a pick-up in labour militancy?
Using data from their economic and chief executive surveys, and drawing on their recent client experiences, Duncan Brown and Emma Robertson from PricewaterhouseCoopers' HR Services' practice will inform and challenge you to consider how best to manage and reward your employees in the current climate.
About our speakers
Duncan Brown is a Director at PricewaterhouseCoopers where he leads the management and employee reward work. He has more than 20 years' experience in HR and reward consulting. He also spent five years as Assistant Director General at the CIPD. Duncan is a leading commentator on HR issues, with his most recent book being Strategic Reward: Making it Happen. He has appeared on BBC TV breakfast and evening news, as well as Radio 4's Today programme. Human Resources magazine voted him at number five in its listing of the most influential practitioners in UK HR in 2008, though his children award him a somewhat lower rating.
Emma Robertson is a Senior Manager in PwC's Human Resource Services team in the North West and provides advice on all aspects of HR and remuneration for employees and senior executives. Before joining PwC, Emma was head of reward for a FTSE 250 company within the retail sector for five years. This involved advising on all aspects of remuneration from executive pay to trade union negotiations, as well as working on post-deal integration following acquisitions into the company and due diligence on disposals.
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