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North America
Professional services may be the largest business sector in North America but it does not speak with a single voice. In addition, leaders of firms of all sizes (whether one-office, local, regional or national) do not always have the tools or time to advance productivity, adopt innovation, enhance collaboration, or provide greater value to their clients – basically to re-tune their firms for a profitable future.
A valuable partner
The Managing Partners’ Forum can be a valuable partner. Our purpose is to support the growth, productivity and prosperity of professional services – eg. legal, accountancy, consultancy, engineering, real estate advisory etc. The firms that currently belong to the Forum bring together tens of thousands of professionals worldwide.
An exclusive international community
Reap the substantial benefits of belonging to an exclusive international community of peers. The Forum is just for leaders of professional firms - Managing Partners/CEOs and Senior Partners/Chairs. In addition to creating connectivity and value with each other, we help our members be the best they can at improving their firms, with the ripple effect of doing the same for their clients.
An influential independent voice
The Forum constantly promotes the vital contribution of the sector to the economy, local communities and public life. We act as an independent voice on behalf of the sector to professional associations, government regulatory bodies and other influential key audiences that have an impact on the sector. Current campaigns and projects include:
- A UK Government-funded project involving four business schools to research the extent that collaborative design could help firms adopt artificial intelligence.
Tailored services for local members
The Forum provides connectivity to gain perspective on common issues and priorities through multiple routes, all tailored to member needs based on feedback. Current services in North America include:
- Leader Roundtables: Bi-monthly virtual meetings with interesting presenters to explore important aspects of strategic leadership, under the moderation of Patrick McKenna and Larry Stroud. Benefits include: greater clarity over priorities; new capabilities and skills; knowledge, insights and practical tips; and new contacts and relationships:
- Restricted to 20 members. No substitutes.
- A guest presenter is invited to brief on their topic of expertise followed by an open discussion conducted under the Chatham House Rule (*).
- All participants receive a free copy when a presenter has recently written a book or paper on the topic.
- Peer Groups: The same eight to nine members meeting every six weeks to explore issues ‘in the moment’. Peer Groups may also be formed for the Chiefs of Talent, Technology, Knowledge, Innovation, Client Service, Business Development and Marketing at firms with a current member.
- Excellence Awards: The Forum, with its knowledge partners Harvard Business Review and the Financial Times, has organised annual Awards for management excellence since 2002. The Awards help clients select advisers, and also shine a spotlight on the vital contribution made by management experts to the strategy and smooth operation of their firms. Over 200 professional firms located worldwide have entered to date, many on multiple occasions. Winners include all the Big 4 and other global accountancy firms as well as North American law firms, such as Dentons, DLA Piper, Clark Hill, Mayer Brown, Reed Smith and McCarthy Tétrault. A virtual ceremony will be held in the early Summer of 2021.
- Knowledge tools: Management Library, Workout
- Summits: Meet international members at regular half-day online summits, covering leadership, strategy, productivity and technology.
Events
Re-tuning your firm
Re-tuning your firm
Episode 49 of the popular weekly show welcomes regular Francesca Lagerberg and three guests: Steve Ingham on developing an inclusive winning mindset; Stephen Denyer on why and how leaders should defend the rule of law; and Barry Gamble on the value of a non-executive director. Richard Chaplin is your host.
Succession in professional services firms – challenges of implementing during a pandemic
North America
Join us on this webinar to hear a free-flow discussion on the disruption and challenges of new leadership selection and the realities faced by a new leader including, e.g.
- Rarely is there sufficient time for the process
- No defined methodology – many are lost on how to approach the process since it’s been a decade since the last leader selection (The average firm leader is 52-yrs old; had a 4-year term, when they are just getting the hang of it and so go forward with another 4 years, where they have now lost a good portion of their client base – they are now 60-yrs old so opt for a third 4 year term – so have served 12+ years)
- No formal job description for the new leader – maybe a vague couple of paragraphs in the partnership agreement
- Most firm leaders have next to no training – no amount of time on boards or practice heads prepares them for matters they are expected to deal with as the new firm leader
- New leadership successions result in C-Suite turnover. Many support professionals (e.g. COO, CMO etc.) are rattled by a new person taking up reins and shift their loyalties
There are many ways to describe the work of management, but little is known about the impact of the virtual environment on managerial behaviour – how those in line-management positions think and act, how they get things done, and how they get the best out of the people working for them. The roundtable is an opportunity for leaders in finance & operations to share their managerial insights and experiences pre and during Covid to help identify lessons for managing in a hybrid world
There are many ways to describe the work of management, but little is known about the impact of the virtual environment on managerial behaviour – how those in line-management positions think and act, how they get things done, and how they get the best out of the people working for them. The roundtable is an opportunity for leaders in strategy and marketing to share their managerial insights and experiences pre and during Covid to help identify lessons for managing in a hybrid world.
The Summmit consists of six moderated panel sessions intersperced with informal Remo networking. The first five sessions review the past year and explore post-Covid trends and priorities in one of five areas: people, technology, leadership, clients and strategy. The final session consists of reflections on the Summit. We welcome 25 of the panellists in the first year of the popular weekly show whose five-minute slots attracted the most views.
Executive Director, North America
Larry Stroud
+1 416 728 7409
Annual dues
Dues of US$1,500 | CAD$1,750 (+ registration fee of $200) cover free attendance at all Roundtables and Summits and unlimited free access to knowledge tools. Dues are pro-rated in Year 1 to allow a common renewal date (July 1). Participation in Peer Groups involves a US$2,250 | CAD $2,850 premium (also pro-rated in year 1).
(*) The Chatham House Rule
The Rule originated at Chatham House (The Royal Institute of International Affairs in London) with the aim of encouraging openness of discussion and facilitating the sharing of information. It is now used throughout the world as an aid to free discussion of sensitive issues. It provides a way for speakers to openly discuss their views in private while allowing the topic and nature of the debate to be made public and contribute to a broader conversation.
The Rule reads as follows: “When a meeting, or part thereof, is held under the Rule, participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed.”