In this episode, we’ll be discussing the nerve racking, unpredictable and exciting world of event management.

Since lockdown, most people’s views of being at in-person events, meeting other people and gaining knowledge has changed to some degree.

Therefore, we consider questions including:

• What event strategies are proving successful in the post-COVID world?
• Which events are most impactful – ‘own brand’ or sponsorship?
• How is ESG influencing event management and how should we be responding?
• How can we best capture the RoI on events?; and
• What’s the future for events?

To help me discuss these topics, I am joined by Karen Sumner and Alice Detre who share their personal perspectives.

Karen has over 23 years’ experience of managing global events and events teams across a variety of different industries. She started her events career with an agency and then moved to in house roles in finance, law, hedge funds, private equity, crypto and is currently an Associate Director in the Global Strategic Events and Experiences team at EY.

Alice has worked in events in professional services since 2003. Previous firms include law firms Taylor Wessing, Simmons & Simmons and RPC and is currently Head of Events and Sponsorship at EY.

James Stringer is a former BD Director and now trainer, consultant and coach on business development and bids.

In this episode, we discuss alumni programmes.

Are these just feel good and self-serving exercises to make professional services management teams feel that they are staying in touch with people who they no longer employ, or are they actually a two-way street where those who take part get benefits as well?

We consider questions including:

• What is the purpose of an alumni programme?
• Is there any evidence that they have created a return on investment for the firm?
• Can any firm start an alumni programme or are there factors that make them more successful for some firms than others?
• If you want to start a programme, where should you start; and
• What is the future of alumni programmes?

I am joined by Wendy Goodridge and Richard Morrogh.

Wendy has 16 years of experience building alumni communities. She has established and led successful alumni programmes at several prestigious institutions including at Grant Thornton and is now the Global Head of Alumni Relations at international law firm Mayer Brown.

Richard was a former Managing Director in Citibank’s Corporate and Investment Bank and Alumni Director responsible for successfully building its EMEA alumni program, at the personal request of CEO post-2012. He is also a graduate of Cambridge University onto whose Alumni Advisory Board he was also appointed in October 2023.

James Stringer is a former BD Director and now trainer, consultant and coach on business development and bids.

While all professional service firms are seeking growth, having worked in big law and the Big Four, I recognise that different firm’s attitudes to sales vary from enthusiasm to seeing it as a dirty word.

Therefore, we will be considering questions including:

• Why does the idea of selling provoke such mixed reactions still?
• Can firms use sales professionals successfully either to augment or instead of the traditional partner model of revenue generation?
• If a firm wants to increase its sales effectiveness, where should it start?
• What will the role of BD be in relation to sales in the future?
• How successful have firms been in productising their services?

To help me discuss these topics, I am joined by John Timperley and Lee Curtis.

John Timperley is Managing Director of The Results Consultancy, based in London, which helps partners and senior professionals to win high value work through hands on coaching on live opportunities, as well as running sales training programmes internationally. John is author of three books on business development in the professions.

Lee Curtis is Managing Director of LINAR Consulting. Having worked in business development and sales roles across three continents within law firms for over 20 years, Lee feels confident he can unlock the hidden sales talents that lie within.

James Stringer is a former BD Director and now trainer, consultant and coach on business development and bids.