Celebrate sector excellence and channel the power of professional services to boost UK Growth
Professional Services Growth Conference 2026
Programme
08:00 – 09:00
Registration + light breakfast
09:00 – 09:10
Chairman’s introduction to AM session on external investment in professional services firms
AM chair: Sir Nigel Knowles (DWF)
09:10 – 09:50
Keynote: The barbarians are already inside – and doing quite well
Jeff Zindani (Acquira Professional Services)
09:50 – 10:30
Agenda: Meet the players: Fundraising; investment criteria; adding value; governance; and exit
Panellists: Tom Green (Inflexion); Gareth Hunt (KBW-Stifel); and Richard Mayers (MML)
In conversation with: Julia Hayhoe(Chair, Rouse; NED, Lockton & Knight Frank)
10:30 – 11.00
Networking break
11.00 – 11:40
Preparing a firm for external investment
Panellists: Gordon Stark (Murgatroyd); Pauline Caldwell (Momentum Business Consulting) and Ruxandra Radulescu (Within International)
In conversation with: Sir Nigel Knowles (DWF)
11:40 – 12:20
Acquiring firms, teams and individual talent
Panellists: Neil Lloyd (Adeptio); John Munday (Colliers); and Peter Gallanagh (Azets)
In conversation with: Neville Eisenberg
12:20 – 13:00
Systems and authority needed by professional managers
Panellists:Rod Harrington (Norton Rose); Julie Berry (Saffery) and John Rockel (Knight Frank)
In conversation with: Sonam Verma (Barclays)
13:00 – 13:10
Ceremony for the 2026 Growth Champions
13:10 – 14:00
Networking Lunch
14:00 – 14:05
Chairman’s introduction to PM session on business development
PM Chair: Julia Hayhoe(Chair, Rouse; NED, Lockton & Knight Frank)
14:05 – 14:45
Keynote – Boosting the confidence and client handling skills of frontline advisors in an era of WFH and Zoom calls
Professor Nigel Spencer (Queen Mary University of London)
14:45 – 15:25
Origination, pipeline management and training in commerciality as key contributors to a collective BD culture
Panellists: Lee Curtis (Linar Consulting); Nick Condon (Squiz); and Francesca Ayers (Get Serious) In conversation with: Ben Kent (Meridian West)
15:25 – 15:40
Networking break
15:40 – 16:20
Enhanced relationships and referrals between frontline advisors and internal experts as key drivers of profitability
Panellists: Rachel Holmes (Matrix Chambers) and Carole O’Neil (Cundall) In conversation with: Richard Chaplin (Managing Partners’ Forum)
16:20 – 16:30
Closing remarks from the co-chairs
Co-chairs: Julia Hayhoe and Sir Nigel Knowles
16:30 – 18:00
Refreshments + Networking
18:00
Close
Interested in exploring what the Conference has to offer? Visit our Conference page to learn more and contact us about this exclusive, invitation-only event.
