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 and Networking Breakfast
09:00 – 09:10
Theme:
External investment is reshaping the professional services landscape. Leadership teams must assess whether their firms can remain competitive without external capital to fund innovation, technology, and expansion.
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 (Stifel); and Richard Mayers (MML)
In conversation with: Julia Hayhoe (NED for PE-backed law firm)
10:30 – 11.00
Networking break
11.00 – 11:40
Agenda: Building readiness across the firm for external investment and transformation.
Panellists: Darren Bear (Grant Thornton); Gordon Stark (Murgatroyd); Sophie Wardell (Higgs) and Ruxandra Radulescu (Within International)
In conversation with: Sir Nigel Knowles (DWF)
11:40 – 12:20
Agenda: Effective strategies for growth through acquisition and strategic recruitment.
Panellists: Neil Lloyd (Adeptio); John Munday (Colliers); and Peter Gallanagh (Azets)
In conversation with: Neville Eisenberg
12:20 – 13:00
Agenda: Systems and governance enabling managers to deliver sustainable value for internal and external stakeholders.
Panellists: Rod Harrington (Norton Rose); Julie Berry (Saffery) and John Rockel (Knight Frank)
In conversation with: Sonam Verma (Barclays)
13:00 – 14:00
Networking Lunch
14:00 – 14:05
Theme:
Business development (BD) drives long-term value through new opportunities, strategic relationships, and market expansion. Confidence, collaboration, and structured sales pipelines underpin success.