Shortlisted - Conversations on building professional services firms

In this episode of Shortlisted , we sit down with Joel Barolsky , one of Australia’s leading advisors to professional services firms, to unpack the massive strategic shifts reshaping the market. Joel explains why so many firms are operating defensively, how AI is creating both fog and opportunity, and why fast‑growing challenger firms are disrupting the traditional hierarchy. He breaks down the we...

In this episode of Shortlisted, we sit down with William Peake, Global Managing Partner of Harneys, to explore what it really means to lead out loud. William shares how bad management shaped his leadership style, why emotional intelligence will outpace technical brilliance in the age of AI, and what the service sector can teach lawyers about communication and managing expectations. He explains how...

In this episode of Shortlisted, we revisit a recent webinar exploring how AI is moving from experimentation to real, defined roles within Marketing and BD teams in Professional Services. The discussion looks at what this shift means in practice and how firms can prepare for the next wave of intelligent tools that will reshape the way work gets done. We welcome back Founder Lee Curtis, who joins us...

In this episode of Shortlisted, Dr Heidi Gardner and David Harvey explore how professional services firms can use collaboration and sector strategy to drive real growth. Drawing on their research and hands-on experience, they reveal what makes a sector-led approach succeed and how firms can avoid turning it into a branding exercise. They unpack the cultural shifts that enable smart collaboration,...

AI is moving beyond experimentation in Professional Services and is now beginning to take up real, defined roles within Marketing & BD teams. In this on-demand webinar, we explore what that shift means in practice, and how firms can prepare for the next wave of intelligent tools. In a world first, the session introduces Leonard , the first Legal AI Agent designed specifically for Marketing &am...

In this episode of Shortlisted , BD coach James Bacon shares his insights on how coaching can positively drive business growth and elevate personal and group BD strategies. He shares tools and tips for delivering high-impact coaching sessions. Together, they unpack how to build trust with seasoned professionals, the frameworks that drive meaningful coaching, and how to turn data, technology, and A...

In this episode, Emma Zadow—Non-Executive Director at WT Partnership, Morrison Low Holdings, and Barnardos Australia, and Chair at Law Partners Personal Injury and Nexia Sydney—shares how boards can fuel firm growth and how leaders can better engage them. With two decades in professional services, from leading BD at Corrs Chambers Westgarth to scaling and exiting The Fold Legal as CEO, Emma delive...

In this episode, we sit down with Abdul Malik Anwar Deen , Managing Director of CT Group Singapore , to explore what it truly means to lead business development from the front. Malik has been instrumental in launching and growing CT Group’s presence across Southeast Asia , bringing together strategic foresight, entrepreneurial drive, and deep regional expertise. His professional journey is a uniqu...

In this episode, Graham Seldon & Katie Rosser speak with Lee Curtis, a legal BD and sales expert turned tech entrepreneur, who is transforming how marketing and business development (BD) teams operate using AI. Lee shares his journey of co-founding Legal Engine , an AI-powered platform designed specifically for the legal industry. We dive into the creation of Leonard , their first AI team memb...