Sebastian Hartmann

Next Generation Management for Professional Services

Category: Professional Services Markets

Taking the Pulse of Legal CIOs: What are their Top Technology Priorities for 2023?
April 3, 2023

Taking the Pulse of Legal CIOs: What are their Top Technology Priorities for 2023?

2023 is already proving to be a pivotal year for law firms. Continued headwinds from economic volatility and geopolitical uncertainty are macro forces that firms have faced before. But now, with the rapid acceleration of emerging technologies and a workforce forever changed by the pandemic, opportunities to gain a competitive edge are both more abundant and more complex. Leading the charge are legal CIOs who are helping their firms understand and embrace technologies to drive better insights, support more data-informed decision making, enable modern collaboration, and provide better service to clients.

Spinning towards a New Reality for Professional Services
August 4, 2020

Spinning towards a New Reality for Professional Services

Something stirs underneath the surface of professional services. Last year, KPMG surveyed hundreds of leaders and managers across professional services firms globally on their use of technology and the signs for change. A significant 48% reported they expected major or radical change across their business and offered services within the next three years. A percentage that is incredibly telling for an industry with high growth and profitability, yet very little change to its traditional business model over previous decades. So, what is driving the change?

The Invisible Threat to “Traditional”​ Law Firms, Consultants and other Professional Services Firms
April 28, 2020

The Invisible Threat to “Traditional”​ Law Firms, Consultants and other Professional Services Firms

Is the next generation of competitors even visible to a traditional lawfirms or the providers of consulting, tax or accounting services?

Many established players seem to have a hard time recognizing the underlying shifts in the market, which can be observed upon closer inspection of demand and spend patterns of professional services‘ clients. Or in other words: They are invisible – unless firms truly listen to clients, tune into the technological change and embrace the emerging digital future and opportunities across the professions and beyond.

The COVID-19 aftermath for Professional Services: Three Hypotheses
March 16, 2020

The COVID-19 aftermath for Professional Services: Three Hypotheses

As the world is bracing itself for the impact of #COVID19 on our nations, economies, companies as well as individuals and societies, #professionalservices firms (#legal, #consulting, #accounting) are both positively and negatively impacted at once.
While it is clearly necessary to deal with the serious short-term implications of this terrifying situation, it may also be strategically important to think through the mid- to long-term implications for professional services in general and individual firms in particular.
So, here are three first hypotheses regarding the #Corona aftermath:

Recession Resilience Triangle for Professional Service Firms
December 11, 2019

Recession Resilience Triangle for Professional Service Firms

With the shorter and darker days of winter approaching, many indicators across industries, geographies and economies reflect growing uncertainty – and the threat of an economic downturn or even recession. So, we have asked ourselves: How will Professional Services as an industry be impacted and respond? Which Legal, Consulting, Accounting or Technology Services firms will suffer or decline … and which firms will thrive? Download our thinking right here:

Playing the Recession: Three Key Survival Moves for Professional Services
October 31, 2019

Playing the Recession: Three Key Survival Moves for Professional Services

Is your firm prepared for an economic downturn?

ProfessionalServices have largely flourished since the 2008/2009 recession. But how well Professional Services Firms will be able to continue to “score”, will depend on the degree of resilience within their revenue structures and their ability to grow and occupy new market space amidst an unfolding economic downturn.

Economic Downturn: The Catalyst for Disruptive Change in Professional Services?
October 15, 2019

Economic Downturn: The Catalyst for Disruptive Change in Professional Services?

The signs for a major economic downturn are clearly starting to show across several industries – and in professional services. Structural short-falls that have so far been covered by a thriving economy are now being revealed. This recession may hence become the catalyst of the long foreseen true “disruption” to lawyers, consultants, accountants and tax advisors.