Leaders with Ambition

In this episode of Leaders with Ambition, host Nicky Acuna Ocana sits down with Kelly MacKinnon, Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer at Gibson Dunn.

Kelly shares her remarkable journey from Olympic hockey hopeful to leading marketing and business development at one of the world’s top law firms.

She discusses the lessons learned from elite sport, the importance of intentional career moves, and how she’s built a reputation for positivity, authenticity, and team leadership in the legal sector

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Kelly McKinnon's Journey

02:28 From Sports to Marketing: Kelly's Unique Path

09:15 Finding Home in Legal Marketing

11:37 Transitioning from Management to Leadership

18:15 The Importance of Networking and Mentorship

21:39 Investing in Yourself: The Role of Coaching

24:20 Building a Strong Team

26:51 Coping with Burnout and Imposter Syndrome

31:09 Personal Qualities for Success35:09 Encouraging Continuous Learning

36:43 Lessons from the Big Four

40:42 Current Challenges in Law Firms

44:38 Words of Wisdom for Success

In this episode of the Leaders with Ambition podcast, host Nicky Acuna Ocana interviews Jules Stott, a seasoned marketing and business development professional. Jules shares her journey from a working-class background in Wales to becoming a partner at AlixPartners.

The conversation explores themes of resilience, career pivots, the importance of networking, and the evolution of leadership. Jules emphasises the significance of mentorship, setting goals, and the challenges faced in the current business landscape, including the impact of AI.

She concludes with words of wisdom for those starting their careers, encouraging them to focus on their own paths and not compare themselves to others.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Jules Stott's Journey

01:55 Early Life and Resilience

04:22 Career Beginnings and Marketing Transition

07:27 Growth in Marketing and Business Acumen

10:01 Pivoting into Legal Marketing

13:27 Navigating the Law Firm Landscape

15:36 Consultancy and Career Reflections

17:47 Setting Goals and Achieving Success

20:05 Building Networks and Relationships

24:12 The Importance of Mentorship and Sponsorship

28:03 Leadership Evolution and Team Dynamics

33:40 Overcoming Self-Doubt and Imposter Syndrome

39:49 Legacy and Impact in the Industry

44:56 Current Challenges and Future Opportunities

47:34 Words of Wisdom for Future Generations

In this episode of Leaders with Ambition, host Nicky Acuna Ocana sits down with Adam Grainger, Chief Operating Officer at Baker Tilly International.

Adam shares his inspiring career journey, starting out as a trainee auditor and evolving through leadership roles that have spanned continents. A defining chapter was his international secondment to the US, where he built skills and confidence that shaped the rest of his career.

From mentorship and networking to the challenges of technology and change management, Adam offers practical insights on what it takes to thrive as a leader in professional services today. He also highlights the importance of creating psychologically safe workplaces and staying open to growth and new opportunities.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Adam Grainger's Journey

01:42 Career Beginnings and Early Experiences

07:09 Defining Moments and Career Decisions

15:58 The Impact of International Experience

21:26 Transitioning Back to the UK and New Roles

26:57 Embracing Change and Learning

32:47 The Importance of In-Person Connections

35:47 Building and Investing in Networks

46:21 Challenges Facing COOs Today

48:18 Words of Wisdom for Future Leaders

In this episode of Leaders with Ambition, host Nicky Acuna Ocana sits down with Emily Rogers, Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer at Norton Rose Fulbright.

Emily shares her inspiring career journey from growing up in New York, to pivoting from chemical engineering to communication design, to leading marketing at one of the world’s most respected law firms.

Along the way, she reveals insights on leadership, team culture, personal branding, and the importance of wellness and community in professional success.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Emily Rogers

02:00 Career Path and Early Experiences

04:28 Growth and Opportunities in Marketing

05:33 The Importance of Internal Sponsors

06:44 Transitioning from Managing to Leading

07:48 Building Diverse and Effective Teams

10:01 Navigating Mergers and Change

11:15 Creative Team Engagement Strategies

13:35 Remote Work Dynamics and Flexibility

15:09 Achieving the Chief Title

16:08 Time Management and Work-Life Balance

17:53 Navigating Imposter Syndrome and Team Wellness

18:46 Commitment to Community and Employee Wellness Initiatives

22:00 The Importance of Networking in Marketing and Business Development

23:48 Building Personal Brands in the Legal Industry

26:51 Challenges Facing CMOs in Law Firms

28:49 Career Highlights and Innovative Retreats

32:29 Words of Wisdom for Future Generations

When it comes to embracing opportunities – even those that are a stretch – authenticity is Williams’ superpower, as our guest explains to Host Nicky Acuna Ocana on this episode of Leaders With Ambition.

His personal brand from the earliest days has been all about “yes” – an openness that moved him from Partner at a small law firm to a series of executive roles at the international insurer AIG and ultimately back to legal services, where today he serves as Global Head of Pricing, Legal Project Management, and Reporting at the powerhouse firm Hogan Lovells.

Terry’s sustained advancement maps directly to his commitment to keeping it real throughout the journey – even while acquiring totally new, often challenging, skill sets.Discover how this native of New England, with no ties to international law or business, built a powerful global network - and what sets his leadership style apart.

Says Terry: “If you have opportunities, take advantage of them. Take that next step up and your horizon line is a little further – a little higher – and you can see more things than you saw before.”As this dynamic executive traces his career path, you’ll uncover the key elements that propelled him from first-generation college graduate to respected mentor and global corporate success.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Terry's Journey

02:08 Early Influences and Career Aspirations

06:23 Navigating Law School and Early Career

10:28 The Importance of Mentorship

12:23 Transitioning from Law Firm to Corporate

14:58 Embracing New Opportunities

18:51 Leadership and Team Dynamics

23:33 Feedback and Psychological Safety

30:03 The Role of Networking in Career Growth

35:32 Challenges in the Legal Industry

41:19 Reflections on Career Highlights and Wisdom

In his early days at university, our guest on this episode of Leaders With Ambition believed that accounting was all about maths.

But what Matt Meadows quickly came to learn is that in fact accounting is equally about communication.

By expanding his scope of understanding and commitment to client engagement Matt paved the way to a highly successful long-term career at Moore Kingston Smith, where today he is managing partner.

His interest never waned over 28 years because opportunities to stretch just kept coming.“We wanted to be a corporate finance boutique and that’s what we created,” says our guest, “and it certainly enabled me to constantly be learning new skills and meeting new clients.”

Find out how Matt’s leadership style combines his broad audit and corporate finance expertise with a very human-centric focus on networking and family life.

Moore Kingston Smith places special emphasis on providing in-house mentoring as well as a clear path forward for aspiring team members with a desire to grow and advance their careers.

It’s a workplace culture adapting to new technologies, taking on challenges within the professional services sector and retaining top talent.

Find out how and why!

Chapters 00:00

Introduction to Matt Meadows' Journey 01:53

Navigating Early Career Decisions 07:05

Transitioning into Corporate Finance 12:30

The Path to Partnership 19:30

Managing Partner Responsibilities and Leadership 23:09 Adapting to Change and Growth in the Firm 23:27 Navigating Partnership Changes 26:52

Growth and Integration Challenges 29:06

The Importance of Continuous Learning 31:52

Mentoring and Coaching in Career Development 35:39 Networking and Building Relationships 40:01

Challenges Facing Managing Partners 43:45

Leveraging Technology for Client Interaction 44.45

Vanessa Torres “got it” early on. She understood that the business of law is all about providing tools to enhance the practice of law. As Chief Marketing & Business Development Officer at Lowenstein Sandler, our guest on this episode of Leaders With Ambition defines how smart marketing and sales engagement deliver results for law firms and their clients alike.

Vanessa also shares with Host Nicky Acuna Ocana reflections on having a strong, supportive Puerto Rican mom and an upbringing in predominantly white Indiana that prepared her well for a career in corporate spaces.

Learn how an authentic, collaborative approach is central to the way Vanessa and her team engage with each other and how it benefits the lawyers and clients they serve.

“I try to foster open dialogue with everyone I work with – not just my direct reports but everyone on my team and across the firm,” she says, “because people should be able to use their voice, be vulnerable and say they need help.”

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Vanessa Torres

01:39 Vanessa's Journey to New York City

04:16 Transitioning from Law to Marketing

12:07 The Importance of Mentorship and Networking

17:32 Understanding the Business of Law

19:57 Exploring Professional Services at BDO

22:47 Innovative Marketing Strategies in Law Firms

25:30 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

28:06 Career Path and Growth in Marketing

30:45 Navigating Career Transitions

34:00 Leadership and Team Dynamics

36:42 Building Authentic Relationships

40:14 Paying It Forward: Mentorship and Growth

42:16 Challenges Facing CMOs in Law Firms

45:21 Words of Wisdom for Future Generations

Stephanie believes bringing our true selves to work is the only way to go. Why? Find out on this episode of Leaders With Ambition, which highlights her highly successful professional corporate journey and key lessons learned along the way.

Host Nicky Acuna Ocana invites Stephanie to share how she found her footing as an Insolvency Professional and why she prioritises psychological safety, for herself as well as her teams

.Stephanie reflects on her leadership style, a series of pivotal mentors and an ongoing commitment to learning amidst changing industry standards and demands.

Learn how Stephanie promotes employee satisfaction (as well as retention) within a high-stress environment along with what’s on the horizon for the insolvency & restructuring sector as a whole.

Above all, advises our guest: “Be your authentic self because you’re not going to do yourself any favours in the long run trying to fit into something that doesn’t feel right.”

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Stephanie Larrivee

01:52 Early Career and Choices

04:20 Growing Up in New Zealand

06:36 Transitioning into Restructuring

09:20 Experience in Tax and Recovery Enforcement

11:43 Moving to London and Adapting

14:40 Becoming an Appointment Taker

17:34 Current Role and Future Aspirations

18:38 Mentoring and Sponsorship in the Industry

21:16 Embracing Authenticity in Professional Growth

22:42 Fostering Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace

24:22 Building a Positive Team Culture

25:50 The Importance of Networking and Relationship Building

28:02 Navigating Industry Challenges and Changes

32:40 Continuous Learning and Professional Development

35:57 Leadership Development and Mentorship

39:26 Words of Wisdom for Future Generations

​Our guest on this episode of Leaders With Ambition has made his name by deploying data-driven business development strategies within the evolving realm of professional services.Matt Dixon, co-founder of DCM Insights, shares with host Nicky Acuna Ocana the leading-edge, frameworks revolutionising BD practices within firm cultures that can tend to be resistant.“Partners don’t really like (sales) and find it unseemly,” says Matt, “but the market is very competitive and you are likely to lose out to another partner or firm out there fighting for opportunities.”

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Matt Dixon and DCM Insights

01:54 Matt's Career Journey and Transition to Research

07:59 The Rise of the Activator Program

11:51 Changing Client Loyalty in Professional Services

15:41 The Impact of AI on Professional Services

19:45 The Importance of Continuous Learning and Mentorship

24:04 Transitioning from Management to Leadership

29:19 The Journey of Writing and Publishing Books

30:06 The Power of Research and Publishing

33:03 The Importance of Adding Value

35:38 Transforming Professional Services with Activator

39:44 Authenticity in Client Relationships

43:18 The Rise of Activator in Law Firms

47:15 Memorable Moments in Research and Business Building

49:16 Staying Motivated and Inspired

52:55 Future Directions for DCM Insights

56:57 Words of Wisdom for the Future

It’s no surprise that our guest on this episode of Leaders With Ambition has thrived as an executive coach. Steve Rowan brings a truly unique mix of professional bona fides, personal learnings and spot-on intuition.

A highly successful former Chief Financial Officer, Steve shares with Host Nicky Acuna Ocana his journey through a broad range of professional services jobs, including high-stakes stints helping legal firms manage fast-paced mergers as well as reorganization and expansion.

You’ll find out why this seasoned mentor, a Senior Advisor at LHH’s International Centre for Executive Options (ICEO), believes that the healthiest workplace cultures provide the heftiest bottom line results – not to mention sustained employee satisfaction and retention.

Steve also lets us in on why Impostor Syndrome isn’t all bad and how intentional work-life choices equate to long-term career success.

“I think the world of work now is way harder and less forgiving than when I started,” says our guest. “It's really important now for people to be pretty focused on their career and goals as early as possible.” Don’t miss a rare window into this expert’s recommended strategic first steps!