Leaders with Ambition

At the forefront of legal marketing innovation, our guest on this episode of Leaders With Ambition has harnessed the power of creativity, diversity and curiosity at every turn.

​It’s all about the value-add for our guest on this episode of Leaders With Ambition. Andy Cowie, a Partner at James Cowper Kreston, exemplifies the fact that you don’t have to have a lofty credential to rise to the top in professional services. What you do need? Energy, innovative ideas, a collaborative spirit and flexibility. Having a massive network doesn’t hurt, either!

Our guest on this episode of Leaders With Ambition exemplifies what it means to carve out a career niche that dovetails perfectly with professional interests, goals, and talents.

Adrian Hyde, a Partner at Begbies Traynor Group, explains how he came to specialise as a Licensed Insolvency Practitioner and pioneer a whole new type of business advisory services.

He shares with host Nicky Acuna Ocana his journey from growing up the son of a trade union organiser in the East Midlands region to 16 years as a Solicitor in private practice to evolving an enormously successful international (and entrepreneurial) business and crime asset recovery practice.

You’ll learn about the roots of CVR Global, its geographic footprint, expansion, and eventual happy acquisition by Begbies.

Adrian also highlights the ongoing role of mentorship as well as the reasons for his commitment to Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI).

“You progress through your networking but you also progress by actually having the spark within you that gives you the confidence to go and do the networking,” says our guest. Find out what obstacles currently pose the biggest challenges for business and legal services and get an inside look at the fascinating landscape that shapes the work of Insolvency Practitioners day to da.

Key Takeaways:

Starting out: The diverse young life experience in the East Midlands as the son of a trade union organiser introduced Adrian’s worldview heading into university and beyond.

Jumpstart: What sparked Adrian’s early, ardent interest in the legal space (Hint: A TV drama.)

Competitive edge: How his temperament makes Adrian particularly well suited to his specialty.

Key direction: Why mentorship proved essential to Adrian’s professional development and along the way to his two main career goals: to be a Partner at a London-based firm.

Gathering focus: How Adrian grasped the opportunity to deepen his expertise and role as a credible Insolvency Practitioner (including navigating rigorous licensing exams).

Fostering equity: About the evolution and acquisition of the business recovery team that ultimately became CVR Global – the dawn of a new type of business advisory service.

Dramatic growth: What fuelled CVR Global’s growth, including staffing up from 30 to 100 and expanding the geographic footprint.

Winning combination;How the negotiation process that resulted in the terms of Begbie’s acquisition of CVR Global contributed to a surprisingly seamless transition.

Paying it forward: About Adrian’s service as president of the Insolvency Practitioners Association as a form of giving back, adding to the profession, and helping shape regulation.

Hybrid challenges: What it looks like to balance learning and development with workplace flexibility, including innovative approaches to improve recruitment.

Building confidence: About the benefits of experience accrued through apprenticeships and an immersive approach to learning on the job.Equity, Diversity & Inclusion.

02:09 Adrian's Career Journey

08:03 From Law to Insolvency

14:16 The Desire for Partnership

19:53 The Importance of Mentorship

23:09 Determination and Focus

28:26 Creating Something Special

32:02 The Decision to Sell CVR Global

32:46 Introduction and Overview of Adrian Hyde's Experience

38:47 The Importance of Clear Communication and Avoiding Assumptions

51:46 Adapting to Increased Regulation and the Potential Impact of AI

57:02 Promoting Talent Development and Social Mobility through Apprenticeships

01:00:54 The Power of Never Assuming Anything

Alessandra Almeida Jones explains on this episode of Leaders With Ambition that she began tapping into her bedrock confidence only after she committed to being authentic and admitting limitations (which we all have, of course).

As Global Chief Marketing Officer for Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP, our guest brings the culmination of her varied life experience to building both the firm’s brand and a vibrant, inclusive workplace culture.

​We’re highlighting the power of resiliency – and flexibility – when Claire Cavanagh, Head of Talent Acquisition at Bird & Bird, unpacks her fascinating career trajectory on this episode of Leaders With Ambition.

She shares with Host Nicky Acuna Ocana the critical role that openness has played in driving her professional services career steadily upward, even amidst the zig-zag of life challenges such as divorce and a pandemic.

A big part of Claire’s ability to recruit top legal talent and promote retention through healthy workplace cultures lies in her lived experience and empathy. She has learned through a variety of roles and in differing work environments that the best leaders are generous with compliments and positive reinforcement.

“Our careers are not in vacuums. We are amongst colleagues all the time and need to feed off each other,” says our guest. “We should be encouraging each other to really be the best we can be.”

That ethos extends to Claire’s passion for sponsorship, enabling the long-term success of women and people of colour as they climb through executive ranks.

A deeply felt commitment to growth and development, inclusion and equity, are at the heart of a robust network that Claire has cultivated since the outset of her career.

Even when confronted with life’s inevitable setbacks, this top legal recruitment expert has stayed true to a defining authenticity that has deepened her, both professionally and personally.

You won’t want to miss words of wisdom from a woman who is all about thoughtful leadership – and paying it forward!

On this episode of Leaders With Ambition we welcome Becky Lowe, UK & International Head of Talent Acquisition for the global law firm CMS.

She was born into a family that emphasised hard work and resiliency, but open-mindedness is the secret sauce that has turbocharged her human resources career.

Becky has held a variety of HR roles in the manufacturing and professional services sectors, including a stint overseeing a staff of 800 at a Big 4 accounting firm.

As she explains to Host Nicky Acuna Ocana;

“I’m not afraid to stretch people and take them out of their comfort zone because that’s the kind of support I’ve had and that’s what has enabled me to grow.”

Not only does Becky make it a practice always to raise her hand, she also brings authenticity, candour and transparency to everything she does.

The goal? This leader is always looking for ways to add value – by enabling transparency, advocating for equity and inclusion, honouring the needs of team members and fostering optimal conditions in the workplace and at home.

Learn about the leadership lessons that have shaped Becky’s successful career – from training intensively as an executive coach to learning how to parent a neurodiverse son to embracing the art of listening as a tool for professional development.

According to Becky, it’s all about being brave and embracing failures as a gateway to growth – for ourselves and in mentoring others!

If you enjoyed this discussion, please click here to find previous episodes of Leaders with Ambition.

​What does success look like at the highest level of corporate marketing?

Nicky Acuna Ocana’s guest on this episode of Leaders With Ambition is Jon Brewer, Chief Marketing Officer at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe.

He exemplifies what it is to lead Marketing and Business Development professionals through hard work, innovation and perpetual curiosity.

You’ll learn how competitive gymnastics shaped Jon’s character, building resilience and focus.

He shares why promoting career advancement, tapping the wisdom and support of peers, communicating clearly across channels and staying ahead of transformational new technologies have been cornerstones for an award-winning career.

Find out how this dynamic leader stays fully engaged with Orrick’s globally distributed teams, what keeps him up at night and why legal marketing as a whole benefits when strategic marketing leaders share best practices for swiftly changing times.

“I’ve been a CMO for five years and in professional services for 35,” says our perennially curious guest.

“I’m still learning – and if anybody doesn’t think they’re still learning, they probably aren’t doing it right!”

Samantha Keen, Partner, EY UKI Strategy and Transactions.

​The true mark of leadership is an ability to make well-informed, sometimes difficult choices. By that measure, our guest on this episode of Leaders With Ambition has undeniably demonstrated strength again and again throughout her career.

Samantha Keen couldn’t have made Partner at a Big Four accounting firm (while also raising two children) without very intentionally cultivating clarity, both professional and personal. She shares with host Nicky Acuna Ocana her journey to leading EY-Parthenon’s UKI Strategy and Transactions team, including bumps and revelations along the way.

You’ll learn about how it feels to be among the only women in a boardroom as well as why the areas of corporate insolvency and restructuring have made such a great fit for Samantha, her skill set and personality.

She also touts the importance of networking (early and often!) as well as staying authentic (to yourself and others) throughout the whole career trajectory. Find out about some of the big challenges impacting global corporate transactions and which have been some of Samantha’s most treasured career highlights, along with words of wisdom you won’t want to miss.

“It’s a question of understanding what you want and then articulating it – because nobody’s going to articulate it for you!”, says our guest, a long-time champion of women and inclusive workplaces. Wise words indeed from Samantha!

If you enjoyed this discussion, please click here to find previous episodes of Leaders with Ambition.

As a Black woman breaking new ground in the area of Legal Project Management, Blandine brings to bear not only her law degree but also an unshakeable ability to demonstrate strength and advocate for herself as well as others.

During this insightful conversation, Blandine highlights the benefits of maintaining purpose through self-awareness, networking, and bravery.

You’ll also learn how authenticity, self-confidence, and openness to mentoring have formed the cornerstones of an extraordinary career – one that has taken Blandine from helping to manage the legal and financial fall-out after Lehman Brothers’ dissolution to establishing the critical ROI that business services have to offer law firms.

And all along the way, wherever she has worked, Blandine has contributed to building healthier, more diverse cultures, most recently at DLA Piper and Norton Rose Fulbright.

“What drives me is bringing order to chaos and solutions to people’s problems,” explains Blandine, who exemplifies what it means to identify a core skill set, passion, and purpose - then wield them in transformational ways!

You'll also hear Blandine's take on the current challenges facing law firms as well as her advice on strategies for young people looking to build a dynamic, fulfilling career in professional services.

If you enjoyed this discussion, please click here to find previous episodes of Leaders with Ambition.