Shortlisted - Conversations on building professional services firms

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 from London to introduce a world first: Leonard, the first Legal AI Agent built specifically for Marketing and BD in law firms and Professional Services. Designed to sit confidently within organisational structures, Leonard is created to take on genuine responsibilities, work to KPIs, and contribute directly to ROI.In the webinar, Lee walks us through Leonard’s capabilities and demonstrates how AI Agents will influence the shape and design of in-house teams. Together, we explore practical use cases, emerging opportunities, and the strategic considerations leaders should be thinking about now, from role design to change readiness.If you enjoyed this episode, then you might be interested in listening to the first episode, where Lee Curtis shares his journey of co-founding Legal Engine. Seldon Rosser is a global executive search firm specialising in placing senior leaders in Business Development, Marketing, and Communications across professional services.Credits: Music by Grand_Project from PixabayProduced by Kwame Slusher Audio

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, the practical steps BD and marketing teams can take to turn strategy into daily behaviour, and how leaders can judge whether investment in sector programs will deliver meaningful returns. Heidi and David also discuss the leadership styles, governance structures, and partner engagement required to build momentum and overcome internal resistance.Credits: Music by Grand_Project from PixabayProduced by Kwame Slusher Audio

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 & BD in Law Firms and Professional Services. Developed to sit confidently within organisational structures, Leonard is built to take on genuine responsibilities, work to KPIs, and contribute directly to ROI.Founder Lee Curtis, joining us from London, walks us through Leonard’s capabilities and demonstrates, how AI Agents will change the shape of in-house teams. The conversation covers practical use cases, emerging opportunities, and the strategic considerations firms should be thinking about now from role design to change readiness.You can watch the full discussion below, including a live demonstration of Leonard in action.

James Bacon, a BD and sales coach with experience guiding clients like Google and TikTok, shares powerful insights on driving business growth through coaching. He discusses the distinction between great sales coaches and salespeople, emphasizing the importance of unlocking others' potential. James explores building trust, keeping coaching sessions outcome-focused, and aligning intrinsic motivations to boost team engagement. He highlights how AI can enhance coaching practices and reveals the three Cs for embedding a robust BD culture within organizations.

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 delivers sharp, practical insights shaped by experience on every side of the table.Seldon Rosser is a global executive search firm specialising in placing senior leaders in Business Development, Marketing, and Communications across professional services.Credits: Music by Grand_Project from PixabayProduced by Kwame Slusher Audio

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 unique one: previously a Partner at a leading Singapore law firm (where he made history as the first non-lawyer in the country to be awarded equity partnership), Malik also held senior roles in the energy and trade sectors with both the Singapore and New Zealand governments. He currently serves on the Strategic Advisory Board of the International Fraud Group (IFG).Across our conversation, Malik shares practical and actionable insights for professional services leaders, including: How to navigate market expansion and decide when to scale, hire, or pivot. The importance of tailoring BD strategies to different markets and industries. Building credibility in new markets where your brand is not yet established. His “go-to” strategies for client relationship building stand the test of time. The blind spots professional services leaders often face in BD. Future-facing advice on what the next generation of managing partners, MDs, and CEOs will need to do differently to succeed.A must-listen for leaders looking to sharpen their business development edge and grow their presence in Asia and beyond.Seldon Rosser is a global executive search firm specialising in placing senior leaders in Business Development, Marketing, and Communications across professional services.Credits: Music by Grand_Project from PixabayProduced by Kwame Slusher Audio

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 member, capable of turning spoken insights into CRM entries, directory content, and BD assets without losing nuance or context.This episode explores the intersection of AI and professional services, and what the future holds for BD, marketing, and tech adoption across the sector.Key Topics: The evolution from legal BD to legal tech entrepreneurship How AI agents can streamline heavy BD & marketing tasks The story behind Legal Engine and its first AI team member, Leonard What this innovation means for law firms and professional servicesListen to how Lee is reshaping the way firms work with AI—without losing the human touch.Related Links:  Whitepaper - Your new colleague is a machine  Passle report - US & UK Cross-Selling & AI in Legal Marketing Survey 2025Seldon Rosser is a global executive search firm specialising in placing senior leaders in Business Development, Marketing, and Communications across professional services. Credits: Music by Grand_Project from PixabayProduced by Kwame Slusher Audio