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Last year's Elevate was a huge hit—so we're bringing it back, and this time we're making it bigger and better. If you're an operational leader within professional services, it's an event you can't afford to miss.

Our goal is to inspire operations and RM teams to keep raising the bar and demand its rightful seat at the table - come join the revolution!

When: November 18, 9am-late
Where: IET, Savoy Place, London

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Christine Robinson Strategic Advisor

What to expect

Hosted again by our Strategic Advisor, Christine Robinson, this year's event promises a day packed with inspiring speakers, engaging content, and exciting networking opportunities. We’ll be revealing our speakers and full agenda soon—but keep reading for a sneak peek into some of the themes we'll be exploring throughout the day.

Game-changing ideas and fresh perspectives

What you'll learn:

  • Using data to make smarter decisions that drive real business impact

  • Transforming resource management with AI

  • How private equity is reshaping professional services

  • Elevating resource management from a tactical function to a strategic powerhouse

  • Building fulfilling careers: the people impact of great resource management.

In the meantime — and to get you excited — dive into our highlight reel from last year’s event and relive the energy, the ideas, and the moments that had everyone talking. Get ready for insights that will challenge your thinking and energize your approach to resource management.

The lineup so far..

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Christine Robinson

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Tom Fogarty

Tom Fogarty is a partner at Deloitte LLP.  Tom spent 8 years as the CFO and then COO of Deloitte’s Audit and Assurance division a period of significant change in which the business more than doubled in size and became a ring-fenced regulated business.  Tom was responsible for overseeing the transformation of the business through that time, which involved technology, delivery model, commercial model and resourcing model changes at scale to deliver significantly improved business performance.

Greg Hensley, RMI

Greg Hensley

Greg is a recognized leader in resource management, known for applying strategic workforce practices across healthcare and financial services industries.  He currently serves as Director for the Resource Management (RMI) Institute, where he consults, oversees technology partnerships, and instructs the Resource Management Certification Professional (RMCP®)  program.  

Prior to joining the RMI, Greg was Resource Management Director at a leading enterprise technology firm, where he developed the Resource Management Office (RMO) and built a robust delivery partner network.  A frequent speaker at industry events and webinars, Greg shares insights on resource management practices, maturity, and technology adoption.  

Kelli Waters, RSM

Kelli Waters

Kelli Waters is Managing Director at RSM US LLP. Kelli leads enterprise resource management with a focus on strategic enablement. With nearly 30 years of experience at RSM and Accenture, she has built and led international teams, driving innovation and collaboration to create best-in-class resource management and workforce planning practices across professional services.

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Charlie Ross

Charlie Ross is an accountant turned Private Equity investor. He spends almost all of his time investing in and supporting Accounting and Wealth Management firms, as well as the software that supports them. Cow Corner are longstanding investors in both the technology that is changing the market but also the accounting firms themselves, supporting three Regional Champion firms so far and more to come. His job is to help the partners sustainably grow their business while navigating all the changes to the industry. He does that by focusing on attracting and retaining the best people and investing in technology to make their lives easier.

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Leanne Wilkins

As Director of Talent Acquisition and Resource Management at MHA, I develop and lead recruitment, attraction, and resource management strategies to strengthen talent pipelines. I focus on building robust, commercially aligned resource management frameworks that enable sustainable growth, support effective workforce planning, and enhance the employee experience. My work bridges talent acquisition, employer branding, and resourcing, ensuring the right people are attracted, deployed, and retained to deliver long-term success.

Russell Girling

Russell Girling is Head of Resource Management at S&W. Russell’s journey into Resource Management is anything but typical. After 16 years in the UK Armed Forces HR Department, he moved into the world of recruitment with the aim of supporting Service Leavers—which eventually led him into the world of Resource Management where he has worked in a variety of roles across PwC, EY, and now he is leading the Resourcing team at S&W.

He’s passionate about making change happen in ways that actually work for people. Whether it’s rolling out new systems, rethinking how teams operate, or mentoring future Resourcing leaders, Russell brings a mix of strategic thinking, curiosity, and a people-first mindset to everything he does.

If you’re interested in how Resource Management can evolve to meet today’s challenges or interested in what this could mean for your own career and how you bring the two together —this session could be for you

 

Juliet Hobbs, PwC

Juliet Hobbs

Juliet Hobbs is People Function Director at PwC. Juliet has over the 25 years' experience spanning resourcing, HR, people projects and business transformation within professional services.  Passionate about driving transformative change with value and impact across everything she does, her work covers a depth and breadth of strategy building and problem solving in the resourcing space to deliver strategic outcomes in ambiguous and dynamic environments.

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Tamara Tichauer

Tamara Tichauer, is Head of Staffing, Operations and Associate Management at Baringa. Tamara has extensive experience across firms of varying scale, supporting global initiatives to implement enterprise systems and enhance operational processes. Specialising in resource management, she successfully guided organisations in optimising efficiency, improving governance, and enabling sustainable performance. Her expertise lies in bridging business needs with practical solutions, ensuring effective change adoption and measurable impact. She is committed to delivering high-quality outcomes while fostering collaboration across diverse teams and international stakeholders.

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08:45 - 09:20

Registration and breakfast

09:20 - 09:30

Seating

09:30 - 09:45

Intro and welcome

Matt Cockett, CEO, Dayshape

09:45 - 10:30

Presentation, keynote - Powering performance: Using technology and data to elevate resource management and transform results at Deloitte

Tom Fogarty, Partner, Deloitte

Over the past eight years, Deloitte’s Audit & Assurance practice has redefined what business performance means with improvements not only in profitability, but also in quality, culture, and talent experience. Resource management was the starting point of that transformation, setting the stage for the practice-wide changes that followed, and remaining at the core of their continual performance improvement ever since. In this session you’ll learn how Deloitte elevated resource management from a tactical function to a strategic powerhouse using technology and data. Tom will reveal how they overhauled forecasting, strengthened quality, drove smarter commercial decisions, and improved both planning and employee wellbeing — underscoring how resource management both powers and underpins performance. We guarantee you’ll walk away inspired to elevate RM at your business.

10:30 - 11:00

Fireside chat - The RM value equation: Skills, strategy, and success in 2026

Greg Hensley, Director, Resource Management Institute & Christine Robinson, Strategic Advisor, Dayshape

Join leading voices in resource management for a dynamic fireside chat exploring how the profession is evolving in response to emerging technologies and increased focus on value creation. This session will unpack the capabilities, practices, and leadership mindset needed to thrive in 2026, with a focus on real-world trends and practical strategies. Attendees will gain insights into RM preparedness, the future of RM roles, and how resource management can position itself as a key contributor to organizational success.

11:00 - 11:30

Break

11:30 - 12:15

Presentation - Different flavors, same table: Building strong resource management teams across professional services

Kelli Waters, Enterprise Resource Management Managing Director, RSM US

Every professional services firm claims its resource management challenges are unique, but at their core, the recipe for success is strikingly similar. Drawing on her extensive cross-industry experience at Accenture and RSM, Kelli will reveal how building strong, professionalized resource management teams drives measurable impact across industries. Kelli will demonstrate that while our “menus” may differ, we all share the same essential ingredients for success. Attendees will leave with actionable insights to foster collaboration, drive innovation, and build best-in-class resource management practices at any table.

12:15 - 13:00

Breakout 1 – Fireside chat - The private equity playbook - what all RM functions need to know

Charlie Ross, Partner, Cow Corner Investing & Andrew Bone, Co-founder & VP Product, Dayshape

Private equity investment is reshaping the accounting industry at an unprecedented pace - fuelling consolidation, accelerating ambition, and driving a laser focus on performance and margin. For Resource Management functions this new environment demands operational excellence, agility in workforce deployment, and data-led decision-making. This session reveals how PE-backed dynamics are transforming expectations on utilisation, profitability, and delivery, and what operational leaders must do now to align people, process, and performance for growth. Whether you work in a PE backed business - or are competing with them - you'll learn how to turn investor pressure into competitive advantage.

12:15 - 13:00

Breakout 2 - Roundtable discussion - Leading resource management at scale: best practices for high-performing teams

Facilitated by Christine Robinson, Strategic Director, Dayshape & Juliet Hobbs, People Function Director, PwC

Explore the advanced challenges and best practices in resource management in the company of your peers in the world’s largest professional services firms. This interactive session will give you the opportunity to discuss key aspects of strategic resource management with organizations that share the same challenges and opportunities – for example deal review participation, offshoring, campus hiring strategies, and the impact of technology and AI on staffing models. Participants will share experiences, practical solutions and actionable takeaways, all with the benefit of this unique opportunity to build their network with highly valuable contacts.

13:00 - 14:00

Lunch

14:00 - 14:15

Group discussion - Your network is your net worth

Christine Robinson, Strategic Advisor, Dayshape

Back by popular demand is a personal development focussed session by our very own Christine Robinson who will explore the tangible career benefits of intentional networking within and beyond your organization. You’ll learn practical strategies for building and leveraging professional relationships to create opportunities, enhance visibility, and drive career growth. This session will highlight real-life examples, offer actionable tips for professionals at all stages of their career in RM, and encourage attendees to use community resources to expand their influence and impact. In her inimitable style, Christine will bring her energy and passion to inspire you into action. And what better place than at Elevate where you’ll be surrounded by like-minded professionals – growth starts here. 

14:15 - 15:00

Breakout 1 - Presentation - Planner or commercial mediator? How to think like a commercial resource manager

Leanne Wilkins, Director of Talent Acquisition and Resource Management, MHA

What if leadership saw resource management not as a scheduling task, but as a way to shape the future profitability of the firm? At MHA, this is the reality — putting the right people in the right places, strengthening controls, guiding better business decisions, and creating the conditions for both profitability and fulfilling careers for your firm’s people. This is commercial resource management.

14:15 - 15:00

Breakout 2 – Presentation - From operations to strategy: A masterclass in becoming an agent for change

Russell Girling, Head of Resource Management, S&W

This session explores how resource managers can drive meaningful transformation within their organizations by not only embracing change, but being willing to be the catalyst for it. Drawing on Russell's career journey with practical examples, this masterclass will cover strategies for influencing leadership, building resilient teams, aligning resource management with business priorities, and embracing technologies like AI. Attendees will gain actionable insights and frameworks to position themselves as strategic change agents, regardless of whether you still need to build the business case for RM, or if you want to take things to the next level. 

15:00 - 15:30

Break

15:30 - 16:15

Panel session - Smarter resourcing: are you ready for how AI is reshaping resource management?

Russell Girling, Head of Resource Management, S&W & Tamara Tichauer Head of Staffing, Operations and Associate Management, Baringa

AI is changing the way organizations manage resources, helping them schedule more – and more complicated – projects, and further into the future than ever before. With the legwork taken out of scheduling, RM teams can be more strategic – making smarter decisions that focus on how they can optimize margins, grow revenue and make RM a board-level priority. But not everyone is at the same stage of adoption.

In this panel, we’ll explore how AI is being used in real-world resource management, what it means to be “AI ready,” and how to get started – whether you’re just beginning, already experimenting and how to become more advanced. You’ll hear practical advice, lessons learned, and honest reflections on the challenges and opportunities ahead. You’ll leave inspired, better informed, and reassured that wherever you are on the journey, you’re not alone.

16:15 - 17:00

Presentation - Next gen RM: The resource management team of the future

Matt Cockett, CEO and Andrew Bone, Founder & VP Product, Dayshape 

Resource Management is about to step into the spotlight. In this session, we’ll explore a bold new vision for what we believe RM teams can become in an AI-powered future. From the skills you’ll need to the data you should demand, to the central role you’ll play in impacting strategic growth. You can expect brave ideas, real-world insights and a sneak peak into our roadmap that bridge where we are today and where RM is headed. We guarantee you’ll leave inspired and excited for the journey! 

17:00

Close

17:00 - 22:00

Drinks, nibbles and networking

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Who is the event for?

Elevate is designed for individuals across professional services — from accounting and consulting to IT services and beyond. If you’re responsible for optimizing operations - be that driving strategic change, resourcing projects or hiring and developing the right talent, this event is for you. And best of all it's free to attend for our customers and prospects.

Join us if you’re a:

  • Member of senior leadership shaping your firm’s future
  • Operations, transformation, or delivery professional
  • Part of a firm-wide scheduling or planning function
  • Resource or workforce leader
  • Resourcing or engagement manager

If your role involves aligning people, projects, and performance, you’ll leave Elevate with fresh ideas, practical tools, and renewed energy to take your work to the next level.

You'll be in good company

Over 100 professionals from some of the biggest names in global professional services come together at Elevate. It’s a friendly, collaborative space where you can swap ideas, share challenges, and build lasting connections with people who truly understand your world. So far, we've had sign ups from the likes of...

EY
Deloitte
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BDO
Grant Thornton
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Azets
MHA
Bishops Fleming
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Linklaters
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s&w
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What did attendees love
most about last year?

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"Creating this type of conference for resource management - for me it was important to support its set up and future evolution. Christine is very inspiring and it was wonderful to network with fellow peers. It was very open, transparent and engaging in a very authentic way so allowed the challenges to be shared with peers."

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Understanding the possibilities of resource management as me and my firm are early in our RM journey. I also liked that it wasn't a hard-sell of your product but felt more genuinely about upskilling attendees and fostering networking.”

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“Having passionate professionals together sharing their experiences and learning from each other.”

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“Well structured and the passion from the speakers was inspiring.”

Register now to secure your spot