The MPF Management Excellence Awards, now in their 16th year, uniquely provide professional service firm management teams with independent evidence of their contribution to achieving their firms’ goals in four key business areas:
Demonstrating this contribution puts Forum members at the heart of strategic conversations, and increases their personal influence and people’s trust in their plans, while strengthening the reputation of their firms to clients.
Submissions are open from early October to the end of November, with the gala dinner and ceremony taking place in London in early March with over 400 attendees.
The 2017 ceremony was hosted by Austin Healey, of rugby and Strictly Come Dancing fame.
Click here for the photos and citations for each category
LEADERSHIP & STRATEGY:
Best managed international firm or network
Sponsored by: Barclays
Winner: Dentons
Best managed national firm or organisation
Sponsored by: Allied Irish Bank (GB)
Winner: Stephens Scown
Best strategic leadership
Sponsored by: LexisNexis
Winner: Kennedys
Best thought leadership
Sponsored by: NatWest
Winner: Trowers & Hamlins
Best leadership of a mould-breaking firm
Sponsored by: Aon
Winner: Stephens Scown
Best programme for leadership development
Sponsored by: HBR
Winner: Dentons
Best strategy implementation
Sponsored by: Santander
Winner: Scott-Moncrieff
Exceptional achievement by an individual
Sponsored by: MPF
Winner: Simon Beswick (Osborne Clarke)
Exceptional achievement by a management team
Sponsored by: MPF
Winner: BDO
Exceptional achievement by a firm
Sponsored by: MPF
Winner: Hymans Robertson
THE CLIENT JOURNEY:
Best co-ordination in winning new work
Sponsored by: Vuture
Winner: Dentons
Most innovative client service
Sponsored by: Aderant
Winner: Bird & Bird
Best provision of know-how to clients
Sponsored by: FT
Winner: Mayer Brown
Best performing brand
Sponsored by: Luminous
Accountancy
Winner: EY
Legal
Winner: Dentons
OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE:
Best corporate culture
Sponsored by: emperor
Winner: Stephens Scown
Most enviable workplace
Sponsored by: HighQ
Winner: Allen & Overy
Best financial management
Sponsored by: Lloyds Bank
Winner: Addleshaw Goddard
Best implementation of systems or technology
Sponsored by: Tikit
Winner: White & Case
Best use of data analytics
Sponsored by: AnyData Solutions
Winner: Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
Best collaboration across the management team
Sponsored by: Meridian West
Winner: Brachers
Best collaboration with external specialists
Sponsored by: PM magazine
Winner: ARC Pensions Law
RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS:
Best community engagement
Sponsored by: Business in the Community
Winner: CBRE
Most environmentally friendly firm
Sponsored by: ICRS
Winner: Deloitte
Most inclusive firm
Sponsored by: Sutton Trust
Winner: Hogan Lovells
Best philanthropy engagement
Sponsored by: Philanthropy Impact
Winner: Barclays
The professional services awards industry is a crowded place and whilst a pure focus on management and leadership helps differentiate the MPF awards, those choosing to enter will no doubt want re-assurance as to the rigour applied by the panel of judges.
The 70 judges are leading international management consultants or experts, based in the UK, Europe, North America and Australia, selected solely on the basis of their expertise.
Entries are sent to panels of three judges per category. After detailed consultation, each panel presents their recommended list of winners at a judges’ dinner, with all present debating and deciding the final positions.
"A valuable opportunity to recognise the significant contribution that management experts make to professional services businesses."
John Connolly, Former Global Managing Director, Deloitte
"MPF Awards recognise the best of the best across professional services firms. Winning an award from an organisation solely focused on distilling best practice is a great achievement."
Simon Beswick, Managing Partner, Osborne Clark
"We are extremely proud to have won the award for 'Best Financial Management'. This success was only achieved with the contribution of everyone in the finance team. We are particularly pleased that their efforts over a period of substantial growth and change have been recognised at such a high profile event."
Yvonne Barratt, Head of Finance, BDO
"The MPF Awards for Management Excellence set the ultimate benchmark for management of professional services firms. Being shortlisted is already a great achievement, and winning sends an incredibly strong message to the clients, peers, business partners, and employees."
Per Magnusson, Senior Partner and Founder, Magnusson
"These Awards are special because we not only compete with our colleagues in the law sector, but we meet face to face with other companies in the professional services sector. It’s refreshing and a real challenge."
Antonio Garrigues, Chairman, Garrigues