Case Study
BDO
Elevating future leaders in professional services. Empowering progression to partnership through bespoke development.
BDO is a leading global network of accounting and advisory firms, with over 119,000 professionals in more than 165 countries. They provide audit, tax, and advisory services, combining local expertise with international reach to deliver long-term value for clients.
Background
In response to the increasing need for a robust internal leadership pipeline and clearer pathways to partnership, BDO, a leading firm in the professional services sector, sought to invest in the development of its senior talent. Many of their Directors were at pivotal career stages, needing both clarity on expectations and opportunities to stretch into Partner-level thinking and behaviours.
Clevry was commissioned to design and deliver a comprehensive development programme, incorporating a high-impact Development Centre experience, to accelerate readiness for promotion and foster a culture of feedback, strategic thinking, and peer learning.
97%
Rated the Development Centre as a strong or very strong opportunity to practise relevant Partner-level skills.
88%
Felt that the Development Centre accurately simulated the challenges of partnership.
Aims
The programme was designed to:
- Deepen understanding of the Partner role and its demands.
- Strengthen strategic and commercial thinking.
- Provide meaningful practice of key Partner behaviours.
- Build confidence and readiness for promotion.
- Create opportunities for feedback, reflection, and self-awareness.
- Foster cross-business networking and collaboration.
Our Approach
Over three months, senior leaders across three cohorts participated in a structured development journey:
- Kick-Off Sessions: Laid the groundwork, providing clarity on the programme and Partner expectations, introducing group coaching, and establishing development priorities.
- Strategy Sessions: Focused on strategic thinking, with impactful storytelling from a Partner mentor and facilitated peer dialogue to develop strategic objectives.
- Storytelling Workshops: Led by professional business actors, these experiential sessions enabled participants to practise influencing and communication techniques critical for Partner-level impact.
- Development Centres: The culmination of the programme. Over two days, delegates engaged in realistic business simulations, including actor-led scenarios, peer-to-peer feedback, and coaching conversations. These sessions offered a psychologically safe space to stretch, reflect, and apply learning in practice.
Participants also received psychometric insight and completed pre- and post-centre development planning.
Results & Impact
Feedback from delegates was overwhelmingly positive:
- 97% rated the Development Centre as a strong or very strong opportunity to practise relevant Partner-level skills.
- 88% felt the Development Centre accurately simulated the challenges of Partnership.
- Participants described the experience as “intense but rewarding,” “a brilliant space to be vulnerable,” and “insightful in shifting my thinking to the firm-wide level”.
- Actor-led scenarios and group coaching were repeatedly cited as standout elements, praised for realism, feedback quality, and personal stretch.
Overall, Delegates highlighted a renewed clarity in their development priorities and confidence in their leadership trajectory. Several commented on the value of feedback, the space for honest reflection, and the relationships formed across business units.
We have been working with Clevry on our Director Talent Development programme for five years now, and it continues to play an important role in the director-to-partner journey for our senior talent. The design and delivery, combined with the skills, experience, knowledge and positive attitude of the Clevry team, have played a huge part in the programme’s success.
Conclusion
The success of this development programme lies in its careful balance of strategic insight, experiential learning, and psychological safety. By creating an environment that allowed senior leaders to stretch, reflect, and connect, Clevry collaborated with BDO to accelerate the readiness of its next generation of Partners, laying the groundwork for long-term leadership strength.
