HLB Vision and future Strategy anchored by client engagement

Marco Donzelli (MD): The biggest drivers of growth have been inorganic. M&A and external funding have fuelled the growth of individual member firms, both in the size of the firms as well as their investment in areas such as tech that enable growth. I believe some big opportunities sit in smart integration of technology combined with strong client experience capabilities to drive differentiation. In the future, services will be more personalised, and firms will deepen their client relationships, which in turn will unlock pricing power and cross-selling potential. 

MD: We will balance protecting our core strength while investing in new growth areas by being deliberate about what must be preserved and what must evolve. Our core strengths are trusted client relationships, local market expertise and sector-led services. This will always remain the foundation. Investment will be made in areas that amplify these strengths, such as AI-enabled delivery, industry specialisation and cross-border collaboration. 

MD: Looking ahead, the most important shifts will centre on scaling what differentiates HLB globally while strengthening local execution of our member firms. This translates into a strong focus on innovation mindset and value creation, supported by new technology across services and operations, and building a more consistent, high-quality client experience across our network. These are all key strategic themes we build into our network strategy. 

MD: There are two main reasons why innovation is critical for our future growth ambitions: 

1. The pace of change in many parts of the world is overwhelming. If we stand still, it’s likely the market will pass us by. We need to be more agile in how we adapt, and the only route to true organisational agility is continual innovation. This gives us the opportunity to stay one step ahead of competitors who may find it harder to evolve.  
2. The ability for other companies to copy what we do, disrupt us, and deliver similar services at a lower cost has never been greater. Emerging technologies mean smaller organisations can now create premium services at a price point that challenges our current business model. We need to develop diversified offerings, and build multiple revenue streams to maintain and grow our position in the market. ​​​​​​​

MD: Building an innovation mindset starts with involving employees in shaping direction. Their insight drives meaningful change and engagement. Focus on solving real problems, validating ideas and encouraging collaboration across silos. Reinforce this with transparent communication, visible progress and opportunities to contribute, so that innovation becomes something people actively participate in. 

MD: Finance and accounting leaders are in a stronger position than they often realise to shape a culture where innovation is genuinely encouraged, measured, and tied to commercial outcomes, but it starts with recognising and rewarding the right behaviours when you see them. Too often, organisations only celebrate the big outcomes, the launched product or the revenue win, and miss the quieter contributions that made it possible in the first place. The process matters just as much as the result. Pay attention to the people who are rolling up their sleeves on problem-solving, stepping beyond the boundaries of their day jobs, and helping colleagues move ideas forward. When you visibly showcase those behaviours, you signal what good looks like, and more people start to lean in. Leadership has a real role to play here too, and it shows up in the everyday choices: sharing openly, bringing in ideas and perspectives from outside the organisation, carving out genuine time for innovation and making sure the resources, technology, and innovation pipelines are there to support good ideas going somewhere. Linking innovation directly to performance reviews is what gives it teeth, because simply setting KPIs and revenue targets and hoping innovation follows on its own doesn't work, it never has. People respond to what gets noticed, measured, and rewarded. 

MD: In Q4 of 2025, we surveyed 1,100+ leaders surveyed worldwide. From previous years, we saw a great shift towards customer focus as key to strong competitive advantage, away from a focus on cost-management and operations. Leading organisations use efficiency and technology to serve clients better, deepen relationships and drive profitability. That alignment between capability and client value is where authentic advantage is created.

MD: Based on year-on-year trends analysis, organisations have strengthened operating models, improved profit margins, applied AI more selectively and shifted toward customer-led growth. Risk remains elevated, but leaders feel better equipped to respond. That is why we see confidence is rooted in capability and agility. Leaders have grown stronger in execution, set clearer priorities and gained greater organisational resilience. 

MD: We found that growth comes from disciplined adaptability, not reactive speed. Leading organisations are shortening planning cycles, linking technology investment to measurable outcomes, strengthening operating models and anchoring strategy in customer insight. The shift is from chasing change to shaping it, using volatility to prioritise better decisions, sharper execution and more focused investment. 

MD: It is not easy to balance factors leaders have no control over. However, leaders who treat growth and risk management as parallel disciplines are best positioned for success. Based on the HLB Survey of Business Leaders findings, we see leaders who shorten planning cycles, focus on supply chain resilience, and invest selectively in technology and cybersecurity are most likely to be high performing. 

MD: It is fundamental to growth. Strong data protection underpins client engagement, enables AI and digital expansion, and supports commercial performance. Therefore, cybersecurity is vital, recognised and a top concern. It is also a big opportunity for us as accountants to help clients understand, trust and protect their data. 

MD: We believe AI creates the most value when embedded in service delivery and across the operating model. Where AI was mostly used in customer-facing use-cases such as in marketing and sales, firms should now aim for a deeper integration. This can lead to more time for value-adding client work and better client relationships, while boosting overall efficiency.