In this episode of Shortlisted, BD coach James Bacon shares his insights on how coaching can positively drive business growth and elevate personal and group BD strategies. He shares tools and tips for delivering high-impact coaching sessions.

Together, they unpack how to build trust with seasoned professionals, the frameworks that drive meaningful coaching, and how to turn data, technology, and AI into coaching allies. James also reveals how leaders can embed a coaching mindset into their culture and reignite motivation when teams lose momentum.

If you’re a leader or business developer looking to sharpen your coaching skills and inspire performance, this episode delivers practical wisdom and powerful takeaways.

Credits: Music by Grand_Project [https://pixabay.com/users/grand_project-19033897/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=329277] from Pixabay [https://pixabay.com/music/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=329277]

Produced by Kwame Slusher Audio

BD Coaching that drives revenue growth - James Bacon 

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 [http://seldonrosser.com/]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 [https://pixabay.com/users/grand_project-19033897/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=329277] from Pixabay [https://pixabay.com/music/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=329277]

Produced by Kwame Slusher Audio

Building Professional Services Businesses from the Boardroom - Emma Zadow 

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 [http://seldonrosser.com/]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 [https://pixabay.com/users/grand_project-19033897/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=329277] from Pixabay [https://pixabay.com/music/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=329277]

Produced by Kwame Slusher Audio

Growth in New Markets  and Regions - Abdul Malik Anwar Deen

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 services

Listen 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 [https://legalengine.co.uk/white-paper] 
 * Passle report - US & UK Cross-Selling & AI in Legal Marketing Survey 2025 [https://home.passle.net/library/cross-selling-ai-in-legal-marketing-report-2025/]

Seldon Rosser [http://seldonrosser.com/]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 [https://pixabay.com/users/grand_project-19033897/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=329277] from Pixabay [https://pixabay.com/music/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=329277]

Produced by Kwame Slusher Audio

AI Agents and Business Development - Lee Curtis

Shortlisted is the official podcast from Seldon Rosser, a leading executive search firm connecting professional services firms with top leadership talent in Business Development, Sales, Marketing, and Communications. Hosted by Graham Seldon and Katie Rosser, each episode features candid conversations with industry leaders driving growth and innovation.

We dive into the strategies behind high-performing, market-leading firms—covering leadership, talent management, client development, marketing, communications, and emerging technologies like AI. Whether you're a CEO, Managing Partner, CMO, or part of the C-suite in law, consulting, engineering, or accounting, Shortlisted delivers actionable insights and inspiring stories to help you lead with impact.

Graham Seldon

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