Top 25 Most Influential Consultants 2001 -#1: Joe Forehand, 52, Chief Executive, Accenture

It’s Friday the 13th, and Accenture’s chief executive, Joe Forehand, is thinking about luck and timing. In six days, his partners will vote to advance a transaction destined to transform the consulting profession. In three hours, his predecessor will resign as CEO of WebVan, the struggling dot-com grocer that has had everything and nothing to do with the rise of Joe Forehand. “No,” is the surprisingly blunt reply to a familiar question: Did Joe Forehand ever expect to be where he is at this place in time?