The 2017 Global Leaders in Consulting: Sean Connolly

Sean Connolly is the founding partner of Egremont Group, a growing, award-winning management consultancy specializing in business transformation, with offices in London and Chicago. He drives the innovation and thinking behind the unique ways of working that help clients achieve transformational change. Working across Europe and the USA, Connolly has been instrumental in transforming business for a wide range of clients, including Walgreens, Snapfish, Severn Trent Water, Boots and Galenica.

"Because our clients are often leaders in their own sectors, this demands a blend of conceptual rigor, integrated thinking and the ability to connect at all levels quickly to make things happen fast, ensure they stick and are sustainable," Connolly says.

What accomplishments is he most proud of? "Building a transatlantic consulting firm from scratch—with a consulting team that genuinely helps our clients to shine," he says. "As well as developing our distinctive approach to fast, results focused and people orientated business transformation."

In addition, Connolly says his team's ability to win significant transformation programs with new clients, as well as winning the 2017 MCA (UK Management Consultancy Association) awards for best change management project and best newcomer. The Egremont Group was also the runner up in the best international project for its work in the U.S.

As far as the biggest factors to his success, Connolly says it's been his ability to focus on really understanding clients and their challenges, then helping them to develop and implement their own solutions.

"Creating pragmatic, innovative approaches that help people see the world; as it is, how it will be and then how to figure out how to best respond has been a key to our success," he says. "We're out to make the world a better place, one organization at a time. We want to help make working people's lives easier, less frustrating and more purposeful."

As far as being recognized as a Global Leader in Consulting, Connolly says it's great validation for the firm and the team. "For all their determination and insight. It will encourage our team to continue thinking carefully, deeply and creating new stuff," he says. "For our potential clients, we hope it will encourage a range of different conversations about the art of the possible."

Q&A: What do you enjoy most about your work and the consulting profession?

Connolly: "Releasing the untapped, latent potential and energy in organisations. Making life easier for people at the sharp end and the customer experience, appropriately engaging."