One of the Largest Professional Services Firms in the World Re-Imagines its Future
One of the Largest Professional Services Firms in the World Re-Imagines its Future
VALLEY OF THE KINGS
VALLEY OF THE KINGS
One of the Largest Professional Services Firms in the World Re-Imagines its Future
VALLEY OF THE KINGS
01 CHALLENGE
The global strategy leader of one of the world's largest professional services firms had spent months preparing for this moment. Her team had interviewed the firm's top twenty C-level clients, asking each to forecast the developments that would reshape the competitive landscape over the next decade. The analysis was done. What remained was the hardest part: translating ten years of strategic ambition into a governing document that could move thousands of people — not just inform them. "Take what we have," she said. "And give us fireworks."
The global strategy leader of one of the world's largest professional services firms had spent months preparing for this moment. Her team had interviewed the firm's top twenty C-level clients, asking each to forecast the developments that would reshape the competitive landscape over the next decade. The analysis was done. What remained was the hardest part: translating ten years of strategic ambition into a governing document that could move thousands of people — not just inform them. "Take what we have," she said. "And give us fireworks."
02 ADVISORY
Stephen's task was to author the strategic narrative architecture of a 140-page global strategy document — the prologue, a 15-page introduction, a 15-page vision statement, and the thematic introductions to each chapter. Together these elements were the governing framework that gave the firm's decade of analysis its meaning, its momentum, and its voice. The central creative and strategic decision was to govern the document's framing around a fictional construct — a retrospective set in 2036, a global executive summit in Luxor, Egypt, in the shadow of the Valley of the Kings, convened to look back on the decade that had just unfolded. Placing the question in 2036 gave the strategy document something most white papers cannot offer: the authority of hindsight. The firm's choices weren't presented as bets. They were presented as decisions that history had already confirmed.
Stephen's task was to author the strategic narrative architecture of a 140-page global strategy document — the prologue, a 15-page introduction, a 15-page vision statement, and the thematic introductions to each chapter. Together these elements were the governing framework that gave the firm's decade of analysis its meaning, its momentum, and its voice. The central creative and strategic decision was to govern the document's framing around a fictional construct — a retrospective set in 2036, a global executive summit in Luxor, Egypt, in the shadow of the Valley of the Kings, convened to look back on the decade that had just unfolded. Placing the question in 2036 gave the strategy document something most white papers cannot offer: the authority of hindsight. The firm's choices weren't presented as bets. They were presented as decisions that history had already confirmed.
03 OUTCOME
The strategy document became the governing architecture used across dozens of the firm's practices — spanning 18 industries — to align multi-year goals, allocate resources, and operationalize priorities across the firm's 10-year planning horizon.
The strategy document became the governing architecture used across dozens of the firm's practices — spanning 18 industries — to align multi-year goals, allocate resources, and operationalize priorities across the firm's 10-year planning horizon.
"This is the best-written business document I've ever read."
— Juan Pujadas, Vice Chairman of Global Advisory Services, PwC International