HLB Innovation Symposium
London, November 2025
The HLB Innovation Symposium brought together leaders from across our global network, alongside technology partners and industry experts, to explore how innovation is reshaping the professional services landscape. A clear message emerged: as technologies such as artificial intelligence continue to evolve, firms must rethink how they operate, collaborate, and deliver value to clients.
The Symposium reinforced the importance of collaboration and practical application. By connecting diverse perspectives from across our network, we are able to share ideas, test new approaches, and respond more effectively to change. This reflects HLB’s belief that innovation is driven not only by technology, but by people working together to deliver meaningful, forward-looking solutions for our clients.
Abu Bakkar, Chief Innovation Officer
HLB Innovation Awards 2025
Our Innovation Awards seek to highlight and recognise the fantastic innovative work and projects happening within the network. Our 2025 winners cross three core categories; Trailblazer, an innovation brought to market; Innovator DNA, innovative mindset in individuals; and Blueprint, improving effectiveness and efficiencies.
Bové Montero (HLB Spain) launched a technology-enabled Business Innovation service, expanding beyond core offerings. Combining digital, data, automation, and AI capabilities, it drives measurable outcomes, attracts new clients, deepens relationships, and delivers rapid growth, positioning the firm as a leading strategic partner in Spain’s mid-market.
McorpCX strategic partnership
HLB has formed a strategic partnership with McorpCX to strengthen client and employee experience capabilities across its global network. With proven expertise in aligning business and client strategies, the collaboration reflects HLB’s view that experience is a cross-firm discipline and a key differentiator in a rapidly evolving professional landscape.
Supporting the Innovative People, Brighter Futures strategy, the partnership enables member firms to benchmark and enhance client experience using shared frameworks and best practices. This helps firms deliver more consistent, high-quality service, strengthen client relationships, and compete more effectively across markets.
Lesley Hornung, Chief Marketing Officer
HLB Survey of Business Leaders
We launched the sixth edition of the HLB Survey of Business Leaders with a live event in the heart of London, with a global audience watching on via livestream as our expert panel discussed key segments of the report, particularly on the subject of powering-up your profitability and a focus on efficiency over expansion.
The HLB Survey of Business Leaders provides in-depth analysis of the most critical issues facing businesses today. Featuring insight from senior executives across the global mid-market, the survey is our flagship exercise for identifying and understanding contemporary market trends.
Regional events, workshops, and activations for the survey followed in Europe, Latin America, and North America, as global findings fueled localised conversations.
Spotlight: APAC client event
Client events are strategically important to our network. They provide a powerful platform to showcase our global capabilities and ecosystem with commercial partners, positioning HLB as a coordinated, one-stop solution for businesses pursuing sustainable international growth.
In August 2025, we hosted a series of high-impact client events in Shanghai, ranging from the PropertyGuru Asia Connect to the China Outbound Forum, Invest in Spain, the North America Roadshow and the “Doing Business in Southeast Asia” webinar, driven by the HLB corporate legal community and delivered in collaboration strategic partners including JP Morgan, Brazilian & Spanish government agencies, and Drees & Sommer.
Across the programme, we saw strong market engagement both in-person and digitally, further amplifying HLB’s visibility and reinforcing our role as a trusted advisor supporting cross-border investment.
Coco Liu, Chief Growth Officer
HLB ESG Forum
We hosted our first ESG Forum in 2025, bringing together experts from across our global network alongside leading voices from academia, finance, and industry. The session focused on how organisations can create long-term value through ESG, reflecting the growing importance of sustainability, governance, and responsible business practices across professional services.
The event both connected perspectives and showcased HLB's 360-degree ESG capabilities across advisory, assurance, and tax, with member firms sharing practical go-to-market approaches and client experience from across Europe.
This collaborative exchange of insight reflects our commitment to supporting clients with integrated, forward-looking ESG solutions and further strengthening expertise across our global network.
