Managing Partner – Sector Advisory — Wealth Franchise

The mandate

A professional-services firm has a respected wealth advisory franchise, but its economics and market identity have become dependent on a small number of senior partners. Work ranges from strategy and transactions to operating-model and risk assignments, often sold separately to the same clients. The next Managing Partner must convert personal franchises into an institutional sector practice and decide which capabilities deserve investment as wealth platforms face fee pressure, digital change and intergenerational client needs.

The practice comprises approximately 225 employees and partners and an accountable client, revenue and investment perimeter near ₹4,150 crore. The leader will own market positioning, priority accounts, partner portfolio, quality, talent and sector intellectual capital. Engagement partners retain responsibility for delivery and professional conclusions. The Managing Partner creates the conditions in which they win and deliver distinctive work without compromising independence or overstating credentials.

Capital allocation is the immediate test. Current proposals include data assets, specialist hires, alliances and acquisitions. Funding all of them would dilute returns and leadership attention. The appointee must identify a few propositions where the firm can credibly lead—perhaps adviser productivity, platform economics, next-generation clients or wealth transactions—and make explicit decisions about activities that remain opportunistic.

Why this seat is open

The incumbent is approaching a planned rotation after a successful term and will return to selected client work. Partner succession was agreed well in advance and is not performance-related. The firm wants an orderly transfer before annual partner planning, while giving the successor freedom to change the portfolio rather than preserve the outgoing leader’s legacy. This is a replacement appointment with a structured handover.

What you will own

• Define the wealth-sector thesis and translate it into investable propositions with named buyers, evidence, delivery capability and economic hurdles.
• Allocate partners and development capital across accounts and offerings, withdrawing support where strategic relevance or conversion is weak.
• Build account succession beyond personal sponsorship, ensuring key relationships are shared and client knowledge belongs to the firm.
• Improve engagement economics through scope discipline, leverage, pricing and early intervention in delivery drift.
• Protect professional quality and conflicts management, particularly where transactions, assurance-adjacent work or multiple family interests intersect.
• Recruit and develop scarce wealth specialists while creating routes for high-performing directors to earn genuine market responsibility.
• Originate board and CEO relationships personally, but measure success by work others can lead rather than individual sales alone.
• Represent the practice in the global sector network and secure access to capabilities that India clients value.

The first 12 months

The first quarter should produce an account and proposition fact base: buyer access, realised margin, repeat work, delivery quality, partner concentration and capability gaps. Join client conversations led by different partners and review lost bids. Identify relationships at risk through succession and assignments whose apparent revenue does not compensate for scope, conflict or collection difficulty.

By month four, agree three or four priority propositions, investment levels and withdrawal decisions with the partner council. Publish transparent partner-account roles and succession plans for the twenty most consequential relationships. Resolve whether proposed alliances or hires provide capability that clients will buy rather than simply broaden the brochure.

Over the middle of the year, take priority propositions to market through real client problems, not generic campaigns. Reprice or reshape weak engagements, establish quality reviews and develop directors through shared origination. Redirect partner capacity from low-conviction activity and manage any resulting economic tension directly.

At year end, revenue from priority propositions should grow at least 15% with contribution improving by 300 basis points. No top-ten account should depend on one partner relationship. At least 30% of new work should combine two previously separate capabilities. Debtor days and scope leakage should improve against baseline, and two credible successor partners should be leading significant client opportunities.

What the partner council will measure

• Profitable, collectible growth in chosen propositions rather than undifferentiated booked revenue.
• Depth and succession of priority client relationships.
• Partner capacity moved in accordance with declared strategy.
• Delivery quality, conflicts discipline and early handling of troubled engagements.
• Development of directors and newer partners into credible originators.
• Value realised from intellectual capital, specialist recruitment and alliances.

The person

You have 28 or more years in consulting, professional services, wealth management or a combination of advisory and line leadership. You are an established partner or senior executive with ownership of at least ₹2,400 crore in client, revenue, assets or advisory portfolio and leadership influence across 225 people and partners.

Your record includes choosing what not to sell. You have built a sector or proposition beyond your own reputation, shifted partner investment and improved the economics of complex advisory work. The council will test client references, delivery judgement and the career progress of people developed under you, not rely on a portable-revenue claim.

You can challenge partners whose accounts are commercially large but strategically or professionally weak. At the same time, you understand partnership legitimacy: decisions require evidence, transparent criteria and personal contribution. Experience of wealth platforms, private banking, asset management or regulated distribution is essential.

Compensation and terms

Indicative fixed compensation is ₹5.0–7.5 crore plus variable and long-term incentive, subject to partnership structure and relevant performance. Measures include profitable growth, quality, account succession, talent and strategic investment returns. This advisory appointment is onsite in Bengaluru and includes a deliberate transition from the current leader.

Confidentiality

Firm, partner and client identities will be shared only after independence and conflict screening under confidentiality. Practice scale and market context are blended. Candidates must not solicit clients or partners to confirm speculation about the hiring organisation.