How the Chief Growth Officer Is Reshaping Marketing & Business Development in Accounting Firms

Across the accounting profession, the pace of consolidation, private equity investment, and service expansion is accelerating. In response, many firms are rethinking how they organize for growth. The Wall Street Journal recently highlighted this shift, noting that the industry is entering a period defined by mergers, capital infusions, and competitive pressure unlike anything seen before. To navigate this new landscape, firms are increasingly turning to a new kind of executive leader: the Chief Growth Officer (CGO).

But what does the CGO role actually change inside an accounting firm? And what should marketing and business development leaders be paying attention to as their firms adapt?

To answer these questions, we spoke with three sitting CGOs: Alyson D. Fieldman (Stambaugh Ness), Stacy L. Dreher (James Moore), and Tracy Kapteyn (Duffy Kruspodin, LLP) to learn their perspectives and outline practical takeaways for accounting firm leaders, and how to prepare for what’s next.

Each offers unique insight into how this role is redefining growth strategy and elevating the expectations of marketing and business development (BD) professionals.

Growth Is No Longer Just Marketing and BD; It’s a Firmwide Strategic System

One of the clearest themes that emerged is that “growth” is no longer shorthand for marketing campaigns or BD activity. It has become a holistic, cross-functional mandate.

Alyson Fieldman describes it as “the strategic intersection of Marketing, BD & CX,” adding that her CGO role also includes strategic partnerships and M&A activity.

At Duffy Kruspodin, Tracy Kapteyn echoes this broader definition: “Growth is more than marketing, sales or business development. For us, growth means having a wide view of the firm and seeing the opportunities that show up in different areas, not just one function.”

And at James Moore, Stacy Dreher emphasizes intentionality: “We’re not focused on growth for growth’s sake. For us, ‘growth’ means being intentional about how we move the firm forward. Growth is the bigger picture of what we are trying to achieve.”

Takeaway for marketing & BD leaders:
Your work must increasingly connect to firmwide strategy, from client experience to operations to strategic investment. Visibility across the entire business, not just campaigns and pursuits, is becoming essential.

CGOs Are Reshaping How Marketing and BD Execute Every Day

Across all three firms, the CGO role has materially shifted how marketing and BD operate.

1. Closer alignment between marketing & sales

Fieldman notes that one of her most significant contributions has been tightening the connection between these functions to “ensure they support the development of viable leads.” This includes elevating pipeline meetings, creating client-story repositories, and introducing roles that smooth the handoff from lead to client onboarding.

1. Clearer focus on revenue and pipeline health

Dreher emphasizes that marketing and BD now share “pipeline and new business goals,” with daily work anchored in driving revenue, not just producing content or hosting events.

2. Modernizing both marketing and partner-led BD

Kapteyn describes transforming traditional accounting firm marketing into a more modern engine:

“More strategic, more planned, more data driven, and more organized.”
On the BD side, even without a dedicated department, the firm is strengthening qualification, follow-up, and pipeline visibility.

Takeaway:
Expect increased accountability, deeper integration with sales processes, and a shift from activity-based work to outcome-based execution.

M&A and Private Equity Pressure Are Changing Growth Strategy, But Not in One Uniform Way

The WSJ article highlights a reality most firms now feel: M&A and private equity investment are reshaping the competitive landscape.

But the CGOs we interviewed made clear that while these forces are influential, they’re not dictating a singular strategic path.

• Fieldman shared that within the AEC niche, M&A is booming, creating demand for expanded marketing and BD support as her firm’s M&A advisory practice grows.
• Dreher noted that PE-backed competitors must scale fast, and often struggle with consistent client experience. Her firm sees that as an opportunity to differentiate.
• Kapteyn emphasized that M&A is one lever among many, noting: “Growth can come from service expansion, operational improvements, industry focus, data, technology, client experience, talent, M&A, and more.”

Takeaway:
Marketing and BD leaders should broaden their understanding of growth levers. M&A is important, but so are brand strength, client experience, service innovation, and operational scalability.

The Modern Growth Leader Needs a Different Mindset

Every CGO pointed to the evolving skill set required in today’s environment.

• Adaptability and change tolerance

Fieldman stressed the need for leaders to be “adaptable and anticipatory” in firms undergoing constant change.

• A true growth mindset

Dreher emphasized focus, creativity, and persistence: “They need the inner drive to succeed and the persistence to stick with a strategy even when results take time.”

• Strategic thinking and comfort with AI

Kapteyn highlighted the need for marketing and BD leaders who think beyond campaigns, understand the business, partner across functions, and embrace AI as an enabler, stating that leaders who adopt AI will “move faster” and “do more.”

Takeaway:
Growth-focused firms need leaders who think like strategists, behave like change agents, and leverage technology to scale.

Success Metrics Are Expanding Beyond Traditional Marketing and BD KPIs

Firms are moving away from measuring activities (clicks, impressions, webinar attendance) and toward indicators that reflect true business impact.

Common themes in how CGOs measure success:

• Revenue performance and pipeline velocity
• Service-line momentum and industry penetration
• Client experience, loyalty, and outcomes
• Scalable and recurring revenue streams
• Brand strength in target markets
• Alignment across marketing, BD, sales, delivery, and leadership

Dreher notes that while traditional KPIs still have value, “the bigger picture of success is defined by whether we are driving intentional, sustainable growth.”

Kapteyn puts it simply: “success is measured by whether the firm is actually moving forward.”

Takeaway:
Marketing and BD leaders must build dashboards that show business impact, not just marketing activity.

What Does This Mean for Marketing & BD Leaders in Accounting Firms?

Based on these interviews and industry trends, several clear shifts are underway:

1. Marketing and BD are becoming strategic, revenue-connected functions. Firms want leaders who understand growth holistically, not just tactically.
2. Cross-functional collaboration is now expected. The CGO role only works when marketing, BD, operations, service lines, and leadership are aligned.
3. Data, technology, and AI are now core growth capabilities. Firms without these competencies risk falling behind PE-backed firms that scale aggressively.
4. Client experience is emerging as a competitive differentiator. Consistency and quality of service matter more as consolidation accelerates.
5. Growth roles require adaptability, resilience, and a willingness to rethink old models. The accounting profession is changing quickly, and marketing and BD leaders must change with it.

Final Thoughts

The rise of the Chief Growth Officer marks a fundamental shift in how accounting firms think about growth. No longer confined to brand building or networking, marketing and BD now play a central role in shaping firm strategy, driving revenue, and preparing the organization for a future defined by consolidation, competition, and rapid change.

Chief Growth Officers are being hired into firms and developed from within across all disciplines. While these interviews focused on accounting marketers that took on roles as CGOs, the data shows that the role is being filled by Partners, growth-minded professionals from other industries, and many other disciplines between.

For leaders in these functions, the message is clear: Your role is getting bigger, more strategic, and more essential to the firm’s success.

Those who evolve with this moment, who think broadly, embrace data and technology, and align their work to business outcomes will shape the future of growth in the profession.