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In this Q&A edition, Rob Brown and IPA’s Executive Director, Chelsea Summers, unpack the questions firm leaders are asking right now and what the data actually shows.

They cover:

• Turnover at PE-backed firms vs. non-PE firms among the IPA 100 (and what culture amplifies—not replaces).
• Independence without outside capital: why clarity, pricing discipline and client selection matter.
• Offshoring and nearshoring: the rise of Latin America, hybrid teams and why 93% of the largest firms plan to expand outsourcing.
• Transparency as a retention and engagement tool, not a risk.
• Succession readiness: pipelines, leadership development and avoiding the “tide going out” moment.
• What separates steady growers from merger-driven leaps—and what’s sustainable.
• The 3 V’s Rob is hearing across the profession: visibility, velocity, voice.
• The metric to watch by 2030: revenue per FTE—reframed for offshoring and automation.