The Quiet Crisis Facing Senior Accounting Leaders

In this episode, Rob Brown tackles the slow decline of influence among top accounting leaders.**

This is episode three in a six-part series on the broken career ladder in accounting. We’ve covered the collapse of entry-level roles and the hollowing out of mid-level staff. Now, we confront what’s happening at the top—where seasoned partners and firm leaders are watching their influence erode.

Rob explores why senior professionals are losing visibility and voice in a fast-moving profession. From AI-driven transformation to younger staff expectations, from private equity shakeups to non-accountants running firms, the rules of leadership are changing. And the old safety net of tenure and equity is no longer enough.

If you're a senior leader wondering why you feel out of the loop—or if you manage one—you need to hear this.

**Key Takeaways:**

➜ 75% of CPAs are retiring or near-retirement age

➜ PE-backed firms demand speed, scale and accountability

➜ Tenure and equity no longer protect underperformance

➜ Clients want commercial insight, not old-school prestige

➜ Younger staff want mentorship, not hierarchy

➜ Relevance has to be earned, even at the top

➜ Leaders must update, reframe and re-engage to stay visible

**Killer Quotes:**

"You’re not retired. You’re just being left out."

"Private equity doesn’t care how long you’ve been at the firm. They care if you’re helping it win."

"The old idea that partner meant untouchable is dead."

"Influence doesn’t disappear. It drifts. You have to go and bring it back."

"Clients want foresight, not a recap of last quarter."

"If you haven’t updated your leadership style in five years, the market already moved past you."

"Your experience is still powerful. It’s just not obvious anymore."

You can find this on youtube here:

https://youtu.be/QIk5QOZuYKg

◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢

The Accounting Influencers Podcast serves accounting firm leaders, managers and partners looking to build their executive presence, influence and credibility both internally and externally. The show focuses on helping professionals strengthen their personal brand, stay informed about industry changes, and navigate disruptive forces affecting accounting business models and trends. The content includes solo insights from host Rob Brown as well as interviews or panel discussions with industry leaders. Check out the show on your preferred podcast app or platform, or go to the Accounting Influencers YouTube channel for all of the episodes in video format.

Rob works with consultants/experts in the accounting space via personal interviews to create video snippets and thought leadership pieces. If you have success stories, valued expertise or a brand that needs amplifying, but lack the time to create thought leadership or video content, chat with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrown

Thanks to our sponsors:

ADVANCETRACK OUTSOURCING. Transform your accounting firm with AdvanceTrack. Our top-tier offshoring solutions free your team from mundane tasks, allowing you to focus on growth and client engagement. Experience seamless scalability and expert support. Visit advancetrack.com and elevate your practice today. https://www.advancetrack.com

If you'd like to sponsor the show and elevate your brand with our audience, reach out to show host Rob Brown on LinkedIn and his team will reach out to fix up a chat to explore.