RSM US taps next CEO

RSM US LLP has named Brian Becker, the leader of the firm’s consulting practice, as its next managing partner and CEO, effective Aug. 31, 2022, succeeding Joe Adams, who has led the firm since 2011.

The transition comes as Adams gets ready for retirement and after a selection process conducted by RSM’s board of directors.

Becker currently leads RSM’s consulting line of business, which has grown its revenues from $450 million to $1 billion during his tenure. He was previously the firm's technology consulting leader and central region consulting leader, and served on the board from 2011 through 2015. He started his career at RSM as an auditor before transferring to the consulting practice to build the firm’s technology infrastructure service line from scratch.

“I am thrilled to have been selected to serve as RSM’s next managing partner and CEO,” Becker said in a statement Wednesday. “Joe has been a transformational leader for RSM, and we have a strong vision that will lead us through our 100th anniversary in 2026 and beyond. I look forward to advancing, evolving and supporting all the great work that is currently in process while simultaneously building on our competitive advantage.”

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Adams became managing partner and CEO in 2011 when the firm was known as McGladrey & Pullen. He worked with the board to successfully reunite RSM McGladrey and McGladrey & Pullen as a single firm after H&R Block sold RSM McGladrey back to the firm in 2011 for $610 million (see story). RSM McGladrey and McGladrey & Pullen had been operating in an alternative practice structure since 1999. The combined firm rebranded as McGladrey and in 2015 as RSM US (see story). Adams has also overseen more than 20 other acquisitions over the past decade and developed the firm’s community giving system and its culture, diversity and inclusion program. At nearly $3 billion with over 14,000 employees, RSM today is nearly three times the size it was when Adams took the helm in 2011. After August, Adams plans to remain with RSM in an advisory capacity and complete his term on the RSM International board of directors, which ends on March 31, 2023.

“It has been an honor to lead RSM for the last 10 years,” Adams said in a statement. “I feel proud of all we have accomplished, and I am truly grateful to our outstanding clients, partners and employees who have made the firm so successful. I am confident they will be in great hands as Brian takes over leadership of RSM in the future.”

“RSM has a robust succession planning program, and the board followed a thorough process to select Brian as the firm’s next managing partner and CEO,” said Jerry Martin, who chairs the RSM US LLP board of directors, in a statement. “He is an outstanding leader who has served as RSM’s consulting leader and a member of the firm’s combined leadership team since 2017, and he also brings solid experience as a member of our board from 2011 through 2015. We are confident Brian will continue to help our clients, our employees and our firm succeed, and we are grateful to Joe for his tremendous leadership and stewardship.”