It is with great personal and professional pleasure that we announce Richard Rapp is joining Adam Smith, Esq. as Senior Advisor.
Those of you who have learned even a little about the consulting side of Adam Smith, Esq. know that we have remained small by choice, reflecting our conviction that the most challenging and sophisticated issues require senior-level expertise and, beyond “time in grade,” a particularly subtle sensibility and genuine intellectual rigor, with the courage to call it as we see it.
Janet and I have gotten to know Richard well over the last several months and he fits those characteristics surpassingly well. We have often been approached by other people seeking to join Adam Smith, Esq., but this is truly a case of “the wait was worth it.” Richard will substantially expand our capacity to serve our consulting clients, new and old, with the thoughtful and distinctive level of service we always seek to deliver. But don’t take our word for it; simply read on to learn more about Richard.
An economist and business leader, Richard has a long record of success as a senior manager of professional service firms. For 18 years, from 1988 through 2005, he was president and CEO of NERA Economic Consulting. Under his leadership the firm grew to global scale with successful expansions into Europe, Asia, Australia and within the U.S. In collaboration with his partners, Richard designed the senior pay arrangements and supervised their evolution over decades – the origin of his expertise and continuing interest in senior compensation for professional service firms.
Richard served for many years as a member of the board of directors and management committee of the Mercer Consulting Group, a Marsh & McLennan Company subsidiary which included specialty businesses in actuarial and human resource consulting, change management, brand identity, and general management consulting. He also served on the board of directors and the executive committee of the Legal Aid Society of New York from 1992 to 2005. His experience encompasses nearly every aspect of professional service firm management including, for example, business forecasting, budgeting, the control of costs, office and practice expansions, and lateral hiring.
