Former head of Global BD for KPMG, Media Host, Business Coach
Hilary Fordwich is an accomplished global business development expert with over 30 years of experience. She brings a powerful blend of corporate leadership and media presence to every stage. Known for her dynamic and engaging delivery, Hilary’s keynotes equip audiences with actionable strategies to strengthen business growth and enhance leadership through strategic relationship building. Her sessions are both inspiring and grounded in real-world application, making them ideal for corporate and association events. Backed by a vast network of C-suite leaders and long-standing community involvement, she delivers not just insight—but impact.
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Hilary Fordwich Keynote and Testimonals
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During this session attendees learn how to build and manage relationships resulting in real & measurable business growth due to quickly establishing trust, respect & likability. This is critical to achieve as in all technical fields such as finance, engineering, architecture, IT, law and accounting, only about 15% of financial success is due to technical knowledge, while 85% is due to these human engineering skills.
Highly motivational & inspirational while tactical & practical.
Takeaways Include:
In all orals presentation situations ask why one professional service firm was selected over another & the typical refrain is: “They were our kind of people. They understood our business. We knew we could work with them. In a nutshell, they spoke our language!” This session has resulted in large wins for Hilary’s clients. We work with the presentation team from start to finish as an oral presentation coach or at any juncture during the process to secure new business.
Takeaways Include:
These sessions demonstrate that golf is one of the most powerful business development and career advancing tools. Golf is the great equalizer, leveling the playing field, bringing in new business and creating alliances to deepen existing client relationships.
Takeaways include:
Hilary Fordwich is a distinguished business development leader with a global career spanning over three decades. She served as Head of Global Business Development for KPMG, where she held leadership roles across several U.S. offices including New York, Long Island, and Washington, D.C., as well as internationally in Amsterdam. In the U.S., she also held executive positions including Vice President of Global Marketing and Executive Board Member at James Martin & Co. (now Headstrong) and served in senior roles at leading firms such as Beers & Cutler, PLC, and Qorvis Communications, LLC.
Hilary is a sought-after keynote speaker who has presented to Fortune 1000 firms and at a wide range of global conferences, industry associations, and academic institutions. Her speaking engagements include The World Congress, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Contract Management Association, American Marketing Association, Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS), British American Business Association (BABA), Legal Marketing Association, Women in Technology (WIT), CREW, and Microsoft’s Annual Conference. She has also delivered keynotes at institutions such as William & Mary and American University’s Kogod MBA Leadership Series.
In addition to her corporate and speaking career, Hilary is an international media correspondent on political, economic, and royal affairs. Her insights have been featured on ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox Business, NewsNation, GB News, Fortune, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and NPR’s Marketplace, among many others. She hosted Government Contracting Weekly on CBS affiliate W*USA-9 and has contributed expert columns to the Washington Business Journal and Smart CEO.
Hilary is also a recognized figure in the business and golf community. She has served as a commentator on ABC’s Capital Golf Weekly, hosted segments such as “Hilary’s on Course,” and taught “Golf for Business and Life” at the University of Maryland. A five-time Club Champion and former competitor in the U.S. Women’s Southern Amateur, she is currently a National GolfWeek Course Rater and serves in leadership roles with the PGA, LPGA, and Senior PGA Championship media teams.
Deeply engaged in community and board service, Hilary has held leadership positions with Revere Bank, The First Tee of DC, Junior Achievement, and Easter Seals, among others. A naturalized U.S. citizen originally from England, she graduated magna cum laude from the University of Mary Washington and is an active member of the Economic Club of Washington, D.C., and Congressional Country Club. She resides with her family in Potomac, Maryland.
Hilary did an incredible job of bringing our senior leadership team together with a shared sense of purpose at a time of enormous challenge and opportunity. She has been a key part of our leadership development program, helping us to accelerate the pipeline of talent into our senior ranks.
Unisys Federal Systems
Hilary managed to keep over 200 executives captivated with top notch advice for almost two hours. She is edutainment with an emphasis on the educational content. Her attitude & passion for business development is contagious!
Northrop Grumman
Hilary’s presentation to more than 250 of our top employees had a standing-room-only crowd of senior leaders riveted, learning and laughing! Hilary’s simple & memorable tips will help our employees take perfect care of each customer, each business partner & each other every day. We received waves of positive feedback about Hilary. We are most thankful to Hilary for sharing her insights & her passion!
PenFed Credit Union
