Nominations for The BD100 2027 are open
The art and science of finding growth
Nominations for The BD100 2027 are open, and this year's theme is The Art & Science of Business Development.
From my conversations with agency leaders on what they need to unlock new levels of growth, this theme is absolutely spot on. It’s become increasingly clear just how essential good BD is for an agency’s progress and sustainability, and I think the people who find growth deserve the spotlight!
Why we keep turning up
The BD100 is now in its ninth year, and DNA is proud to be back as Official Talent Partner and Sponsor of the Business Developer of the Year Award. Championing the people that make creative work possible has also been a core part of our mission, and for too long the results in BD have been expected but rarely celebrated.
That’s been changing since The BD100 started.
I like that because I believe the person who spotted the opportunity and championed the relationship is as critical as the creative work that usually gets the applause.
Growth and commercial leadership is where we spend a lot of our time at DNA. These are the people we work with every day, and I want to make sure we’re in the room when their work finally gets the credit and recognition it’s earned.
The art was always there
Great BD has always been built on relationships and instinct. You need a thick skin and a knack for reading people, and neither of those has gone anywhere.
What's changed is everything that now sits alongside them. The best growth people I speak to are as comfortable with data and pipeline intelligence as they are in a pitch room. They let AI take on the research and the admin, and they're more often the people shaping the agency's positioning and deciding which markets to go after next.
And the science side of the theme is also showing up in the briefs we get. A few years ago, most agencies asked us for someone who could open doors. Now they want someone who can open doors and then tell the board which ones are worth walking through.
Why the wrong hire costs more now
Too many businesses still hire a strong account manager when they actually need a business developer or growth role. That gap between those two profiles is getting wider as BD becomes more strategic.
Someone who can manage and grow an existing client is a brilliant asset to have. But that skill set won't necessarily tell you where your next five clients are coming from. The people who make The BD100 tend to bring a level of commercial judgement that account management cannot deliver on its own.
Change is good news for BD
That judgement matters even more when the market is moving, and agencies are having a tough time of it at the moment. Clients want more for less, and the routes to growth look very different from even a few years ago.
I'm optimistic, and so is pretty much every good business developer I know. When the market shifts, new client needs turn up before anyone has built a service around them, and the people closest to the conversation spot them first. That's where BD does its best work.
The BD100 campaign line this year is The future is bright. You just need to know where to look. Knowing where to look is the job, and the best people in BD have been doing it for years without much fanfare.
Who should be recognised
Nominations are now open until 29 January 2027.
Recognition is rare in this part of the industry, so if a particular person has come to mind, put them forward while it's fresh: bd100.club/nominate
Award submissions open on 4th January and close on 26th February, with categories including Business Developer of the Year and Rising Star. The BD100 2027 list will be revealed on 14th April, and we'll celebrate the winners at The BD100 Awards ceremony at The Drum Labs again on 19th May.
And if you're an agency leader trying to work out what your next BD hire should look like, give me a shout. I know the best, and would love to help you find the right person for your business.
Ali Wallace
CEO, DNA Recruit
ali@dnarecruit.com
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