Stuart Ferguson

Stuart Ferguson

President

Stout

Stuart Ferguson has nearly 15 years of strategy and financial consulting experience and is a recognized leader in advising professional services firms on strategy.

Prior to joining Stout, Stuart was a Managing Partner at Pointe Advisory, where he implemented the strategic recommendations he provides to other services firms, with an ambition of building the world’s best boutique consultancy. He also led Pointe’s Private Equity practice, which specializes in providing both buy- and sell-side commercial diligence services to a mix of middle-market and bulge-bracket private equity sponsors.

Stuart has led processes across more than 150 M&A deals, most recently leading engagements around investments in the professional services sector. In addition to M&A, he has years of experience in supporting business unit and enterprise leadership teams with prioritizing growth opportunities and developing sustained competitive advantages. In this capacity, Stuart has advised clients across a range of subsegments within the business services space, including firms that specialize in accounting, tax, legal services, risk, IT and AI strategy, restructuring, forensics, engineering, strategy, performance improvement, and more.

Prior to Pointe Advisory, Stuart worked in Bain & Co’s Private Equity Group and was an accountant at KPMG, specializing in hedge fund tax consulting.

Featured Sessions

Thursday, July 16, 2026
11:50 am
CPE Eligible

Strategic investment in accounting is no longer a niche topic reserved for the largest firms. As firms confront succession challenges, capital constraints, talent shortages, and the need to invest in technology, leaders are exploring a wider range of ownership and growth models — from traditional mergers to alternative practice structures and private equity-backed platforms. This panel will examine how the investment landscape is changing, what is driving interest in outside capital, and how firms of different sizes are thinking about long-term sustainability and growth. Private equity’s appeal has largely centered on access to capital for technology, M&A, new service lines, and liquidity for partners, while also introducing a very different operating mindset for firms.