The BRM Advantage in the Age of AI: Why Relationships Are the Real Intelligence
Over the past two years, AI has dominated headlines, meetings, and strategies. But Kooner cautioned that while organizations race to adopt new tools and models, they risk overlooking something more fundamental—relationships. “If this webinar didn’t have AI in the title,” Kooner joked, “we might not even have the turnout we have today. But I want to talk about what really keeps us together—relationships.” Kooner urged attendees to see relationships as a strategic asset rather than a soft skill. As automation and digital tools evolve, human connection, empathy, and trust are becoming the differentiators that technology cannot replicate. “AI can process information at scale,” she said, “but humans process emotion at depth.”
From Super-Size to Right-Size: Lessons for the BRM
In a world where Big Gulps and “Super-Size Me” are cultural staples, it’s easy to assume bigger is always better. Scale matters—or at least, that’s what we’re told. But for Business Relationship Managers (BRMs), the conversation around scope and impact takes on a very different meaning. For BRMs, impact without alignment is meaningless. In our work, scope might refer to the scale of a project, the operational effect of a new system, the breadth of a strategy, or even the depth of a relationship with a business partner. The real challenge isn’t spotting magnitude—it’s making sure everyone defines it the same way.
The Power of Role Clarity: Why it Matters More than Ever
In many organizations today, blurred roles between Business Relationship Managers (BRMs) or Technology Business Partners and Product Owners (POs) create confusion, friction, and lost opportunity. Both roles exist to create value—but without clear boundaries and intentional design, even the best efforts can collide instead of connect. A recent McKinsey study showed that while 92% of companies are increasing their AI investments, only 1% believe their digital transformations are mature. This gap isn’t just about technology—it’s about clarity. When it’s unclear who ensures alignment and who drives delivery, value gets lost between strategy and execution.
Leading Through Connection: Why the Future Belongs to Advanced Relationship Leaders
As artificial intelligence accelerates change and organizations transform at unprecedented speed, the true differentiator for leaders will no longer be how fast they move—but how deeply they connect. In his keynote, “The Path to Becoming an Advanced Relationship Leader,” Glenn Remoreras makes a compelling case that in a world reshaped by automation, remote work, and hybrid collaboration, the greatest advantage we have left is profoundly human: the ability to build trust and lead through authentic relationships.
Imagine your name with BRMP after it. Feels good, right?
Imagine your name with BRMP after it. Feels good, right? Not just because it looks impressive on LinkedIn, but because it’s proof. Proof that you know how to influence, guide strategy, and get things done. Now, imagine using your year-end training budget to make that happen. Yes, right now, as the clock winds down on 2025, your organization probably has funds set aside for professional development.
From Notes to Strategy: How Tools Transform Collaboration & Impact
Of course, tools alone don’t solve the hardest challenge: alignment. Even when insights are captured and visible, leaders and staff often measure success with completely different yardsticks. In the next article, From Super-Size to Right-Size: Lessons for the BRM, we’ll explore how BRMs right-size value — ensuring that impact, no matter how small or large, is understood and shared across the enterprise.
That’s a Wrap! The 2025 World BRMConnect Conference: A Celebration of Learning, Connection and Growth
What a week! BRMConnect brought the global BRM community together for three days of powerful panels, inspiring keynotes, interactive workshops, and plenty of unforgettable moments. The energy was unmatched, the learning was deep, and the connections made will carry us forward well beyond the conference. The program was packed with highlights. Bristol Myers Squibb shared how their BRM team is helping create life-saving technologies for cancer patients, showing the real-world impact of strong business relationship management. Our AI panel brought together experts from higher education to explore how BRM and artificial intelligence are shaping the future, sparking conversations that will keep us pushing boundaries as professionals.
The 2025 Global BRM Community Excellence Award Winners
We are excited to announce this year’s Global Excellence Award Winners, the most prestigious awards within the BRM community. Recipients of this year’s awards were nominated by their peers for outstanding positive impact to the BRM community. Please join us in celebrating them at the 2025 World BRMConnect Conference!
Where Mission Meets Technology: The Quiet Power of Public Sector BRMs
The question isn’t whether BRMs are essential — it’s whether we’re equipping them with the visibility, authority, and tools to lead transformation from the inside out. This is the kind of work that doesn’t just improve systems — it restores trust, enhances access, and quietly transforms communities. In a world that desperately needs better government experiences, public sector BRMs aren’t just part of the solution — we’re helping define it. The truth is, public sector BRMs can’t rely on charisma or heroics to sustain trust. We need tools, systems, and practices that make alignment stick beyond individual conversations.
BRM is a Capability, Not Just a Role
Because when BRM is treated as a capability — not just a title — you stop relying on individuals to “fix the disconnect,” and start building an organization where connection is part of how you operate. Having a BRM isn’t enough. Building BRM capability is how you scale trust, alignment, and value. And until organizations shift their thinking, they’ll continue to miss out on the full potential of what Business Relationship Management is designed to do — and worse, they confine BRMs to reactive, low-value roles as tactical intermediaries — minimizing their ability to drive impact or influence outcomes.
Translating BRM Institute Principles into Practice: My Experience as Tarleton’s Inaugural BRM for Research
There is still so much to do. One area I’m particularly passionate about is advocating for more support for qualitative research. At Tarleton, we’ve made great strides in quantitative and data-intensive work, but we still lack robust support for qualitative methodologies in comparison. Supporting methodological diversity will be essential as we move toward R1 status. I’m also focused on expanding our network of research “champions”—faculty who understand the value of this role and who can help build bridges within their departments. Up to now, I’ve relied heavily on familiar relationships to build momentum. But in year two, I’m committed to broadening that reach.
The MBRMs Leading the Way in 2025
Few milestones in Business Relationship Management carry the weight, dedication, and prestige of earning the Master of Business Relationship Management (MBRM) designation. It’s not just a credential—it’s the culmination of years of learning, leading, and living the BRM philosophy. As we step into 2025, we celebrate the remarkable professionals who have achieved this pinnacle of excellence. These MBRMs stand as examples of what’s possible when curiosity meets discipline, when strategy is paired with empathy, and when value is relentlessly pursued and delivered. Their journeys inspire, their leadership transforms, and their impact ripples far beyond their organizations. This year, we proudly spotlight the individuals who have reached the summit—recognizing not just their accomplishment, but the passion and perseverance it took to get here.
Versatile by Design: Shaping the Future of BRM in UK Government
In government contexts, with resource constraints and fluctuating priorities, this agility is essential. At HMT, it entails managing diverse responsibilities—from leading discussions on emerging technologies to optimizing operations with existing infrastructure—while maintaining alignment with objectives. Satya Nadella captures this breadth: “Be passionate and bold. Always keep learning. You stop doing useful things if you don’t learn.” For BRMs, this commitment to continuous development transforms generalists into dynamic contributors, adept at managing complexity.
The Freedom to Invest Act Just Opened the Door to BRMP and CBRM
You’ve heard the phrase “invest in yourself” a hundred times. But now? Now it’s real. The Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act puts actual dollars behind your desire to upskill—and it’s a game-changer for professionals aiming to earn certifications like BRMP (Business Relationship Management Professional) and CBRM (Certified Business Relationship Manager). Here’s the bottom line: You can now use your 529 education savings plan to pay for professional certifications—including BRMP and CBRM. That’s right. Tax-free. No strings. No fluff.
The Future of Business Is Human — And It Starts With Relationships.
If you think Ted Lasso is just a show about soccer, you’re missing the real magic. Ted Lasso is about leading with heart, building trust before performance, and showing that empathy and results aren’t opposites — they’re partners. Sound familiar?
If you work in Business Relationship Management (BRM), it should. Because in many ways, Ted Lasso is the ultimate BRM.
The Hard Work of Human Work: Why BRMs Are Built for What’s Coming
There’s a growing unease in boardrooms, project stand-ups, and hallway huddles. We’re automating faster than we can understand, decision velocity is breaking sound barriers, and somewhere in the blur, people still expect connection, purpose, and value that matters. It’s a strange time to be in business—and exactly the right time to be a Business Relationship Manager. Let’s be clear: BRM isn’t a box on the org chart. You don’t have to carry the title “Business Relationship Manager” to be one. Because BRM isn’t a job. It’s a capability. It’s a way of thinking, leading, and relating that anyone in any role can build.
The 2025 BRM Salary Survey Is Now Open — Be Part of the Most Trusted Compensation Report in the Industry
Now open from July 1 through September 30, the BRM Salary Survey is the foundation of the BRM Compensation Report — the most trusted and comprehensive global measure of BRM compensation, benefits, and career benchmarks. This annual report is built directly from the real-world data shared by BRMs like you from across the globe. It’s more than numbers — it’s the pulse of a profession.
A Road Well Taken: How I Discovered I Was a BRM All Along
As technology races ahead faster, smarter, and more integrated, our greatest differentiator will still be people. Tools may evolve, but it takes thoughtful, emotionally intelligent leaders to harness them meaningfully. That’s the real challenge, and the true opportunity of roles like BRM.