Baker McKenzie’s Tampa Center hums like a precise hub. Within that ecosystem, Renee Agler, executive director, has guided a three-year ascent shaped by flexible talent models, process rigor and a culture summed up by one phrase: #lovewhereyouwork.
Agler recounts growth rooted in clear choices. Baker McKenzie’s Tampa Center expanded capability across 27 essential services that support global operations from risk management to billing to procurement to IT infrastructure. A flexible staffing approach matched skills to priorities, improved service and opened meaningful career paths. Recognition programs matured through experience tracking so contributions are visible and celebrated. The result is a platform that attracts high performers and retains them through purpose, learning and impact felt firmwide.
The future of work is treated as an active design challenge. Agler positions Baker McKenzie’s Tampa Center as a place where people and technology advance together. Training emphasizes digital dexterity, data fluency and change leadership so teams adopt new tools with confidence. Generative AI is introduced thoughtfully to streamline routine tasks. Leaders are coached to reimagine processes while safeguarding client trust. Innovation stays grounded in service that clients can feel.
Energy is sustained by habits that reignite commitment. Agler invests in recognition that feels authentic, communication that is transparent and listening that turns feedback into action. Daily standups, learning bursts and cross-functional projects help colleagues see how individual efforts connect to firmwide outcomes. That clarity makes progress tangible and turns excellence into practice rather than a campaign.
If given the opportunity, Agler would like to instantly master the skill of speaking multiple languages fluently. Travel with her husband has shown how much richer connections become when you move beyond basic phrases and understand local nuance. Speaking to people in their own language deepens respect, builds trust and invites more authentic collaboration across borders. The skill would elevate daily work in a global firm while widening empathy and cultural awareness in every setting.
A defining chapter highlights entrepreneurial leadership inside a large organization. Agler’s initiatives improved service delivery, matured recognition systems and anchored a talent philosophy that welcomes diverse backgrounds while insisting on shared standards. The year’s most valuable lesson was resilience. Embracing change, staying adaptable and maintaining a growth mindset enabled Baker McKenzie’s Tampa Center to navigate complexity without losing pace. That outlook underpins her distinction as a Titan 100 Honoree and reflects a commitment to impact measured by reliability and growth.
Her five-year vision is precise. Agler wants to keep strengthening the Tampa center as a cornerstone of Baker McKenzie’s global success. That means deeper capability in core services, sharper use of data to guide decisions and continued attention to a culture where people thrive. Agler measures success by teams that evolve, clients who feel the difference and a workplace where pride is earned daily. In that environment, excellence compounds and Baker McKenzie’s Tampa Center’s value remains unmistakable.
