Forvis Mazars scales up AI adoption with new Copilot Ambassadors Academy

In 2025, Forvis Mazars Group was scaling AI to improve productivity, quality and innovation. For this firm, AI is where people, processes and technology come together to maximize the full potential and value this delivers for its people, clients and its sustained success. To accelerate the firm’s AI strategy further, Forvis Mazars worked with NTT DATA to deliver enhanced training experiences on using Microsoft 365 Copilot. Through engaging workshops and development labs, over 50 change ambassadors enhanced their technical skills with new ways of working — transforming their expertise with genuine enthusiasm for change into more effective and efficient ways of working that will be championed with colleagues across the firm.

Empower employees to enhance skills and productivity with AI

Forvis Mazars Group knew what it wanted to achieve with AI: reduce the tedium of routine tasks, increase productivity and explore opportunities for further innovation across their teams worldwide. With an established AI strategy in place and Microsoft 365 Copilot licenses secured, this firm was ready to scale up its strategy by boosting development and increasing the capability of its people.

Knowing how to use Copilot was only part of the equation. Real transformation also requires a shift in mindset. The firm recognized that, as with any change, people need to support and feel supported as they embrace new ways of working. Here, the change was ensuring the buy-in of AI as a practical tool for solving everyday business challenges by encouraging teams to change the way they think and approach existing tasks and projects using Copilot to maximise their output.

To help their people see the value of Copilot, the firm launched its own Copilot Ambassadors Booster Lab. It followed a train-the-trainer methodology, selecting change ambassadors for AI from different regions, service lines and levels of seniority. With the right technical skills and the confidence and enthusiasm to inspire their peers, these individuals have sparked further demand (and need) for adoption on an international scale.

Online training is effective in some instances but presents challenges when it comes to change. It’s important for people to feel engaged and supported before getting comfortable with new approaches. Forvis Mazars saw an opportunity to create a more engaging experience. By shifting to in-person workshops, the firm aimed to create an environment where Copilot’s capabilities could be shared more effectively, where collaboration could flourish and a strong sense of community could be built. This hands-on approach was designed to inspire confidence and spark the innovative mindset needed for lasting, positive change.

As Jeroen Hofland, Head of Group Transformation Programme at Forvis Mazars Group, notes: “Putting people together in a room to share ideas and learn from each other is still incredibly powerful. That’s how you drive real progress among significant change.”

A new training academy to create a community of Copilot change champions

To maximize the value of Copilot licenses and employee engagement, Forvis Mazars wanted to work with an organization who could support in navigating the complexities of this change management project. The firm chose NTT DATA for our deep expertise in Microsoft 365 Copilot, AI and organizational transformation.

“NTT DATA’s consultants are very knowledgeable,” says Hofland. “They didn’t just provide training; they challenged us and enabled us to get the most value from Microsoft Copilot.”

We collaborated to design a train-the-trainer program, selecting more than 50 change champions from across the organization. These champions represent a cross-section of skill sets, expertise, geographies, service lines and seniority. They were chosen for their ability to inspire others and scale up usage locally. “We needed ambassadors who could feed knowledge back into their teams worldwide,” explains Hofland. “It was about creating a community of change ambassadors, not just running a one-off training course.”

Hofland continued, “The team adapted to fit the training to our needs, our people and specific timeframes. It felt like a natural collaboration, not just hiring someone to do something, but working together to make sure it happens in the right way.”

The workshops went far beyond basic tool instruction. While participants learned more on how to use Copilot, the real focus was on practical enablement. Working in small groups, participants enjoyed identifying real business challenges, brainstorming solutions and immediately began implementing AI-driven approaches.

The workshops launched an internal network of AI champions empowered to support ongoing use and innovation long after the training ended.

Fostering a community advances the organization’s AI strategy and long-term sustainable success

The training achieved exceptional engagement. Every ambassador that attended actively contributed to the discussion and achievements. The feedback was extremely positive. The train-the-trainer initiative gave Forvis Mazars’ ambassadors the skills and confidence in using this AI technology and has contributed to advancing the firm’s AI strategy. These change ambassadors are now equipped to champion the advantages of new ways of working with the latest AI-driven solutions, fostering greater productivity and innovation worldwide.

A community of change agents was created. Ambassadors learned how to use Copilot and, importantly, they identified the benefits of AI as a practical tool for solving real business challenges. Hofland reflected: “What stood out most was watching people from different nationalities come together. There was a distinct switch from cautious suggestions or having little examples of use cases to confidently demonstrating how they applied Copilot agents to tackle real business challenges in just two days, and being excited by the results that will enhance the way they can now work.”