The Senior Executive recruitment market in the UK and other key European markets as well as the US and Middle East / Asia are becoming increasingly dynamic. Clearly there are still many factors at play; travel issues, Covid, logistics and supply chains, so not surprisingly there are potential employers and investors who continue to be unclear whether to “stick or twist”. For some a cautious voice in the boardroom is still being heard, but for many others the time to take action is evident and there are any number of significant business and geographic sectors where the search is intensifying to identify the right Senior Executive candidates.

With over 45 years of working with Senior Executives and an active network of 15,000+ Search Consultants worldwide, InterExec has experienced the wide range of ups and downs in the Senior Executive recruitment market. The news and views we currently hear from our global network now reflects a more buoyant situation and would encourage those who are thinking about their next key challenge to get the process underway.
 
An Overview
Some direct quotes from leading Search Consultants around the InterExec network give a clear view of the improving Senior Executive recruitment scene:

“things are definitely picking up, we just had our record quarter”

“Market is good all round. We only really kick in after £150K and the year is increasingly good”

“Globally the CEO / MD market above the £200K level, especially in the luxury segment, is looking very positive”

“I sense the market at the top end is about to get an awful lot busier”

“In mainland Europe the market now is very strong, so it’s a case of right time, right place for quality executives”

“Very dynamic for the right profiles, particularly CFOs Digital and Sustainability experts”

Market and Business Sector Specifics
The market in continental Western Europe is particularly active currently; most notably, the volume of opportunities coming to the market is strong in Switzerland and Germany; Candidates at CEO or CFO level are in high demand cross sector.

The Health-Tech Space and more broadly the intersection between Healthcare / Med Devices and Technology is a buoyant area currently.

The market in Hong Kong is starting to trend in a more positive direction than we have seen in recent years; the political situation has caused something of a ‘brain drain’ of native talent leaving a greater availability of opportunities for expats happy to remain and those returning.

Closer to home, in the UK there is now a strong need for experienced CIOs, this has not been the case in the recent past.

Candidates with a strong background in Digital Transformation remain in demand across the UK and Europe regardless of sector.

Consultancy / IT / FinTech / Business Change all continue to do well and the Investment Banking sector is increasingly active.

Summary
Whilst clear trends are still not guaranteed, there is a strong feeling that the market for Senior Executives in a number of business sectors is now buoyant. If hunting for the next key challenge is something you are considering, the time may now be right to start that process.

In searching for that challenge please do not hesitate to get in touch with the InterExec team.