Senior Executive Market Updates – Spring activity levels
The InterExec network of over 15,000 search consultants globally, report a consistent pattern reflecting a stronger Q2 and increasing optimism across the business sectors and main geographic regions.
Some immediate comments from the network:
“It’s increasingly busy in certain sectors like Financial and Corporate Services and Real Estate.”
“We are seeing significant activity in Renewable Energy – Offshore Wind Developments; Hydrogen, HV Transmission etc. Mostly P&L roles, some business development.”
“So far, so good, the LT future is super bright, overall can’t complain.”
“Whilst the past couple of years the UK has been main focus this seems to be changing towards the Middle East. The UK has slightly slowed this year and the huge Saudi Giga projects and UAE investments are taking some of the limelight.”
The technology space has been relatively sluggish in recent months but there are clear signs that the worst has now passed; larger IT Service providers and consultancies have for the most part finished their ‘rightsizing’ and although not showing significant growth as of yet, the market is clearly stabilising and again active.
Staying in tech, investment in start-ups and high growth businesses has been impacted over the last year thanks to a tandem of the issues at SVB and Credit Suisse along with high interest rates in the US, UK and Europe. However, there are signs that a corner may soon be turned; better economic news and central banks planning to lower interest rates has the market expecting an uptick in investment which naturally leads to opportunities being created at an accelerated pace.
Outside of technology, candidates within the finance skillset remain in high demand in the UK and Europe, particularly in sectors such as energy.
In financial services search consultants are currently interested in candidates from the following sectors:
Private Equity
Risk / Compliance
Wealth Management
FinTech
Data
Insurance
Pensions
Corporate Development / M&A
From a sector perspective there is evidence of increased activity in the NED and legal space and broad international involvement but not unexpectedly the UK continues to predominate. Within FMCG in particular, transformational skillsets are in high demand, be that digital, financial or business change more broadly.
Sustainability and ESG remain very much in the zeitgeist, be that through start-up organisations or an increased interest in candidates with expertise in these areas for organisations across all sectors.
Finding the right Search Consultant, with the most appropriate job opportunity to match your objectives in this unadvertised and often politically complex marketplace is the core InterExec skill. Additionally focussing and preparing you and planning the entire process by which you identify and find that new challenge is InterExec’s unique speciality.
In planning for your next career challenge in 2024 getting that process underway in the spring will take advantage of appointments search consultants continue to have mandates for. Please, do not hesitate to get in touch with the InterExec team, at any time up to 6 months prior to when you hope to move.