Korn/Ferry International has acquired City recruiter Whitehead Mann. Financial details of the merger have not been revealed.

Gary D Burnison, chief executive of Korn/Ferry International, says: “The combination of Korn/Ferry and Whitehead Mann represents a marriage between two of the industry’s most pre-eminent executive search and leadership firms. The strategic alignment of our firms brings together a more comprehensive, diversified organisation that will deliver unmatched capabilities and further extend our brand throughout the world.”

Piers Marmion, chief executive of Whitehead Mann, who is due to be appointed to the role of chairman of Europe Middle East and Africa for Korn/Ferry, says: “Whitehead Mann and Korn/Ferry are both leading brands closely aligned in practice areas, markets and our overall strategic approach to working with clients. This merger will extend our collective capabilities, build on our shared strengths and create more opportunities with clients who will benefit from our unparalleled, combined expertise.”

Recruitment Society chairman Steve Huxham, who runs his own executive search firm Hux Executive Recruitment, told Recruiter: “One would have to ask whether this is being done from a position of strength or weakness in the market.

“There has got to be questions over conflict of interest and off-limits agreements with the clients of both firms.

“I suspect that there will be an awful lot of big firms looking at their list of headhunters.”