Executive recruiters need to regionalise their searches rather than banking on the worldwide possibilities of the market if they are not to become ‘dinosaurs’.

That was the message from executive search expert Elizabeth Haywood, regional chair of Clydesdale Bank, at the third Executive Research Association conference held at Sadler’s Wells theatre, London.

Haywood, a former director of the Confederation of British Industry Wales and Welsh Woman of the Year in 1994, told the audience of more than 80 delegates that ‘localisation’ was a better move for the market than ‘globalisation’.
“Such is the sifting process needed to get through the wealth of candidates available, I think both they and clients will have to rethink their approach to the application process,” she said.

Also, in her speech, Will we be the new dinosaurs?, Haywood insisted the executive search market was alive and well, particularly in the public sector.
“I think our death has been exaggerated,” she said. “For example, about 40% of the senior civil servants in the Welsh Assembly will retire in the next five years, so search will continue to play an important role.”

Simon Stephenson, co-chairman of the Executive Research Association, said that feedback from the conference was unanimously positive, but that next year’s event may take a different slant.
“We perhaps missed the candidate viewpoint this year. That’s something for us to bear in mind for our next event,” he said.