Businesses will need to attract a different type of leader to take them through the recession, delegates at an executive search conference heard.

Speaking at the Association of Executive Search Consultants (AESC’s) annual conference in London yesterday, president of AESC Peter Felix said that the executive search sector is still growing, albeit much slower than in previous years. “From 2004 to Q3 2008, there was an 118% accumulative growth. This year there’s still a year-on-year 2.8% growth in revenues,” he told delegates. “The global war for talent will still grow, not just for companies but among countries.”

For the executive search consultant, the corporate challenges were many. “These tough times require a different type of leader to manage the companies through recession,” Felix said. “As well as the pressure to recruit and retain the best talent, you need to respond to candidate needs and be mindful of diversity.”

Keynote speaker Baronness Virginia Bottomley, chair of board practice & diversity practice at search firm Odgers Ray & Berndtson, was adamant that diversity is key for business. “Diversity is about real talent management and not tokenism,” she claimed. “Diversity shouldn’t be a response to legislation or corporate governance. We need new people at the table.”