Odgers Berndtson says headhunters “bring expertise, sector knowledge and a breadth and depth of individual contacts” not typically available to clients, as newspaper reports reveal Boris Johnson has spent almost £450,000 on headhunters since taking office.

London’s Evening Standard reports that new figures reveal the Mayor has spent £446,600 on headhunters in the two years since he took over, with £308,865 going to Odgers Berndtson, while previous incumbent Ken Livingstone spent £50,000 between 2006-08 and £24,000 between 2004-06.

An Odgers Berndtson spokesperson told Recruiter: “Headhunting firms bring expertise, sector knowledge and a breadth and depth of individual contacts to their work that extend beyond those typically available to their clients, which is why those clients choose to use us.

“Odgers Berndtson has worked for the Greater London Authority (GLA) for the last two years. Every assignment undertaken has been awarded after a thorough, fair and open procurement process.  

“There have been a number of specific roles, and each of them was in the public domain at the time. Odgers has been one of several firms successfully bidding for these assignments.”