The executive search market is set to recover in 2010, according to executive search firm Hitchenor Wakeford.

Managing director John Wakeford says that already in the first quarter the firm is seeing increased demand for CFOs and senior finance executives, and retail and support services continue to boom, with increased international searches.

Wakeford says: “The last quarter of 2009 was extremely strong and November was a record month for us. We are seeing growth in financial services as international markets start to grow again. We have seen massive growth in support services, which grew by 50% in 2009.
 
“Clients have a need to hire to support growth plans/replace underperformers with top talent and strengthen the bench in terms of succession planning.”