Boutique is the future for executive search, Jenn tells London congress
5 November 2013
Boutique search firms represent the future of executive search, yet to become a global presence, a clear speciality and a global mindset are essential for such firms, a global authority on headhunters has told the European Executive Search Congress.
Tue, 5 Nov 2013Boutique search firms represent the future of executive search, yet to become a global presence, a clear speciality and a global mindset are essential for such firms, a global authority on headhunters has told the European Executive Search Congress.
“You’ve got to stand for something, and stand for something globally,” said Nancy Garrison Jenn, an adviser to global companies on the selection of executive search firms worldwide.
During her talk at the London event yesterday (4 November) on global executive search trends, Jenn identified 10 executive search firms operating in the UK as “firms of interest”. Jenn’s top 10 did not include what she referred to as the global top five executive search firms: Egon Zehnder, Heidrick & Struggles, Korn/Ferry, Russell Reynolds and Spencer Stuart.
Financial services executive search firm Sheffield Haworth, also a longstanding presence in the Recruiter HOT 100, was one of the group. Jenn pointed out: “For a boutique to become global is very difficult. But Sheffield Haworth are trying.” Within the 10, she also identified private equity headhunters Skill Capital as a firm that had “positioned themselves very clearly”.
The other eight spotlighted by Jenn were recently-merged CTPartners Augmentum, Hedley May, JCA/MWM/Zygos, Leathwaite, Maxwell Drummond, Norman Broadbent, Odgers Berndtson and Stonehaven.
“The message is, don’t be a generalist,” Jenn said. “Figure out what you do well, and do it even better.”
The congress continues today at the Grange City Hotel. Check back on recruiter.co.uk for more from the event.
“You’ve got to stand for something, and stand for something globally,” said Nancy Garrison Jenn, an adviser to global companies on the selection of executive search firms worldwide.
During her talk at the London event yesterday (4 November) on global executive search trends, Jenn identified 10 executive search firms operating in the UK as “firms of interest”. Jenn’s top 10 did not include what she referred to as the global top five executive search firms: Egon Zehnder, Heidrick & Struggles, Korn/Ferry, Russell Reynolds and Spencer Stuart.
Financial services executive search firm Sheffield Haworth, also a longstanding presence in the Recruiter HOT 100, was one of the group. Jenn pointed out: “For a boutique to become global is very difficult. But Sheffield Haworth are trying.” Within the 10, she also identified private equity headhunters Skill Capital as a firm that had “positioned themselves very clearly”.
The other eight spotlighted by Jenn were recently-merged CTPartners Augmentum, Hedley May, JCA/MWM/Zygos, Leathwaite, Maxwell Drummond, Norman Broadbent, Odgers Berndtson and Stonehaven.
“The message is, don’t be a generalist,” Jenn said. “Figure out what you do well, and do it even better.”
The congress continues today at the Grange City Hotel. Check back on recruiter.co.uk for more from the event.
