Today’s business climate could hardly be more challenging. Global capital markets have been in a state of turmoil since the financial crisis in 2008. Fiscal policy makers and central banks have intervened to stimulate growth, however, the turbulence has led many corporate leaders to focus on topics such as global consolidation, mergers and acquisitions, business transformation, operational excellence, risk management, new technologies and organizational capabilities, to name just a few. Some businesses also require significant restructuring and cost reduction programs to enable future sustainability.
Business and professional services firms have grown in complexity and increasingly face the organizational issues once reserved for large multinational corporations. Today, they are reshaping themselves to provide a broader range of consulting services to increasingly sophisticated clients who demand cost-effective and diverse solutions, while striking a balance between the need for professional management and the desire to preserve the unique elements of their culture.
The Business & Professional Services Industry is a fast-growing industry that has continued to evolve and transform itself. It is characterized by ongoing innovation, global capabilities, intense competition and margin pressures. Intellectual capital is the single most important source of competitive advantage, since the capabilities and judgment offered by the company’s professionals directly impact the services and value offered to clients. As a result, successful firms must aggressively recruit and retain highly qualified talent on a continuous basis.
As a consequence, services organizations increasingly turn to top-tier executive search firms to assess their leaders and senior teams, fill gaps in their succession plans, and help them accelerate growth in particular markets.