The limitations of the traditional approach to executive search are becoming more visible. This is a time of significant market shifts, evolving client expectations, and increased pressure placed on the shoulders of senior and leadership teams to deliver growth and organisational transformation at pace. The industry is responding, but is it doing so fast enough?
For decades, global executive search has been dominated by what are known collectively in the industry as the ‘SHREK’ firms – Spencer Stuart, Heidrick & Struggles, Russell Reynolds Associates, Egon Zehnder, and Korn Ferry. Each was founded between 1953 and 1969 and collectively these five powerhouses have set the standards for retained search. However, this can sometimes be a double-edged sword.
Time is a precious commodity and one that few companies have in reserve. This is especially the case when it comes to hiring for senior positions. With the average time to hire a senior role through a traditional executive search firm being between six and 12 months, the pressure on teams to secure the right person for the right role and within the right time period has never been greater.
Yet, despite the degree of urgency for organisations to get someone in situ fast – traditional search firms remain embroiled in lengthy market mapping, multilayered stakeholder engagement, and extensive internal touchpoints. These things are great value-adders, but they invariably prolong the hiring process beyond what is necessary. This, in turn, puts the hiring organisation at risk of losing out on potential talent that is more readily accessible in the here and now.
Commenting on this, H&P Executive Search CEO, Jack Hayes, said:
“The average tenure of a CEO in the UK is under five years, according to Boston Consulting Group. It is also estimated that around 1 in 10 senior executives leave their post within the first 12 months, with a third doing do so within three years.
“Whilst these figures may be skewed by undisclosed interim hires and a growing number of fractional CEOs, overall, this means there is a wealth of talent which is in the market and open to discussing new opportunities at any one point – and hiring teams don’t want to miss out on securing the executive talent they really need because of lengthy search practices. They’re ready to hire now.”
From transactions to true partnerships
This is where H&P Executive Search steps forward as a genuine challenger brand with a model that is taking what everyone else is doing and purposefully re-engineering it in a way that meets the demands of what clients want and need from a top-tier executive search firm.
As Jack explains: “Our model is built on developing a partnership with the client whereby their long-term needs are considered as well as those in the short term – the two are not mutually exclusive. We recently appointed our highly experienced Commercial Partner Shannon McKechnie to lead on this and look though a strategic, long-term lens to make sure that all our clients are experiencing the best possible service and client care.
“Rather than beginning each mandate from a standing start, we assign a true sector specialist to the client – not a team with segmented responsibilities. That consultant will be deeply embedded in the market they serve and can use this to better define the role being hired for based on a solid understanding of the client’s strategic priorities, cultural nuances, and market complexities. Having one key individual in control of all the moving parts and party to all conversations also enables the hiring process to push forwards more quickly and consistently.”
This more focused and efficient approach is a relatively alien concept for many clients, but it has proven time and again to deliver more than the successful outcome they sought to achieve when issuing H&P with their mandate: it has provided them with access to a sector specialist who understands their business, their competitors, and the market environment in which they operate. This is critical in that clients are assured that their consultant is grounded in real-time industry intelligence which enables better understanding and, crucially, timely decision-making.
Speed without compromise
There are some truly exceptional executive search providers operating in the market right now, but few, if any, are able to successfully complete a high-priority senior hire at speed and without compromising on quality. This is a significant differentiator for H&P Executive Search at a time when client demand for executive search partners has increased 11% year-on-year (Hunt Scanlon) with double-digit growth predicted for the year 2026-27.
Our approach is personal. It is more agile, strategic, and aligned with the needs and increasing demands placed on professional services firms today. It is reshaping the way executive search is done. That’s the challenger approach we have adopted and the reason why H&P Executive Search has seen continued growth year-on-year since we launched in 2019.
