New Year/New Challenge? Market Review of 2015…£1m of Live Roles for 2016
Happy New Year!
The beginning of 2015 saw unprecedented activity in Executive Search, activity levels which only increased as the year developed, mirroring business confidence and general economic optimism.
That momentum was carried into 2016, even before it began, with over £1m of live vacancies to start our New Year. Details on those below.
2015 saw salary levels begin to increase across the board (& not just the Board) – first time for 5 years, although package values and in particular performance rewards have increased significantly more. Salaries are still not up to the over inflated 2007 levels, but package values are already significantly higher.
Soft and Hard Equity has made a very real return to executive packages, with over 25% of the role we were retained on last year including equity participation.
Another positive metric for 2015 was seeing over 75% of retained roles being newly created opportunities, plus all replacement roles offered a higher package/terms.
Positive news also for Women On Boards. Despite the ‘Smoke and Mirrors’ nature of hitting Lord Davies’ arbitrary-set 25% female representation on FTSE-100 boards, female placements bounced back from 2014’s 41% back to very nearly 50% (and a last-minute 23rd Dec offer going to a male candidate rather than the female candidate was all hat prevented breaking 50%! The average female remuneration was nearly 20% higher than 2014 at £112,000 (but still behind the average male salary of £128,000).
Further encouraging trends included the volume of young businesses we worked with. Over 30% of our retained roles were with businesses that didn’t exist in 2010, all with 2015 financial turnover of over £2m, and all forecasting over £5m turnover within 3 years (two forecasting over £20m in that time).
Sector focus has been more varied than ever. Our top five sectors in 2015 were Digital, Retail, Bio-Science/Pharma, Technology and Manufacturing. Commercial/Sales roles still topped the most sought function but Operations/General Management closed the gap significantly in 2015.
Talent scarcity became a very real problem for businesses in 2015. Over 75% of business leaders cited Top Talent attraction as the biggest threat to their business growth/expansion plans in 2016. Proof of the challenge was further demonstrated by seeing over 30% of our retained work being picking up processes from clients who had seen less effective recruitment methods fail.
…So what of 2106? Quantity and Quality of opportunities is almost certain to
continue to improve. Expect salaries & packages to continue to grow faster as top-quality candidate availability becomes more difficult. We can also expect to see more innovative approaches to attract top talent, as well as greater attraction measures – Creative packages and Wealth Creation/Equity on offer.
And to get the new year off on the right foot, we start with £1m of live mandates [See list below….Click Job Title for further details]
But first: Peruse our recruitment guides:
CV Tips
First Impressions at Interview
Competency Based Interviews: What to ask. How to Answer
31 Hacks to Help Your Next Career Move
20 tips to turn your next Video Interview into an Oscar winner
Interviewing. 20 Questions That Could Make All The Difference
Getting Noticed by HeadHunters
What to do WHEN you get HeadHunted.
Chairman/women
Non-exec
FMCG
£500-1000/day + Equity
Entrepreneurial B2B group recently gone through an MBO backed by one of the UK’s most respected PE-houses. Next step is to appoint a highly experienced and energetic Chairman to guide the management team through the next phase of the business’s ambitious growth plans and steer them towards the next transaction/exit.
Managing Director (Equity Potential)
Private-Equity Backed Group
Commercial Bio-Science/Healthcare Group
£90-120,000 plus exceptional package including equity.
Outstanding opportunity for a commercial, sales background Managing Director to join an immensely exciting, Private Equity Backed, high-margin Group. The business has seen their market explode, and has huge opportunities to be gained from devising both operational and commercial strategies with the ultimate objective of driving profitable growth.
Head of Digital/Digital Marketing Director
Retail/eCommerce/OmniChannel
£100,000 + Exec package & Wealth Creation
Outstanding opportunity for an experienced Digital Marketing Director, to lead a highly innovative marketing team and head-up this marketing-led B2C/Retail/e-Commerce/OmniChannel group.
Sales Director
FMCG
£90k + Package/Equity
Highly impressive B2B wholesale group, responding to recent growth and accelerated development plans through the appointment of a focused Sales Director to drive growth over £100m
Interim Finance Director
Market Leading Home Improvement Group
M40 Corridor
£500/day (c£100,000 + Package/Bonus/Equity when Perm).
This is an amazing Interim-to-Perm opportunity to join one of the UK’s leading Home Improvement, Kitchen/Bathroom supplier, a highly entrepreneurial group currently seeing significant growth
Chief Financial Officer
Northern England
c£80-100,000, plus exceptional Executive Package Plus Equity
This is an outstanding opportunity to join one of the most exciting Technology Service Start-Ups in the region.
Finance Director
Retail
£80-100k + Package/Equity
Great board-appointment with one of the UK’s best known niche high-street retailers. Full remit over all financial and commercial matters, working closely with and reporting to the Group CEO.
Operations Director
Digital Agency
£50-60k + Package
Amazing success story; Ground-breaking Digital agency that has grown from inception to a multi-million pound business in just over 3 years. Shunned away from convention in the ways they operate to stand-out in this highly competitive industry. This appointment is in direct response to that growth, taking full day-to-day responsibility for the business and it’s operations.
Sales Director
Innovative Start-Up
£80k + Package & Equity
Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join a well-funded, highly innovative embryonic start-up. Having recently launched their patented prototype, they have already had £multi-million interest from major global corporations, from several huge markets and different industries, as well as interest in providing further investment capital from both the UK and US. Driving sales is now a key focus through the appointment of this executive, equity holding appointment
Sales Director/Customer Engagement
Aerospace
£80k + Package
Outstanding opportunity to join a market leading Aerospace Engineering Group. Highly commercial, relationship-led appointment tasked with further penetrating into the global Aerospace Sector where they already have not only an outstanding reputation, but are almost without exception, already working close with. This is a role to take already open doors and push them further open.
European Brand Manager
Luxury
£70k + Package
Career accelerating opportunity for an up and coming Brand specialist/professional to join a major UK-based, prestigious wholesaler and spearhead their European sales and relationships. Working with some of the most high-profile brand names across the globe.
Online/Performance Marketing Manager
eCommerce
£70k
Exceptional opportunity to join a well-funded, entrepreneurial, market leading eCommerce business in a newly created, business critical role. The role sits on the Senior Management Team with influence across the business and a responsibility for all eCommerce and Digital performance, strategies and development.
Property Director
Retail
£70k + Package
This is a great opportunity to join one of the country’s most exciting retailers as Head of Property, taking responsibility for both ongoing management of this rapidly growing estate, but moreso the challenge of new store acquisition, the role is an exciting challenge for a retail property professional and a fantastic time to join this high-growth, debt-free business.
Head of IT
Omni-Channel
c£50k
Outstanding opportunity to join a high-profile, high-quality, omni-channel retail business. The appointee will have full responsibility for the group’s IT Operations and IT Infrastructure teams.
Sales Manager/Director Designate
Technology Group
£50-60k + Package & Equity
This young business is already a success story. Two years into existence and their turnover has broken through £1m with £2m in sight for year 3. A critical part of that acceleration is to bring a hungry experienced Data-Centre Business Development Manager/Sales Manager into the business, with the expectation that the individual will rise to Sales Director
Business Development Manager
Digital/Creative Sector
c£50-65k + Excellent Bonus & Package
Outstanding opportunity to join, and be a key part in the future of one of the country’s most exciting, high-growth and new digital marketing agencies. This management appointee will take a key responsibility for the business development across a national portfolio.
Group Marketing Manager
IT/Tech
£50k + Package & Equity
Great opportunity to join an entrepreneurial, innovative young business supplying both SME and Corporate Markets with market leading consulting, technology and support services through traditional infrastructure and cloud-based solutions. This Senior Management Appointment is tasked with managing the day-to-day marketing activities of the organisation and long-term marketing strategy for the company.
Head of Commercial Trading
B2B/Education
£50-60k
Outstanding opportunity to join a true market leading, household name group. Known for both consumer and B2B offerings, across various ‘consumables’ product sectors, dominating majority of the verticals they operate in, this is the chance to make a name for yourself as they dramatically increase their exposure to the education sector.
Strategic Sales & Marketing Manager
Digital Marketing Agency
c£40-50k + Bonus, Package & Share Scheme
Highly commercial role for a marketing aware sales manager to join a business, rich with inbound enquiries, and assist in the conversion of these enquiries into profitable sales. Taking a Marketing Consultative approach, this role is as much about understanding, interpreting and responding to potential customer requirements, and formulating a proposed approach to secure the win, as it about hardline sales growth – although the objective is the same!
Business Development Manager – Web/Tech Sales
Digital/Tech Sector
Manchester
c£40-50k + Excellent Package
Outstanding opportunity for a web and technology platform solution sales professional to join, and be a key part in the future of one of the country’s most exciting, high-growth and longest established digital/tech agencies.
National Account Managers (FMCG)
FMCG Wholesale
£60k + Package
Chance to join an established market leader and assume responsibility for a huge range of premium branded products into a large spread of clients from major multiples (Big-4 supermarkets/Top-10 Sector Retailers) right through to niche specialist retailers, offering the entire portfolio of this impressive business’s product range including numerous exclusive.
Buying Manager/Senior Buyer
Wholesale
£60k + Package
Exciting opportunity for an experienced Senior Buyer (or ambitious Buyer) to join a very well established and expanding luxury brand wholesale business; An unrivalled market leader, innovator and hub of both business and consumer markets, their growth and profitability are unparalleled in their market(s).
Senior Merchandiser
Luxury Brand
to£60k
Outstanding opportunity for a career-hungry Merchandiser to join one of the North’s leading and most exciting retailers.
garychaplin.com 
Great insight as always Gary. Really enjoy reading your commentary, your emails are so informative compared to the usual recruitment tripe your competitors send out. Well done!
Interesting stats, nice to see all factors improving, including the Women in Business. Why can’t we all aim for 50%? Thanks for sharing Gary