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The Professional Services sector has grown at more than 10% during the last five years. The success of such firms depends on acquiring, developing, and retaining professional talent, and configuring their talent pool to most effectively meet rapidly changing market needs.
As the sector has grown, so has competition. The historic model of long-term client relationships has changed as firms have shifted from local to national and national to global platforms. Firm assignments, which before might have been obtained through personal relationships, are now often won through sophisticated marketing campaigns and dedicated sales resources. It has also been observed that client relationships have been shifting toward project-based assignments from retainer relationships. Also, larger firms are assembling teams of specialized subcontractors to deliver complex projects. The implication for smaller firms is to market to the larger firms as well as to clients directly.
The average size of professional service firms has been growing due to consolidation. Local firms are expanding to national and even global platforms to serve major clients, and “mega firms” with tens of thousands of professionals are emerging. Clients are increasingly looking for multi-service firms to deliver complex projects. As client expectations rise, firms that can deliver integrated solutions are leading many engagements. Professional services organizations are shifting from the partnership model to complex corporate structures. This not only has legal and financial implications, but also affects organizational culture.
Organizations based on human capital must have a human resource strategy at the core of their business strategy to navigate the changes the sector is facing. They must have a clear vision of the role they will play in the market — technical resource, client relationship leader, project leader of subcontractors, market leader — and plan their talent acquisition, development, and retention accordingly.
The ability to articulate the role the company will play in the evolving market and to identify the professionals who best align with that strategy is critical. At August Leadership, we help our clients identify and recruit professionals who not only have requisite technical skills, but who also match the firm’s strategy and cultural goals.
Claire has spent seventeen years in executive search and focuses on leadership positions in consumer, industrial and professional services.
With 25 years of recruiting experience, Wim has served automotive and diversified manufacturing clients for both publicly and privately held clients.
Lukas Beech is one of the most influential search consultants in Asia, with about 20 years of deep expertise, especially in the Korean market.
Jane Feng is an Advisory Partner of August Leadership, based in Shanghai.
Arne specializes in top management positions in trade, FMCG, luxury goods and media industries. Arne also leads a personnel diagnostics business, Scan Up AG.
Michael is a Partner of August Leadership
Jerry manages searches for HR leaders across diverse industries and organizations, leveraging his three decades of global HR and executive search expertise.
John founded iMask Intelligence after a decorated career in federal law enforcement, bringing his singular investigative expertise to the private sector.
Katarina is an accomplished executive search professional and has 20-plus years of global experience in management consulting, recruiting, and executive search.
As an innovator, Asad has founded and now leads August Leadership, one of the fastest-growing executive leadership search firms.
Chun has more than 12 years executive search experience.
Markos leads operations in Australia. With over 25 years of experience, Markos focuses on the Technology, Private Equity, and Retail industries.
As a trusted leadership advisor to boards, Mary chairs the Board & CEO Practice at August Leadership.
Sky has over 30 years of diverse industry experience, with a strong focus on automotive and automation solutions industry in Asia and North America.
James serves key clients in the industrial, consumer, technology and professional services sectors. He has a keen interest in innovative, technology-enabled industrial, consumer and healthcare businesses.
