Global executive search specialists

As your executive search partners, it’s our mission to identify, attract and hire top-level HR roles within your business.

Also referred to as headhunting, executive search seeks out the very best talent for roles that are critical to the success of a business. With so much at stake as well as endless potential to be gained, executive search covers a broad range of aspects to land upon the most strategic decisions.

An executive search firm works with businesses throughout the process of hiring executive-level talent for their organisation.

Hiring executive-level talent involves some of the most important decision making within a business. Whether this is due to succession planning, internal re-restructuring, employee turnover or business growth, it is essential that the right talent is at the helm of your business.

Executive search firms such as Elliott Scott bring expertise into every part of the process to source candidates with the most suitable attributes.

Beyond identifying how candidates fit with the business goals and overall strategy, executive search firms also assist companies with aspects such as compensation benefits and employee onboarding.

Overall, executive search firms support the organisation through the entire process of identifying, engaging with and hiring top-level talent.

We invest in understanding your unique needs, leverage our global network, and maintain a commitment to excellence at every stage of the process.

Elliott Scott brings human resources expertise into our approach to executive search. That said, there are many ways we shape the process differently, owing to the nuances of executive search.

In general, HR can cover the day-to-day needs of a business relating to all aspects of people management. Sometimes, this can also include recruitment including writing job descriptions, screening candidates and onboarding new hires.

In contrast, executive search is a specialism where candidates are sourced purely for leadership and other highly strategic roles. Often, passive candidates are targeted to ensure there is a precise match of experience, skills and cultural fit.

Executive search also seeks to nurture the talent pipeline while also doing so with the utmost level of discretion to protect the interests of the company.

Here at Elliott Scott, something we believe in is investing heavily in all stages of our collaboration with your business.

In particular, that initial stage as we work to ascertain your needs. That is, taking the time to identify the skills, attributes and cultural fit the role calls for, including on both a practical and holistic level.

With a clear idea of what your organisation requires, the rest of the process can be set up for success, especially in terms of strategic alignment across all of the aspects which matter to your company.

Behind the scenes, we also take it upon ourselves to network as much as we can, and also keep up to speed with industry trends and developments.

We also have a podcast where we collaborate with insightful and inspiring minds to continue to broaden our approach to all things executive search, recruitment and HR.

Overall, we believe being invested in our work is the key factor in making executive search successful for our clients.

Executive HR search firms work extremely diligently on behalf of their clients to source and maintain engagement with candidates in the pipeline.

There are endless ways this can be achieved, including using multiple sourcing channels to identify candidates, and also continuing to nurture candidate relationships throughout the process.

Our executive search experts also know the importance of asking candidates for feedback. We pride ourselves on having authenticity with those we engage with throughout the process, and seek to continually improve our approach. In response, we can deliver the very best results for our clients.

Technology continues to drive innovation across every aspect of the executive search process.

In terms of candidate sourcing, technology has been instrumental in allowing for better connectivity to identify and engage with potential candidates. In particular, without the geographic restrictions that would have previously ruled out many candidates. Now, there are endless tools available to meet and collaborate virtually.

Beyond accessing a wider talent pool, technology can also serve a more important purpose by giving us data-driven insights across the executive search process as a whole.

Given the complexity of executive search due to the importance of finding the most suitable candidates for senior positions, technology can inform and shape the entire approach. In turn, this can look to reduce risk based on the data trends identified.

Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) should always be an integral part of an executive search. 

Beyond ensuring diversity within the workforce, there can be endless benefits in terms of innovation and business growth. That’s because diversity challenges conventional thinking and ultimately can result in continuous improvement. 

Typically, an executive search tends to draw a circle around potential candidates for high-level roles. However, this limited approach restricts the talent pool and reduces the potential for diversity in its many forms. That’s why it’s also important to consider the individual’s skills including transferable skills rather than sector-specific experience. 

If you are interested in learning more about this topic, we’ve previously discussed how leaders can start creating inclusive workforces on our HR Insights podcast. 

In some ways, an executive search conducted on an international scale follows the same principles of a regional talent search. That is, sourcing top-level talent for leadership positions based on the skills and attributes needed for the role.

However, it’s also true that the approach can differ depending on aspects such as leadership styles, local expertise, cultural sensitivity and expertise in challenging markets.

Elliott Scott has a global presence with offices in London, New York, Hong Kong, Singapore,
Gurugram and São Paulo.

If an international executive search is needed, we can curate the approach based on our global expertise. This includes overseeing employer branding, immigration and work permit considerations, global compensation benchmarks and managing communication across different time zones.

Any industry which is seeking high-level leadership roles can benefit from an executive search.

That said, executive search expertise can be of additional benefit when there are any specific challenges preventing a company from finding the right talent.

At Elliott Scott, the industries we specialise in for executive search include accounting, architecture, consulting & advisory, ecommerce, education, engineering, financial services, healthcare, hospitality, legal services, logistics & transportation, professional services, retail, tech and wholesale.

If you require an executive search for your industry, please get in touch with our team.

According to data published by the ONS, 29% of workers aged over 30 in the UK followed a hybrid working pattern. Overall, the signs are that hybrid working is here to stay. 

The decision of whether or not to embrace hybrid or remote working is different for every company. 

However, a positive aspect in terms of executive search is that both remote and hybrid working arrangements can extend the potential talent pool from a local to a global reach. 

Hybrid working is also associated with improved wellbeing, though it has also been shown to negatively impact women’s careers. With so many aspects to consider, hybrid and remote working requires careful consideration as well as ongoing observations. 

At Elliott Scott, we can assist your business with executive search based on whichever role format works best for your company. 

We also provide the ability to view hybrid jobs on our job search board. This supports companies who would be open to hybrid arrangement, and helps potential candidates in search of a hybrid role find available opportunities with ease. 

If you aren’t sure whether a hybrid or remote option is the best fit for your company, our experts can provide insights to help your business make an informed decision.

As an executive search firm, we can guide your company through what hybrid working entails, and most importantly whether hybrid working would be advantageous for your particular executive search.

If hybrid working is a concept you would be open to or have already incorporated into your business, then we can provide ongoing support.

Since hybrid working is a relatively new concept, it is a continually changing process. By keeping engaged in the wider industry trends and developments, we can help ensure your hybrid hires are set up for success.