Global Leaders from Executive Search and Leadership Consulting Firms Gathered in Zurich for AESC European Conference

The worldwide Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC) assembled executive search and leadership consulting professionals, from across Europe and beyond, in Zurich for a full-day conference on November 10th to explore the theme, Hybrid 2016: The Art & Science of Strategic Advising. The conference program explored Next Generation Executive Talent; The Multi-Generation Workforce; The Art & Science of Executive Search and Leadership Consulting; and EU General Data Protection and its impact on global talent acquisition.

The world will change more in the next 20 years than in the previous 300 years as science fiction is increasingly becoming science fact. Artificial intelligence (AI) and intelligent assistance (IA) is being integrated into every web-platform and service, natural language understanding is almost 100 percent reality as consumers are adopting voice interfaces, the Internet of Things is changing processes from logistics to CRM, and cognitive computing is impacting any task having to do with knowledge, information and understanding. Gerd Leonhard, futurist, humanist and author of Technology vs. Humanity, lead a forward-looking session on how 10 megatrends will influence executive search and leadership consultants as strategic advisors to business leaders worldwide.

Sarah Kane, Human Capital Partner at Deloitte shared what is shaping workspace of the future as we embrace a Multi-Generational Workforce and present insights from Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends 2016. Alun Rees, former leader of global HR programs at IBM discussed how organizations are fast transforming and changing the global business landscape and how senior leadership roles are evolving in a multi-generational environment. As 65% of companies now have at least four generations within their workforce and 55% suggest that within three years this will be their top HR priority, what does this dynamic of the workforce mean?

Tim Hickman of global legal firm White & Case lead a discussion with members of the AESC Government & Legal Affairs Committee, including Heath Brewer, EMEA General Counsel, Spencer Stuart and David Peters, Finance Director, Odgers Berndtson, on what both executive search and leadership consulting firms as well as client organizations, not only in Europe, but worldwide need to know now to be prepared for the legislation that goes in effect on May 25, 2018.

Additional speakers included Nia Joynson-Romanzina, Founder and Director of consulting firm iCubed; Michael Staunton of Future Work Forum; Chris Clay, Global Talent Acquisition Lead, Cargill International; Krista Walochik, President of Talengo, who serves as Chair of the AESC Council of Europe & Africa; Paul Benson, Regional Managing Partner, Industrial Markets, EMEA, Korn Ferry, who serves as Vice Chair of the AESC Council of Europe & Africa; Ineke Arts, Partner, Hoffman & Associates / IIC; Dr. Thomas Heyn of AltoPartners; Ian Johnston of Senn Delaney; Ellie Filler, Senior Client Partner, Korn Ferry; and AESC President and CEO Karen Greenbaum presented new insights on how technology is enhancing the art of executive search and leadership consulting and equipping the profession to serve client organizations worldwide in new and increasingly transformative ways.

AESC’s program was sponsored by AESC partners The Cluen Corporation, Invenias, Mintz Group, Phoenix Executive and Reccelerate.