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Leaders in Executive Search and Leadership Consulting Gathered in London to Address the Future of Executive Talent
AESC Hosts Successful 19th Annual European Conference with Thought Leaders from McKinsey Global Institute and Tech London Advocates
London, November 13, 2015 – The annual European conference of the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC) gathered more than 100 leaders in executive search and leadership consulting from across Europe and beyond in London on November 12th 2015.
As the voice of excellence for executive search and leadership consultants worldwide, the association produced an innovative program which focused on the future of executive search and leadership consulting and the disruptive forces impacting senior talent acquisition.
Krista Walochik, AESC Chair of the Council of Europe, Israel & Africa provided the opening remarks and introduced Richard Dobbs of McKinsey Global Institute, who spoke about “No Ordinary Disruption - How the World Will be Different,” commenting on the global forces that will drive the future of business: the collision of technological disruption, rapid emerging-markets growth, urbanization, widespread ageing and greater global connections. According to Dobbs, leaders of the future will need to be externally focused, agile and optimistic.
Leaders from global executive search networks and alliances spoke about the impact of consolidation and globalization on the profession. The panel included: Ruth Curran, Global Chair, IIC Partners; José Leyún, CEO, Amrop; Alastair Paton, Regional Director EMEA, Signium International; Celeste Whatley, COO, Transearch.
This was followed by a panel session on the future of the executive search and leadership consulting profession, which included: Richard Boggis-Rolfe, Chairman, Odgers Berndtson; Patrick Hynes, Co-Leader for EMEA, Spencer Stuart; Luis Urbano, Regional Managing Partner for Europe & Africa, Heidrick & Struggles; Sonamara Jeffreys, Office Managing Director, Regional Market Leader, Financial, Korn Ferry.
The day’s event concluded with a discussion between David Mills, Global Technology Sector Leader, Russell Reynolds Associates and Russ Shaw, Founder, Tech London Advocates (TLA) on the impact of technological disruption on executive talent acquisition. Shaw advised executive search and leadership consulting firms to take cues from start-ups with regards to the attraction and retention of their own talent, especially as generational shifts become more pronounced from the Baby Boomers to Generation X and Millennials. Karen Greenbaum, AESC President and CEO followed with key takeaways from the conference and the role of the association today and in the future.
Aidan Kennedy, AESC Chair Emeritus and Partner at Saxton Bampfylde, was presented by AESC Chair, Tom Daniels with the 2015 European Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Executive Search and Leadership Consulting Profession.
The conference was supported by AESC partners Airs, Cluen, Global Board Ready Women (GBRW), Invenias, Mintz Group, Phoenix, Reccelerate and WomenCorporateDirectors (WCD). Special thanks were given to Heidrick & Struggles and IIC Partners for their generous support of purchasing tables for professionals within their firms to attend the day’s events.
