Amidst Global Uncertainty, Business Leaders Turn to Trusted Advisors for Strategic Insights and to Minimize Risk, According to New AESC Report

Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC), the global professional association that represents excellence in retained executive search and leadership advisory solutions, released today their 2017 Global Executive Talent Outlook. The insights revealed in the report provide timely business intelligence to decision makers as well as valuable guidance to executive candidates considering new opportunities in the year ahead.

This year, AESC’s survey was completed by 310 AESC member consultants worldwide, including 111 leaders of executive search and leadership advisory firms. AESC members cite global economic and geopolitical uncertainty as top business concerns, but cast a significantly more positive business outlook for 2017 as compared to 2016. Findings from the report include:

• AESC members believe that Technology and Healthcare/Life Sciences will be the two sectors that will experience the most growth in 2017
   
• For the first time this year, Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) now rank among AESC members as the top function with the most growing demand
   
• AESC members forecast substantial growth for executive talent advisory services in China during the year ahead
   

AESC President and CEO, Karen Greenbaum, commented, “Across the board, AESC members are more optimistic this year about the global economy, their country’s economy, the executive talent advisory profession and their own businesses. This year, 64% of leaders at AESC member firms have a more optimistic outlook for their businesses, compared to only 41% last year. As uncertainty looms, business leaders turn to trusted advisors for strategic insights and to minimize risk.”

A summary report of the findings is available on the AESC website. The full report is available to AESC members. For commentary, please contact Joe Chappell at jchappell@aesc.org.

About the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants

AESC is the voice of excellence for the executive search and leadership consulting profession worldwide. Our rigorous Code of Professional Practice guides our members in nearly 1,300 offices in 74 countries and beyond to serve as strategic advisors on behalf of their clients. In turn, AESC members are best positioned to provide companies with a competitive advantage—the ability to find, attract and develop the best talent in the world and ensure that executives are successfully integrated.

By virtue of selecting an AESC member, clients can be secure in their choice of consulting firm, and can reap the benefits that only a trusted advisor can deliver. To learn more about AESC and to view a list of AESC members, visit www.aesc.org. To learn more about AESC’s career service for executive-level candidates, visit www.bluesteps.com.