Industry insight, analysis and opinion
When you run executive searches in corporate affairs, you meet a lot of impressive people. Strong CVs, big titles, years of experience in agencies, government, and in-house leadership roles. But occasionally, certain patterns appear in interviews that raise questions for hiring organisations. They’re rarely dramatic. More often, they’re subtle signals that something isn’t quite right.
Read MoreUnsuccessful senior searches often find themselves drifting, as assumptions go untested and the hire is recruited into a version of the role that cannot hold in practice. The instinctive pre-emption is to polish a clean briefing document, tightening scope and adding detail in the hope that precision will remove risk.
Read MoreWe’ve put together some thoughts on what Legal Corporate Affairs teams can expect from this year, off the back of conversations with a number of senior leaders across the market. Firstly, thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts (and therapy sessions!).
Read More2025 has been a year of disruption rather than drift. Consolidation at the top of the advisory world, landmark transactions, and the industry’s attempt to find its footing in a landscape increasingly defined by AI and technology have forced corporate affairs functions and agencies to rethink how they operate.
Read MoreInternal talent teams have never been better.
They understand the culture, the politics, the personalities. They know which leaders really hold influence, where the fault lines are, and what “fit” means beyond the job description. In most organisations, they are more sophisticated than many external recruiters.
Read MoreConference season, we made it through! I have gathered quite the post-mortem of this year’s shifts and sentiments through catch-ups with clients and candidates. Let’s break it down.
Read MoreCorporate affairs agencies are under pressure. UK corporates are taking longer than ever to sign off comms/public affairs budgets and approve campaigns. What once moved in weeks now drags for months, leaving agencies squeezed: revenue lags, pitches stall, and teams sit in limbo. Delay isn’t just frustrating, it’s commercially damaging.
Read MoreIn our line of work, the first question on the phone is always, “How are you?” For me, the honest answer for most of this year has been, “OK, but dealing with grief.” That’s not an opening someone would expect on a professional call.
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