2025 Review – A Year That Reshaped Corporate Affairs
by Miriam Hanna, Director
2025 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. The combination of market pressure, structural change and shifting political expectations didn’t just influence the year - it reshaped it.
But what did 2025’s hiring trends actually tell us?
Retained search dominated – and for good reason
A defining feature of 2025 was the demand for more rigorous search processes. Organisations prioritised certainty, deeper market mapping, stronger longlists and discreet engagement of senior passive candidates. Retained search is no longer reserved for the C-suite; it is being used to secure Heads, Directors and niche specialists where the commercial risk of a poor hire outweighs the search fee.
In-house roles held steady, but agencies grew in seniority
Corporate affairs teams continued to strengthen, but the real shift came from agencies recruiting at a higher level. Firms sought people with genuine advisory weight, operators capable of handling political complexity, managing multi-million-pound remits and engaging at CFO or board level.
Trade associations were similarly selective, looking for candidates who could build coalitions and navigate increasingly crowded policy environments.
Corporate affairs, policy and strategic communications continued to merge, while ESG fell away
Most briefs combined political insight, strategic narrative and external affairs.
The contrast with 2024 was stark: ESG almost disappeared from the hiring agenda. Dedicated sustainability roles were rare, replaced by broader mandates where ESG was simply one input rather than the defining purpose of a role.
Sectors with the hardest competition for talent
Three clusters stood out:
Financial & professional services – continued regulatory and political scrutiny kept demand high.
Technology & digital infrastructure – issues moved faster than internal teams could realistically scale, especially around AI and online safety.
Infrastructure, energy and transport – remained active, shaped by government priorities, regulatory cycles and persistent political volatility.
Salary movement: in-house teams invested more heavily than agencies
Salary progression differed clearly depending on the destination. Agency moves averaged around a 24% uplift, while in-house roles delivered closer to 27% - a strong indication that internal teams are becoming more sophisticated, more strategic and more willing to invest in senior talent.
For many candidates, moving in-house in 2025 offered the most significant financial and developmental step forward.
Looking ahead to 2026
2026 will be shaped by sharper expectations and a more competitive landscape. As AI increasingly influences how people access information, earned media will grow in value, placing a premium on credible, authoritative storytelling. In-house teams will continue to mature, investing in senior talent and building more sophisticated capability, while agencies - particularly the largest groups - face ongoing pressure, further consolidation and closer financial scrutiny. At the same time, mid-sized firms are well-positioned to accelerate, benefiting from agility and specialist depth. Against this backdrop, senior movement will remain high as organisations demand leaders who can blend political, reputational and commercial judgement.
MadlinHanna Consulting is a recruitment consultancy specialising in public affairs, corporate communications and financial PR. Contact us in London on +44 (0) 20 8088 4102 or in Brussels on +32 (0) 2 586 38 98 for more information or a confidential conversation about these services and more.