On the 15^th of December, 30 years ago, 1993, Sharmila and I sat in a tiny office in Trafalgar Square, and started “Executive Match Ltd.”

Our company, now known as “EM Group”, which was acquired in 2007 and bought back into private ownership in 2009 has had many twists and turns along the way.  

They say it’s about the journey not the destination. So here’s some of what we’ve discovered:

Our value-add is our judgement

Judgements as to whom to include on shortlists are nuanced and finely balanced.  How we calibrate different skill-sets, personality types and “future stretch” potentials is all. Ultimately it leads to £billions of value creation.  We feel highly privileged being entrusted with this responsibility and hold great respect for it.

Treat our colleagues as volunteers 

Empathy, appreciation of clients’ culture and understanding of candidates’ motivators all take time.  They result from careful listening, insightful questioning and years of experience.  People who have developed this intuition are very special. Their participation in EM’s work cannot be taken for granted. It is offered and gratefully received.  And at EM we recognise that and treat them accordingly.

Consistent excellence

It matters in all sorts of ways that we are consistently excellent.  And to achieve that, project execution has to be exceptional.  Without being overly procedural, this does mean having a plan, that, whilst robust, can flex according to need and circumstance.  Obtaining the optimal outcome for each client is always our objective.  And as each search is bespoke, “consistent excellence” has to be our route for delivering that.

Reflecting back though, what better way of enjoying work can there ever be ..? 

Technology is key 

Over 30 years we’ve parted company with fax machines, printers and land-lines, even our office base.  Tech has enabled agile ways of working, remote collaboration, streamlined project management and the highest levels of research quality.  Undoubtedly with AI it will continue to do so.  We embrace and partner with it.  Though whilst it can assess core skills – even some soft skills – it cannot substitute for human connection.

Learn when to walk away 

Some situations are beyond everyone’s control.  After the dot-com bubble burst in 2000 and the global financial crisis hit in 2008, there literally was zero demand for hiring.  As dispiriting as it was to have to dismantle businesses built up in the tech and FS markets, repositioning was the only option.  At speed.  Necessity being the mother of invention however, this ushered in new markets, including renewables, retail / consumer, high-margin specialty products and real estate.   

When clients centralise hiring through in-house talent teams and clearly want to do it themselves, let them.  If there is no budget (or appetite) for hiring, walk away.  With the recruitment industry’s GVA of £41.3bn other doors always open.  The demand for excellence is consistent.

A final thought

Find something you love doing and do it the best you can.  It may sound trite, but if in life one is fortunate enough to derive real enjoyment from one’s work then pursue it as long as you can.

For the next 30 years ?

More of the same !

David Howell
Co-Founder, EM Group
15^th December 2023