Destination Boardroom: Mapping the Executive Search World

Many decision-makers in the private and public sector see executive search as a ‘necessary evil’. A tour of investors and business schools, executive and supervisory board directors, throws up some unflattering descriptions. One of these: ‘an opaque sector’ is probably linked to the industry’s duty to exercise absolute discretion. Others signal a clear need for improvement: ‘pumping the same names around’, ‘emphasis on reputation, not merit’, ‘lack of quality’ and ‘low innovation’. The battle to professionalize is underway