Compass Executives Head of Research Kieran Mouser recently sat down to discuss his role at Compass Executives and key market observations within the industry. 

Which of the practice areas do you support at Compass Executives?

In my capacity as Head of Research, I support all of our practice areas; Healthcare, Social Care and Life Sciences. My team and I closely support the Consultants across the variety of C-Suite mandates that we deliver as an Executive Search business.

What are the key market observations you’ve witnessed in 2023, and how is this impacting hiring at C-Level?

My key observations from 2023 are:

1. Quality-focused/led organisations are attracting significant interest from Investors
2. The continued outsourcing of NHS services is attracting and encouraging Investors and Healthcare organisations to be proactive in this space
3. Businesses that have a strong, stable and commercially savvy Executive Leadership team are excelling in tricky market conditions
4. Investors and organisations are making a concentrated effort to retain staff, meaning that there are fewer senior candidates actively looking for their next opportunity.

This has impacted hiring at the C-Suite level in several ways:

1. With fewer senior candidates actively seeking new opportunities, businesses are having to work hard to attract potential candidates.
2. Many of the senior executives that Compass Executives have successfully placed over the last 12 months, have been out-of-sector hires, reflecting a wider change in hiring behaviour; as Healthcare, Social Care and Life Sciences organisations seek to think creatively about their recruitment needs and create fresh impetus and ideas within their businesses.

Are there any current high-demand skillsets?

Commercially savvy senior Finance executives who can drive growth and senior HR executives who can drive employee retention and attraction.

What advice would you offer to the investment community making leadership changes to their portfolio businesses at present?

Identify senior leaders who can engage and inspire the wider workforce and who embody the culture and values of the organisation. Additionally, seek senior leaders who can create commercial value without compromising on quality of care, and are capable of leading a business through a complex and changing economic/political landscape.

What are your Compass Executives highlights?

1. Being promoted to Head of Research in April 2022.
2. Delivering a real variety of senior retained mandates across a number of interesting sectors and organisations.

Find out more about Kieran here. 

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