Compass Executives Associate Director Mark Iliffe 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?

I joined the Board & Leadership practice at Compass Executives in June 2023 having operated in the sector for 15 years with other firms.

In that time, I have partnered with a wide variety of businesses including most of the major private acute hospital operators, residential care providers and other organisations delivering services to the market including industry bodies.

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

It is an interesting market with a great deal of opportunity for private-sector providers. There is increasing political consensus that the private sector will need to play a key role in the delivery of care to the UK population.

In turn, the population are becoming more aware that they have a choice in where care can be delivered and how it can be accessed including how they might pay for it. There is still a long way to go, but people are taking more responsibility for their health rather than relying on state support – it has long been recognised that preventing illness is preferable to managing health conditions.

The providers are improving their communication which is helping to demystify the sector which has been achieved by appointing individuals who understand how to create consumer propositions, so this has had an impact on senior hiring decisions. This combines with the inherent need for experienced operators and outstanding clinical leadership.

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

There are many ways that investors can get a return in this sector, so this will not apply to every situation, but many organisations require ongoing investment to maintain competitive advantage and deliver expected outcomes for service users which define success.

For this reason, investments often require a longer-term perspective than other sectors. For most multi-site environments, it is important not to view the investment as a pure property play at the expense of operating the business.

What are your Compass Executives highlights?

The various businesses that operate under the Compass brand are staffed with people who understand and empathise with the businesses that operate within the health and care sectors. This is so important when identifying people at all levels who can make a difference whether that is clinically, commercially, or operationally. It is rewarding to be able to offer clients different solutions to support their hiring needs.

Find out more about Mark here. 

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