Executive fit
Headhunters don't just look at a candidate's CV and track record. Hiring CEOs now involves a suite of assessment tools that includes data mining, AI, algorithms and soon, even a crystal ball, as Heidrick & Struggles' Alain Deniau tells JANICE HENG
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Janice Heng
THE chief executive officer (CEO) of today - and tomorrow - needs soft skills and cultural fit, among other things. Helping firms find the right leaders is where executive search and consulting firm Heidrick & Struggles comes in, with its modus operandi having also moved with the times.
"It's no longer just hiring someone, it's advising our client," says Alain Deniau, regional managing partner of the firm's consumer markets practice for Asia Pacific and the Middle East, and leader of the CEO and board practice in Singapore.
As he puts it, when a client wants to hire a CEO, Heidrick & Struggles asks: "Why? How? Can we look at your Board, check with your shareholders?" The hiring process has evolved beyond merely looking at a candidate's curriculum vitae to include data-assisted searches; assessments of the company's own culture; and online assessment tools for everything from leadership style to multiculturalism.
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