Executive search firm expands Scottish presence

Norman Broadbent Group has more than doubled its headcount in Scotland and opened a second office in Edinburgh.

Since establishing a physical footprint in Aberdeen, the UK’s longest standing executive search firm has opened a second office on Alva Street in Edinburgh’s west end and hired an additional seven staff across the two locations.

Under the leadership of Michael Diamond, managing director for the firm’s Scotland operations and its global private capital investors’ practice, new hires include Cameron Ogilvie, Jessica Lee, Katie Jennings, Mark Houghton, Molly Hogan, Oliver Hawkley and Ruth Ware.

Growth of the firm’s Scottish team comes on the back of winning several executive and board level search mandates from clients across the energy, industrial, consumer, technology and education sectors.

This mirrors the firm’s overall UK performance, which posted its best financial results in over a decade for the past financial year. Results for the year ended 31 December 2023 included a return to profitability for the group and a 44% increase in net fee income.

Diamond said: “Having partnered with many of Scotland’s biggest and most successful companies for decades, our physical presence here has now strengthened our offering across multiple sectors including industrials, financial services, energy, consumer, digital, technology and life sciences.

“We’ve scaled-up, and now we’re focused on deepening our expertise, knowledge and networks to support investor-backed and listed, high-growth companies with their board and executive search needs.

“Economic volatility over the past few years has, to some extent, subdued executive search activity, however we have found that a number of Scotland’s high-growth industries including technology, life sciences and renewable energy have remained relatively resilient throughout.

“Private equity and investor activity driving strategic hires for their portfolio companies has been another bright spot for our business.”

Established in 1979, the group claims to be the first UK-headquartered search firm.

Since then, it has supported more than 3,000 clients, placing directors, executives and leaders in 79 countries around the world.

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