Norman Broadbent Group expands Scotland presence, doubling team amid growth

Norman Broadbent Group, the UK’s longest standing executive search firm, has more than doubled its headcount in Scotland and opened a second office in Edinburgh amid continued growth.

Since establishing its physical footprint in Aberdeen, Norman Broadbent has opened a second office on Alva Street in Edinburgh’s West End and hired an additional 7 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 Scotland 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. Clients are a mixture of listed and private capital backed companies seeking growth in the UK and internationally.

The success of Norman Broadbent’s growth in Scotland 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.

Michael Diamond, Managing Director for Norman Broadbent Group in Scotland, 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. Most of which has had some form of private capital driving it. 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.

“Our growth to date is testament to both the quality of our people and the strength of our brand with scaling and international brands. 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, Norman Broadbent Group was the first UK headquartered search firm.

Over its 45+ year history, the Group has supported over 3,000 clients, from start-ups through to FTSE 100 companies, and placed directors, executives and leaders in 79 countries around the world.