Holmes Noble Appoints CEO
October 20, 2017 – U.K.-based executive search and interim firm Holmes Noble has appointed Donna Chapman as its chief executive officer.
“Donna brings an impressive track record in consultancy and recruitment and has spent over 25 years operating at board level, specializing in sectors which are very important to Holmes Noble’s growth plans,” said Michelle Carson-Williams, founder and chair. “She possesses the necessary credibility and experience from building and leading businesses to developing and guiding executives through growth strategies, which will be one of Donna’s first tasks here at Holmes Noble.”
With offices in Birmingham and Manchester, Holmes Noble partners with businesses to help identify senior-level talent such as CEOs, board members, senior interim and permanent leaders across various sectors including manufacturing, logistics, energy, infrastructure and professional services.
Ms. Chapman’s experience at board level includes mergers and acquisitions, commercial directorship, HR, talent strategies and growth through successful leadership for listed companies, privately-owned and private equity-backed organizations.
Most recently, Ms. Chapman was client development director at Wickland Westcott, a professional services consultancy, working alongside the managing director to design and implement a business-wide sales and marketing strategy for their consultants and clients. She spent the previous eight years with Air Energi, where she was a global vice president for RPO, direct hires and technical search. During her tenure, she steered the company through the challenges of the oil price collapse in 2008 to achieve 171 percent growth across her regions as VP for Europe and Africa.
Passion for Talent Management
“I’ve had a passion for talent management for many years and the opportunity to assume the leadership role within a well-known and progressive executive search firm like Holmes Noble is the perfect next step for me,” said Ms. Chapman. “Over the coming weeks, I’ll be working with the leadership team to build a growth strategy focusing on expanding our professional and financial services practices, interim division and international markets.”
Interim search can be used to inject specific skills into a business for a defined project or period of time, according to Holmes Noble. Professional interim managers possess the specialist skill-set and experience to deliver business critical projects or bridge important leadership gaps across the senior management team, the firm said. This provides existing management with vital breathing space to address business priorities and provide additional skills to strengthen leadership capabilities.
Massive Shift to Contract Employment Underway
By 2025, most workers (70 percent) and employers (68 percent) agree that a majority of the workforce will be employed in an “agile capacity” (i.e. contractor, consultant, temp worker or freelancer), according to a study released by Randstad US. ‘The Workplace 2025‘ report peers into the minds and expectations of workers, and the executives who oversee them, about the future of work.
Sidestepping Talent Gaps
According to a recent report released by CareerBuilder and Economic Modeling Specialists International, hiring temporary and contract employees can help businesses avoid talent gaps and remain nimble. The study showed that more companies will be tapping into this labor segment, with temporary employment expected to add 173,478 jobs from 2016 to 2018 – an increase of 5.9 percent.
“Today, nearly three million people are employed in temporary jobs, and that number will continue to grow at a healthy pace over the next few years as companies strive to keep agile in the midst of changing market needs,” said Kyle Braun, president of CareerBuilder’s staffing and recruiting group. “Opportunities are opening up in a variety of occupations and pay levels, and this is a trend we’re seeing in a wide range of industries and company sizes.”
A separate report by CareerBuilder found that 47 percent of employers reported that they planned to hire temporary or contract workers in 2016, up slightly from 46 percent last year. Of these employers, 58 percent plan to transition some temporary or contract workers into full-time, permanent roles.
“Temporary employment benefits both sides of the labor market,” said Mr. Braun. “Hiring temporary and contract workers helps companies stay flexible and adapt quickly to changing market demands. For workers, it opens doors for those who want to utilize various skills, build relationships with different organizations and explore career options.”
These figures coincide with similar findings by the Execu | Search Group. Its “2016 Hiring Outlook: Strategies for Adapting to a Candidate-Driven Market” report found that 26 percent of hiring managers surveyed planned to increase hiring of temporary employees in 2016.
In addition, a recent Adecco study, “Definitive Guide to Building a Better Workforce,” found that 67 percent of companies use contingent labor to enhance their workforce and close talent gaps. The study surveyed 536 C-suite executives across the U.S. regarding the types of talent they need, skills that are most difficult to find, how they are using contingent labor and progressive recruiting methods to enhance their workforces, employee retention techniques and more.
The report found that 80 percent of employers agreed that the U.S. skills gap is a real challenge, and it provided insights into how different companies conceptualize and address this gap in talent. Part of the reason for the increased use of temporary workers: Companies are having difficulty finding quality talent.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Will Schatz, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
