Marsden Names Head of Financial Services, U.K. and Europe
October 17, 2024 – U.K.-headquartered legal-focused executive search firm Marsden has named Liam Richardson as head of financial services, U.K. and Europe. Mr. Richardson is a seasoned and commercially driven recruitment leader with a track record in building, leading and managing successful teams and businesses, across multiple specialisms (legal, compliance, risk, CFO, tax & treasury) and geographies, including Asia, Europe, and the U.S. He has focused on the recruitment of legal professionals into in-house positions across Europe and Asia for the past two decades.
Mr. Richardson most recently served as CEO of Pure Search, overseeing the business across all EMEA, U.S. and APAC regions. Before relocating to London in 2019, he headed up Pure in Asia. Having joined the firm in 2010 with the initial mandate of establishing Pure’s in-house legal offering, he was responsible for expanding our APAC business, strategically establishing and growing specialist practices in legal, compliance, risk, tax, finance, and human resources.
Marsden’s teams in Europe, the Middle East, Australia, and North America connect local and global talent in the legal profession with law firms, public and private bodies. The firm has a global presence spanning Europe, the U.S., Canada, the Middle East, and Australasia. Marsden utilizes cutting-edge technology and data-driven insights to match the right candidates with their clients’ specific needs.
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In addition to its expansion in financial services, Marsden remains dedicated to enhancing diversity within the legal profession. The firm actively promotes initiatives aimed at increasing the representation of women and underrepresented groups in senior roles.
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Jonathan Marsden is a co-founder of Marsden and heads the mergers and office launch team. He acts for some of the world’s leading law firms on high profile, strategic assignments, helping clients expand their reach across the world. His connections are at senior partner and management level. Mr. Marsden started his career as a lawyer at Slaughter and May and Clifford Chance.
A Changing Market Has AI and Cybersecurity Recruiters on Alert
The landscape of AI and cybersecurity recruiting is dynamic and constantly evolving. Executive recruiters say that there is a significant demand for skilled professionals in AI, including machine learning engineers, data scientists, and AI researchers. Companies across various industries are actively seeking talent to leverage AI for innovation, efficiency, and competitive advantage.
Meanwhile, with the rising frequency and sophistication of cyber threats, there is a heightened demand for cybersecurity experts. Roles such as security analysts, incident responders, penetration testers, and security engineers are in high demand. The intersection of AI and cybersecurity is becoming increasingly important. AI is being used to enhance cybersecurity defenses through automated threat detection, anomaly detection, and predictive analytics. Conversely, cybersecurity is critical in ensuring that AI systems are secure from adversarial attacks and data breaches.
Michelle Mills is a co-founder of Marsden and leads the firm’s London office. She has deep-rooted knowledge of the London legal market.  Her expertise is in moving lawyers internationally including locations in Europe, Middle East, Asia, Australia and Offshore. Ms. Mills recruits lawyers at all levels and works on strategic projects for international law firm clients. She has been a qualified lawyer and has recruited within the sector since 2000.
Jonathan Walmsley is a co-founder of Marsden and heads up the firm’s Australia division. He recruits lawyers at all levels in Australia and internationally, with a particular focus on lateral partners and senior lawyers. He has managed a number of office launches and partner team builds for Magic Circle and U.S. firms. Mr. Walmsley began his career as a commercial property lawyer with what is now Wragge Lawrence Graham and then with what is now CMS. With over 20 years in legal recruitment, he can call on an extensive network of very senior connections globally.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media