Pure Search Expands to Berlin
October 19, 2017 – London-based executive recruitment firm Pure Search has expanded with the opening of an office in Berlin. This becomes its first office in continental Europe. Pure Search Germany will be headed by Ken Lewin, who joins the firm as managing director and country manager.
Mr. Lewin has 10-plus years of experience in the DACH region. Previously, he was managing director Europe for London-based recruiting firm Phaidon International. Before that, he served as managing director with Badenoch & Clark in Switzerland. Earlier, he gained executive recruiting experience with Kontax Selection and Michael Page.
“Pure Search has ambitious growth plans, a positive culture and an excellent management team,” said Mr. Lewin. “I am thrilled to be joining at this exciting time and looking forward to working with the existing teams to further cement Pure’s reputation as a leading international recruitment firm.”
The German Market
Germany is the largest national economy in Europe, and the fourth largest by nominal GDP in the world. Its service sector makes up 70 percent of its GDP, and nearly 40 percent of Fortune Global 500 companies are headquartered there. But Germany is facing severe economic prospects, as the country comes to grips with a growing immigration and migrant crisis.
Still, Germany continues to attract recruiters. And other London-based search firms like Spencer Ogden are turning to Germany, as well as to France and the U.S., to sit out the uncertainty and effects of Brexit until a clearer way forward surfaces. Well known companies in the country include Mercedes-Benz, BMW, SAP, Siemens, Volkswagen, Adidas, Audi, Allianz, Porsche, Bayer, BASF, Bosch and Nivea.
Recruiter Rankings: London Top 60
London’s need for talent has transformed it into the second largest executive search market in the world after New York. Hunt Scanlon has selected the most prominent leadership solutions providers in this dynamic marketplace, settling on 60 of the most influential and innovative.
| Top 60 |
“As one of the fastest growing economies in Europe, we have been planning and fine-tuning our entry into Germany for some time,” said Chris Nelson, CEO of Pure Search. “I am thrilled to have now opened our office in Berlin; it is an exciting development for Pure, which extends our capability across our specialist disciplines, he said. “The expansion corresponds with strong performance from our U.K. and international network and I look forward to building out Berlin in a similar vein to these offices.”
Established in 1999, Pure Search is a privately owned global search and selection firm covering EMEA, the U.S., and Asia Pacific, with about 70 recruitment professionals operating from offices in London, Hong Kong, New York, Singapore and now Berlin. The firm serves a number of sectors, including professional services, financial services, and commerce and industry.
Recent Expansion
In August, Pure Search hired Warwick Pearmund to lead its newly launched financial and emerging technologies practice. It is designed to complement the firm’s existing financial services team comprising compliance, risk, finance, legal, tax and audit.
“In line with global digitalization and the proliferation of cybersecurity, there is a rapidly increasing demand for specialist talent in this space,” said Liam Richardson, head of Pure Search Asia-Pacific. “Warwick is an extremely skillful recruiter with an excellent understanding of the financial services market, particularly with regards to emerging technology.”
Mr. Pearmund has experience both as a client and recruiter, having started his career as an equities trader and sales trader before transitioning into recruitment in 2008. He specializes in sourcing top talent in financial technology, quantitative and systematic finance, payments, digital strategy, fintech, insurtech, data science, analytics, AI/machine learning, robotics and cyber security. He formerly was a director at Harvey Nash.
In June, Pure Search named Paul Evans to lead its Singapore office. Mr. Evans has experience both as a search professional and business owner. Over the course of his career he has worked in London, Hong Kong and most recently Singapore, with a major focus on the Asian markets. He most recently served as executive director, human capital management at Goldman Sachs.
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
