How our regional capabilities are expanding to support EU businesses in 2024.

A global partner for global businesses.

More and more businesses are choosing to scale their operations overseas, tapping into a new market with new clientele. And sourcing the talent you need, for the territory (and growth) you want requires a partner with regional presence.

It’s a simple principle, but it’s never been so crucial.

Our capabilities have grown significantly in recent years, supporting brands with their cross-regional talent needs – including across the EU. From France to Germany, Denmark to Sweden, we now have consultants supporting key hubs within the area.

Here’s how our reach is expanding in our EU territories – and what it means for businesses like yours.

Expanding how we view the market

There’s no denying that globalisation and digitisation are beneficial business advancements. But being ‘on the ground’ provides insights that are often more challenging to attain when watching from afar.

For all of our EU consultants, a deeper understanding of the territory and its talent market comes from being at its very centre. We speak to business leaders and partners across our regions every day about localised challenges as well as those wider afield, enabling us to provide nuanced consultation with nuanced solutions.

But having an in-depth view of the market is more than simply having a local presence. Equally as important is understanding the sectors we operate in at their very root. Our teams comprise consultants from diverse backgrounds, giving us a unique perspective on the roles we manage and the businesses we partner with. In particular, agency and in-house experience of our core specialisms.

Camille Chevallier, the most recent addition to the EU team, is the perfect example of diversifying our consultant base. Camille has over 20 years of experience in senior communications roles, bringing a breadth of real-world insights to our clients’ needs. She’s worked in agencies such as TBWA, Publicis, and Mullen Lowe, and in-house with Eurostar International and Expedia Group.

Understanding communications in a wider market context means we’re not just ‘familiar’ with the discipline, we live and breathe it. For Camille, this strengthens her ability to quickly identify the types of talent a business most needs, the types of opportunities a candidate is looking for, and bring them both together.

Expanding how we share insights

Amongst her accreditations, Camille brings an enhanced focus on a key business priority to the EU team: DEI.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion is one of the top business needs of the 2020s and beyond. 85% of employers say that increasing the diversity of their workforce is a priority, and 73% believe it’s central to encouraging creative and innovative thinking.

Like other organisations Hanson Search is driven to cultivate a diverse and inclusive workplace with equal access to opportunities – and this remains embedded in our values, and our every day. Amy Hayer leads on our diversity and inclusion pillar, and we’re currently in the process of working towards our B Corp accreditation.

Continually embodying these values also means working alongside our partners to aid their own DEI goals. Last year, Camille undertook training in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion following her work in multinational clients and colleagues. Now, she aims to bring these insights to her partnerships, and enhance the way we address DEI matters internally and externally.  

“Information-sharing is exceptionally important. An effective partnership means having open lines of communication, so we take time to regularly meet with business leaders, share market trends and observations, and speak to how these insights might be applicable to our clients. In turn, we also share learnings with our regional colleagues – and discuss how these can be applied in our day-to-day.” – Barbara Ozanon, Associate Partner, Head of Europe.

Expanding how we create partnership impact

Today, the market in Europe is opportunistic. Despite experiencing similar post-pandemic dips to most other regions, European startups have raised around $38bn in capital in 2023 so far. Geographical benefits, trade routes, and economic strengths all contribute, but it’s also increasing in popularity for ambitious talent.

As business needs become more complex and the talent market becomes more competitive, working with our clients is more crucial than ever. Developing long-standing partnerships enables us to establish a holistic view of a business, and better advise on their talent needs and beyond. But these priorities don’t just start and stop with our client partnerships – they extend to how we partner with candidates too.

“Attracting and acquiring talent isn’t a tick-box exercise. If you look at it as simply ‘filling a role’, no business leader or candidate will be happy with the outcome.” – Camille Chevallier, Consultant

In 2019, Camille certified as an executive coach through the International Institute of Coaching in Geneva, training across key leadership and advisory functions. Skills she’s now bringing to both her clients, and candidates. 

“My priority is getting to the core of professionals’ short- and long-term career ambitions, and finding the right opportunity to support their progression. Identifying potential gaps in their knowledge or experience means we can coach through these together, and find ways to authentically position candidates to prospective employers.” – Camille Chevallier, Consultant

Expanding how you acquire talent

Having a global presence with local expertise means we can more intelligently advise our clients on their talent needs. Advice that spans across C-Suite talent to lead a regional HQ, senior professionals to steer local brand awareness, or even interim candidates to bolster your operations.

It’s a key time for the territory, and an expansion in our EU team is an expansion in your business’ capabilities – and the talent pool who will help you achieve it.

If you’d like to learn more about the state of the market, or how to attract senior talent who will support your growth trajectory, get in touch today.