During this time, it has developed an intricate knowledge of the Retail, Commercial Banking, Asset Management and Insurance sectors.
All is well in Financial Services (and with me!!)
Some of the regular readers of my blogs have recently approached me to enquire on the state of my health……
My last blog was published in April (shame on me) and my perceived writer’s block coincided with even further woes across the Financial Service sector. No surprise then, that some of you thought I had either given up on the recruitment, changed sector, won the lottery or simply decided to retire (I will remember those of you who commented on my grand age!)
I am, therefore, happy to announce that I have not given up on recruitment and still continue to focus on FS. I have not won the lottery (unfortunately) and have no intentions of retiring (unless I do win the lottery!!).
The reason for my silence has simply been due to the fact that despite all the doom and gloom we read in the papers, the FS sector is definitely showing signs of recovery which has resulted in an increased appetite for Talent.
There is, not surprisingly, strong demand for experienced Risk and Compliance professionals and also for Consumer focused marketeers. Companies want to put their house in order and also reassure their customers that they can be trusted with their finances.
We have seen an increase in activity, both in candidates looking to move and in companies looking to hire, across Singapore and Hong Kong. The recent announcement by HSBC’s CEO Michael Geoghegan that he will move to HK has definitely raised some “curiosity” within the FS sector. A move to Asia is no longer seen as a “jolly” or a lifestyle choice, but very much a genuine opportunity to enhance (and test) skills and knowledge acquired over here. The nature of Financial Services has changed and its new identity is slowly emerging. Where its house is going to be in the long term is very much up for grabs…. If more companies follow suit and decide to relocate their HQ’s to Asia, it will create a new war of talent. This time, the winners will be those organisations which can afford to “buy” the best people. With the £ weakening and bonus potential under increased scrutiny both here and in the US, the appeal to move to Asia will be an alluring one.
So, rest assured, all is well in FS and a new blog will be here next month (unless those six number do come up!!!!) and if my mobile has an International ring to it, I am probably in Hong Kong or Singapore…….
October 14, 2009 12:58 PM | Permalink
