22 The Grapevine | March 2009

Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, U.A.E., UK, Ukraine, USA and Vietnam

OUR HUNTING INSTINCT IS TRULY SECOND NATURE

Visit us @ www.glasford.com

Glasford International is one of the fastest growing and most

successful executive search organisations, and our success is a

reflection of our distinctive personal style. Our extensive network

reaches talent in all corners of the world. Our people share the

same values and visions, and we adhere to the same rigorous

methodologies. This places us in a position to perform highly

effective cross-border and local searches, but most importantly,

to deliver superior results to our clients time after time.

330 HIGHLY QUALIFIEDCONSULTANTS AND

RESEARCHERS IN OVER 50 OFFICES

IN 35 COUNTRIES.

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March 2009 | The Grapevine 23

NETWORK PROFILE GLASFORD

How do you encourage the sharing of assignments across partner businesses?

All Glasford International Partners operate independently in their geographical regions, so this provides us with strong local expertise in each country. To satisfy our clients’ global hiring needs, it is critical that partners share international assign-ments. Being able to support our clients with strong local expertise whilst offering a much wider reach also makes us think and act globally. Additionally, Partners benefit from sharing assignments through a fair fee sharing model. The idea of supporting and helping all parties involved is one of the founding principles of our organisation. Glasford International is much more than a global business network; it’s a network of friends sharing knowledge, thoughts and ideas - learning

about different cultures - and doing business together!

How are partner businesses branded - are they allowed to retain their identities or are they marketed under a single brand?Some time ago we considered the issues of single and dual branding and created a model that maximised the benefit of the global Glasford International brand whilst allowing partners to retain their strong local trading names. Members of Glasford International are under no obligation to change their business trading name and many retain their local trading names. However, they can elect to use the Glasford International brand as their domestic trading name should they prefer to do so. Today, about one in four Partners have decided to adopt

the Glasford International name and it is the Board’s clear intention to encourage more Partners to make this transition. However, Partners who do currently use their local brand name also feature the Glasford International identity in their various marketing material and follow our corporate style guides for conformity purposes. Irrespective of which branding model they adopt, our Partners are proud to be part of Glasford International and the association definitely makes them stronger in their local markets.

How is the network structured?

Glasford International Holdings BV is the holdings company which has a full financial reporting structure. Member companies pay an annual membership fee and the company has a structure that is comprised of Board Directors, Shareholders

International search profile

Glasford International

24 The Grapevine | March 2009

NETWORK PROFILE GLASFORD

and new Partners. Directors lead functional committees that are made up of members, all of whom focus on developing the group’s business performance, which ultimately benefits all members. The accountability for searches depends on which country leads a project and acts as the contact person for the client. There is an agreed fee split for cross-border assignments. A small percentage of the fee is payable to Glasford International Holdings BV and the balance is split between the involved countries by using recommended guidelines that have been designed to reward all parties fairly for the workload involved.

What is the greatest challenge you face in managing an international network of firms?Managing an international network of independent firms means managing different people, different cultures and different expectations. That’s what makes this task so exciting. To have the opportunity to involve people from all over the world and get them to work together on global business development activities, marketing tools or how to establish a knowledge management system is one of the most fascinating responsibilities I have ever experienced. Two very important factors for success are, firstly how to involve people and secure their commitment and, secondly, how to get everyone thinking globally and believing in opportunities, not in risks. For me, this makes the whole thing really enjoyable.

What are the benefits of search networks over single firms with multiple offices?There are several benefits with networks. Having worked in single firms operating globally, I realise that the level of motivation and support for each other in different parts of the world is much lower in single firms than in networks

of independently owned companies. The networks have been established to primarily drive, support and benefit each other. Thus, I feel that there is a greater supportiveness in networks than the corporate rivalry prevailing in single firms. There is also a far greater willingness to learn from each other in the networks. I believe networks are more flexible and can react faster to changes in customer requirements and regional or cultural challenges.

Where have your biggest areas of growth been, both in terms of geography and sector?

Ten years ago Glasford International was a European search organisation represented in five countries. Today we are one of the fastest growing organisations in the world, with representation in thirty-five countries. Being represented in most European countries, we have experienced our biggest growth in Asia-Pacific and the Americas. There will be even stronger representation in the Americas, Australia and Africa in the near future. We are specialised across multiple business sectors. Globally most of our clients’ core business is in Manufacturing and Process Industry, ITC and Electronics, Finance and FMCG. In some regions we are also strong in Healthcare/Pharmaceutical, Automotive and Transport sectors

What do you look for in a potential partner business?

We seek Partners that are committed to our common values, methodologies, ethics and to providing the highest standards of professionalism. Our partnership is based on trust and respect for each other, as professional executive search consultants and also as individuals. Every partner takes responsibility for each other and helps Glasford International grow, not only as a global executive search network, but also as network of friends.

David BuchbergerChairman Glasford International