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Scenario

Multinational fast moving consumer goods organization was recently acquired by one of our large clients.  Our client needed to parachute a CFO in who could amalgamate the two businesses, drive significant cultural change, generate synergies with group finance and streamline international operating procedures.  To be capable of delivering immediate results the successful CFO would need the gravitas to make quick decisions, and have a wealth of experience in industry with a vision of what the business could be.  The candidate also had to be comfortable with a heavy travel schedule in the first twelve months on the job.

Action

After a comprehensive national search, we found six qualified candidates who matched our client's very specific criteria for their role.  All six were not actively seeking work in the marketplace, and our challenge was that all of the candidates were being remunerated very well and were highly regarded across their current organizations.  Three of which who were recently promoted into their current roles.  Through several meetings, all were convinced to meet with our client for an exploratory discussion around taking their career to the next level.  

Outcome

After an extensive interview process across several time zones, our client identified one individual from the shortlist of six that they were happy to offer.  A challenging negotiation process ensued and after a short period of time both parties were happy to move forward.  The successful CFO has been employed in their current role for two months and has already saved the company twice their annual salary.

This global infrastructure client of ours had created a new position within their business with specific change management responsibility for systems, people, and business performance.  The challenge was that they needed a diverse range of skills covering people management, strategy, functional systems experience, and a robust influencing skill set.  When recruiters on their preferred supplier list were unable to source a qualified candidate for the role, they contacted Walker Andersen. 

Action

Walker Andersen's consultants went to the market through our contacts to identify individuals working for direct competitors as unique industry experience was at a premium.  After an exhaustive search of the market we created a narrow list of five candidates for the role that were capable of satisfying all of the criteria required by the client.  None of the five candidates were actively seeking work in the market, but they were interested in pursuing a greater career opportunity.  In collaboration with our client we narrowed the list down to three people for face to face interviews with them. 

Outcome

Our client made an attractive offer to a candidate from a direct competitor that was twice their size.  Unfortunately, that individual received a significant financial counter offer from their present employer.  Upon meeting with the individual after receiving the counter offer, Walker Andersen's consultants were able to work closely with the candidate and our client to advise both parties on the best outcome of the situation.  Their current employer did their best to persuade the candidate to stay in their current role by promising to change their role through time.  After revisiting the candidates career aspirations outside of remuneration, our clients role was a significant step forward in responsibility and exposure to the executive levels of the business.  This was most important in their career motivations and they decided to accept the opportunity. 

12 weeks into the role both parties are very happy and the client has asked Walker Andersen to join their preferred supplier list.

Scenario

After our listed client found a significant trail of fraud within their finance team, they were required to replace their existing team with an interim finance group to steer them through this difficult time period.  This was an extremely tenuous time for our client and delivering the appropriate people and skills necessary was imperative.

Action

Our Contract and Interim Solutions team was perfectly positioned for this search having just completed a similar assignment for another client of ours.  Focusing on our pool of career contractors that have worked for us through time and have received excellent reviews was our initial point of reference.  Our client was in need of an entire team from including; interim CFO to project manage the change program both internally and externally, interim Financial Controller to hire their interim finance team, and Audit and Risk Director with specific internal control and forensic accounting skills.  Our team then went to market to identify individuals with these specific skills and experiences capable of helping our client navigate this major project. 

Outcome

After only one week of search, Walker Andersen's Contract and Interim Solutions team was able to deliver an entire team to embark on this project.  After rebuilding the credibility of the finance function our client has now decided to start building their finance team on a more permanent basis.  Our permanent placement team has started identifying people for the opportunities within the group and our interim CFO has decided to take the position on a permanent basis as well.

Scenario

After a team of senior partners merged their practice with another Top 10 accounting firm, the combined entity wanted to rapidly expand their team and service offering.  Through our network, Walker Andersen was invited to pitch for the assignment and was awarded a search mandate on the basis of our market knowledge, search pedigree and depth of industry contacts. 

Action

The remit was to source a team of twenty auditors across a variety of levels.  The client sought a specific candidate skill set which included; top tier chartered accounting firm pedigree, exposure to global clients, partner tracking careers, and a cultural dynamic that will suit an entrepreneurial, high growth organization.  To target suitable candidates we mapped out the Top 20 chartered accounting firms with specific focus on those individuals that were capable of stepping up to a bigger role.  Through our extensive network of contacts we were able to produce a shortlist of three candidates for each of the roles within two weeks of accepting the assignment.  All of the shortlists included individuals across a wide array of firms. 

Outcome

Our client conducted panel interviews over a period of three weeks and appointed an entire team of auditors from partner level down, which doubled the size of their firm in only one month.  Three months on the client has had a 100% retention rate with the new team and the firm continues to hire aggressively into their thriving practice. 

Scenario

A well known global automotive company was finding it very difficult to attract newly-qualified chartered accountants from the Top 4 to work in internal audit roles based in a suburban head office. We spent time with the client getting to know the business and its unique culture and career path and also took time to look at travel and accommodation options for new employees.

Action

We identified Ireland as a good, untapped potential source of suitable candidates who could be very interested in our client and these roles. We then hosted a drinks night in a well known hotel in Dublin targeting relevant audit candidates from the Top 4 who had recently qualified or were just about to qualify. As well as identifying and contacting likely candidates we pre-screened those who were interested in working in the UK.

Outcome

After a presentation on the career opportunities and some informal discussions over a few drinks about half a dozen candidates registered interest in the roles and had an initial face to face interview on the night. After subsequent teleconference interviews with our client and testing four were actually hired. We assisted them in the move across to the UK and all settled in well into their new firm. Other candidates we had met on the night were placed in different roles in London and all went on the refer other colleagues and friends down the track.

Scenario

A top 50 ASX listed, iconic Australian business have recently sought to recruit technical expertise within business planning. The client company have a robust preferred supplier agreement (PSA) with a number of large generalist recruitment firms nationally, and will rarely work outside these arrangements unless absolutely necessary. Unfortunately for the client and after a prolonged period of time, the PSA had been unable to secure a suitable candidate in to a vacant maternity leave contract role.

Action

The recruiting line manager felt that the PSA companies had exceeded a reasonable timeframe to source candidates and engaged Walker Andersen to recruit the vacant role.

Outcome

At this point Walker Andersen had met with an exceptional candidate and presented the resume to the client company. After a short and positive recruitment process, our candidate was successfully offered the role and immediately joined the business for a 6 month period. Walker Andersen has now become a valued supplier to the business and will continue to work with this client on specialist technical roles outside of its PSA arrangements

Scenario

A major US based international consulting firm were in the process of establishing its brand locally in Australia and expanding its reach across the Asia Pacific region. The initial challenge the consulting business faced lay within end client portfolio locally that had been referred to the consulting firm by its US parent. Significant numbers of secondees from overseas have been utilised by these clients, proving expensive and often unreliable due to the pressures of wishing to return home.

Action

The decision has been made to source local talent to fulfil the consulting requirements at which point Walker Andersen were engaged to source candidates with a variety of technical skills to complete the piece of work. Skills required have included extensive Audit, Risk, and technical accounting skills including AIFRS and USGAAP skills.

Outcome

Walker Andersen has been successful in sourcing a variety of candidates with these skills saving the end clients significant expense and improving delivery times, and ultimately a number of valued and lasting relationships have been born between Walker Andersen, the Consulting firm and its clients.

Scenario

Due to rapid growth in demand for their services a Top 4 chartered firm needed a high calibre manager with very niche industry sector experience for a fast growing specialist consulting division.

Action

Drawing on our extensive network of contacts and many years of experience within the Sydney market we were able to rapidly define and contact a highly accurate pool of potential candidates. From this we were able to select the best candidates who matched the requirement in terms of both technical skill set and personality, effectively present the opportunity to them and submit a shortlist of two candidates within a week. 

Outcome

Both candidates interviewed well, with one proceeding through to a second round of interviews and testing who was ultimately hired. He was actually an individual one of our managers had placed in a junior role many years previously and the ongoing relationship proved to be very useful in expediting the process.  

Scenario

Our client, a niche player within the corporate broking market, needed a principal to take over an existing portfolio as well as develop new business. The successful needed to have the ability to multi task and take on a varied portfolio. People management skills were also essential, with 3 direct reports.

Action

Given the skills shortage in the corporate broking market our consultant employed a number of methods in the recruitment process including advertising, database search and utilising referral networks. Most importantly we met with the client to discuss the role and to look outside the square for the type of person that could do this role. Following a very open discussion with our client it was decided that someone from a corporate underwriting background could easily transition into this role and add value to the team with their technical knowledge. Our consultant knew of a senior corporate underwriter who was looking to transition into a broking role and when approached they were very excited about the opportunity.

Outcome

Following one interview our client was very happy with our corporate underwriting candidate and believed that they would be a perfect cultural fit and bring a new level of experience to the team. The candidate was offered the job immediately and accepted.