Functions

Board & Leadership 

We support chairmen and boards, when asked, across the range of requirements including board appointments, management and evaluation.

Our board team comprises individuals with many years of experience in searching on behalf of global companies for senior executive and non-executive board members. It is supported by others with global experience gained in dealing directly with chairmen and boards through either equity research or corporate advisory within the City’s leading institutions.

Our specific support of chairmen is underpinned by undertaking research on key, topical, issues which may affect the structure and composition of a board. This research has included the confidential survey we recently undertook of FTSE 350 chairmen on the additional time they believed would be required of a board in dealing with the requirements of the new FRC Code. The results of the survey were sent in confidence directly to each chairman. Another topical concern and area of research is the building gender-balanced boards. We have provided empirical data for FTSE chairmen on the topic and organised round-table discussions in order to assist the creation of realistic, business-focused solutions for both the near and further future. 

Finance

Although the general consensus is that the worst of the recent financial crisis is behind us, views on what the future holds vary widely. However, two developments are certain: further uncertainty and a period of continued low growth in developed markets. Which raises the question, “how can CFOs turn 2011 to their companies’ advantage?” As always, there are challenges; the possibility of a double-dip recession is just one example of the risks on the horizon. And then there are opportunities. Companies will need to invest in growth to win; history has shown that the winners in tough economic times have nearly always gone on the offensive, investing in long-term growth. Either way, both scenarios place the CFO at the very heart of many businesses’ futures; the CFO plays a key role in preparing and sustaining a company’s bold moves. Accordingly, the role of the CFO has evolved. Organisations no longer wish to hire ‘the usual suspects’ who simply tick all of the boxes; there needs to be something extra if you are to stand out from the crowd. This results in increasingly creative shortlists encompassing a diversity of experience, thought and demographic.

We have expertise across all aspects of this broad function including: M&A; Audit; Risk; Financial Control; Commercial Finance and Investor Relations.

Technology

Technology is at the heart of every sector, underpinning the ability of every business to succeed. And as increasingly rapid technological advancements continue to play such a major role in the economy and wider society, we recognise the importance of remaining at the forefront of the technology executive search market. This market encompasses the technology industry (technology products and/ or services companies) as well as the technology functions of all companies. IT is increasingly becoming less of a support function and more of a strategic one. In order to exploit new and advancing technologies to a companies’ full advantage, leaders within the technology function must be engaged with technology and its relentless development which must symbiotically respond to, and reshape, end-user demands (whether customers or employees!). The office of the CIO is therefore flows in the lifeblood of any business. It is of no wonder that CIOs are increasingly engaged in defining and embedding strategy and managing business problems, not just technology problems.

Our established team includes senior individuals with over 60 years combined experience who work within technology verticals and across technology functions. We work with the largest and best regarded technology firms and CIO and CTO offices, often throughout periods of major change and transformation. We have completed searches for the roles that define 'cutting edge'; from senior digital media roles to data and predictive analytics leaders, for example.

Strategy & Change

Driving strategy from change, or change from strategy: strategic thinking is the means whereby organisations take position in a world that is confusing and uncertain and create opportunity accordingly. As Richard Rumelt, Professor of strategy at UCLA asserts, “you can’t get rid of ambiguity and uncertainty—they are the flip side of opportunity”. And in such a fast-changing world, balancing the short versus the long term is the biggest challenge for strategy executives. How do you balance the trade-off between immediate financial performance and ultimate long term embedded value?

Augmentum has developed a broad capability across the whole strategy area with an extensive body of work for both leading industry clients and for the primary strategy houses themselves. We are active participants in the established industry networks and alumni associations and have strong relations with a number of the worlds most prestigious business schools. Our judgement, in conjunction with our knowledge and experience, have defined our industry leading position.

Commercial/ Sales & Marketing

Sales & Marketing functions play a critical role in driving revenues, retaining customers, and achieving overall company objectives. To state the obvious; no matter how well your business is run, if your top line is light, your business is at risk. However, when a group of multinational companies were recently asked to assess their go-to-market processes and capabilities, most respondents gave themselves distinctly low marks. It is clear that empowering front-line marketing and sales professionals with better customer analytics, insights, market segmentation and messaging can both improve return on investment and drive significant revenue growth.

Augmentum has broad expertise in marketing and sales including: CMO office, consumer insight, predictive analytics, marketing, branding & communications, sales and pricing, account management and deal creation.

Human Resources

HR has been thrust toward the board room; “personnel” has been banished to the paper archives. Organisations today face an extremely diverse set of people-related challenges; how to best build a sustainable, competitive people advantage across numerous global environments; how to best align the business strategy to the people strategy; how to best attract, develop and retain the very best talent available which reflects the increasingly diverse world businesses serve. In other words, how can the HR function accelerate value creation? HR is now at the very centre of business performance. Where in the past the function’s primary duty was delivering the fundamentals that underpinned the employee lifecycle, supporting organisational performance is now the main theme running through HR work. And the increasing rate at which businesses are being required to reinvent and reorganise themselves is driving the HR function into the boardroom.

We have extensive expertise across all aspects of the HR function, including: HR leadership; organisational design; organisational development; talent acquisition; talent management; leadership development and performance improvement to name a spread. We also have a burgeoning diversity practice, offering consultations, events management, talent mapping and other research based services.