And the case of Accor has also left traces

All commence par a call in the hushed world So the firm Russell Reynolds, mandated by the anglo-saxon real estate developer Cushman & Wakefield, eventually recruit Denis Samuel-Lajeunesse, Director General of the Agency of the interests of the State in the Ministry of finance, for the management of the French entity from September. After a loss of speed in 2001, the market of head hunting became carrier. And the timing for law firms "makers of Kings".

"The job of head hunting matures in France and in Europe," said Diane Segalen, vice chairman of Christian & Timbers in France. "Leadership succession plans and renewal of generations at the head of the business (Jean - Pascal Tricoire at Schneider Electric, Jean-Paul Agon in l ' Oréal, Gilles Pélisson and Serge Weinberg in Accor, etc.), recruitment expanded administrators, LMBO, etc. groups to international ambitions broaden their horizons of recruitment", continued. "Priority going to candidates who accumulate experience, leadership and international opening," said Paul Jaeger, "managing director" in the Office of Paris by Russell Reynolds. At the time, the business more arc-boute good governance requirements that tend to limit the "copinages" in committees and boards of Directors. "It is true the only missions which are entrusted to us." "In France, a large number of posts are still heads hunters", temper Jean-Louis Petibon, Director General France of Egon Zehnder International. Many, indeed, are still the groups where the President endorse the decision by the members of the Nominating Committee, where a X-Mines succeeded an another X-Mines or where one parachute an enarque directly a cabinet to a position of CEO (as Pierre Mongin RATP and Jean-François Cirelli in SFM).

The wave of the women

Most often, French companies improve the transparency of their practices of recruitment and functioning under the pressure of extreme and unfortunate cases. Accordingly, the role of the remuneration of da Vinci Committee, which had been granted without eyebrows, a departure premium valued at approximately EUR 13 million to Antoine Zaccharias to his departure from the operational direction, should help to enhance the independence of its members. And the case of Accor has also left traces. The Organization of the estate of Jean-Marc Espalioux had yet observed a "process": Nominating Committee, tender with head hunters (Russell Reynolds, mandated, eventually withdraw)... ", In this case, it is that all the components of a process of good governance had been observed." "Only behind this formalism, it concealed a secret agenda", said one manager. "With hindsight, we see that many are made to manipulate: headhunters, journalists, candidates and members of the Board of Directors." However, it is a rare phenomenon, encouraged by the meeting around a table of people not solidarity between them and whose interests were highly divergent.

French companies decided to develop more international in General play opening on the Board of Directors and make efforts to diversity on nationality. "After the wave of foreign directors, it is now the turn of women." Are not talking about foreign women who speak French! "noted Brigitte Lemercier, former Director General at Russell Reynolds and today at the head of its own structure, NB Lemercier & Associates, specializing in the research of CEO, administrators and members of executive committees.

The progression of the feminization of advice remains timid, however: "In France, the percentage of seats in the Board of Directors required by women rose from 6.5 to 7.6 ", notes the Eurobarometer EuropeanPWN 2006. Still far from the objective of 20 in 2010 assigned by the French Institute of Directors. But this phenomenon of substance is slow, it has become irreversible. To, for example, illustrated with the arrival of Elisabeth Lulin, teacher, Inspector of finance everything just forty years, the Board of Directors of Société Générale.

The ability to say no

Another trend: "the French candidates with international experience are highly sought after," continues Brigitte Lemercier. That gives opportunities to those for many, neither X nor parties finance inspectors continue beautiful career internationally. "They had reason to go: their experience provides today to return to more favourable braid", commented Jean-Louis Petibon. "We're going to include them in the landscape;" which should encourage the introduction of a new generation of executives. "More international and more young," said Brigitte Lemercier.

The craft has the wind in its sails, but it remains competitive. Immediate access to the leaders of the CAC 40, an international network, the strength and the quality of a sign, "process", a sharp expertise are all elements of differentiation put forward for the recruitment of fifteen "partners" for fifteen different sectors, a hiring for a position abroad, or even research confidentiality of a leader for a group French. But there is that nothing will be more valuable to a client company that the experience of a consultant and the importance of the intuitu personae. "This job requires an extreme rigour for the treatment of confidential information for the management of relationships with our candidates", insists Paul Jaeger. Companies to tell the truth to head hunting firms and recruiters from top flight for having the courage not shut up certain characteristics of the candidate to put an end to the more quickly and spread bold placement rates. His great expertise, the headhunting must necessarily add the courage and the ability to tell a client: "No, do not take this person." Even end recruitment process.