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Investigo CEO keynote speaker at Career International

​Want to attract top talent? Value quality and diversity above all else.

On 19th June 2019, Investigo CEO Nick Baxter was among four keynote speakers presenting at Career International’s “Belt and Road” talent acquisition event in Shanghai, China.

Following an introduction by Career International’s Chairman Wallace Gao, Nick kicked off the keynote speeches by providing the 20+ strong audience of HR and talent executives, from Amazon, Shanghai Electric and Shenghong Group among many others, with an insight into the UK talent market.

The UK recruitment market is the most competitive in the world, while also being highly fragmented with over 30,000 active consultancies. The talent acquisition landscape has also been disrupted by factors such as social media (notably LinkedIn), the introduction of more stringent data regulations (GDPR), in-house hiring teams and the rise of the startup boutique agency.

As a result, there is a high demand for a specialist agency where the knowledge of the recruiter is fundamental to success. Indeed, while future digital advancements can only disrupt the role of the recruiter further, as Nick explained, recruitment is by nature a people-centered profession: “technology should be embraced but should never replace the human element”.

Nick continued to explore external factors impacting the UK market, providing an overview of the political and financial landscape in the wake of Brexit. Three years of political uncertainty, a broken government, and the popularity for politicians and mainstream banking at an all-time low have contributed to UK companies increasing investment in overseas markets.

Nonetheless, the UK job market has seen growth. Demand among organisations to recruit talent continues to grow, increasing by 22% in 2018. The UK has also experienced record employment levels and remains one of the leading centres for global investment with notable growth in the technology sector.

So how does this relate to attendees at the Career International event? “According to an economic report by the World Employment Federation,” explained Nick “the employment industry in 2016 generated 491 billion euros (3928 billion CNY) of sales revenue worldwide with five countries (USA, Japan, UK, Germany and China) making up the majority of the revenue. We are therefore united in leading the way in the world of recruitment.”

Investigo’s partnership with Career International – China’s market-leading recruiter – provides unique and reciprocal opportunities for growth. Nick concluded by providing valuable insight for Chinese-funded enterprises to build talent teams in the UK. A clear strategy, partnering with specialist consultancies and prioritising quality over price are fundamental to getting “the right talent in the right seats”. And the right talent is also a diverse talent. Diversity and inclusion are key factors for gaining competitive advantage and accessing a new (and expanded) talent pool.

The Salon continued with insights from the German market by Markus Steinbeisser and Bernhard Plecher from IT staffing platform WHG, and an exploration of the challenges faced by Chinese firms by Celine Li, GM of International Business at Career International, before a closing speech by Career International CEO Xin Guo and a lively Q&A session.

Commenting on the event, Nick said:

“It was a great opportunity for my senior management team and I to meet some of Career International’s top clients, and gain an understanding of their challenges when hiring talent and their appetite to invest in the UK. These sessions are invaluable and we look forward to seeing our partnership grow in the future.”