Jenny Riley and Associates

Jenny Riley and Associates says there is a strong momentum in the market because of the Higgs Report. This means that more and more companies want to be seen to be doing the right thing.

 
‘In the next year there will be significant demand for more non-execs’, says Jenny Riley, whose long career in international search and selection has provided a bird’s eye view of the non-executive market. ‘An excellent example of this change is a company very close to us, a quasi-governmental organisation, that is in the process of reforming its board structure in the next year or so and are making every effort to get more and diverse directors.’

How does Jenny Riley’s service differ from larger, better known firms? ‘Personal relationships with top people are the key to our success. I get to know personally all of our candidates and clients, and use both my experience and intuition to try and get the best fit – for both sides.’

This is clearly evidenced in a recent assignment which was a spin-off from a university where the founders were very able scientists who had developed excellent products and were able to attract funding from a variety of sources. What they lacked was the hands-on business experience that could get them on the right track in terms of the market and how they put themselves forward.

‘I wanted to make sure that the non-executive we put forward was the one with the right market experience – not just a ‘known’ person who had non-executive experience. Through our network we were able to identify a number of people who were able to demonstrate scientific knowledge and were also good business people. This fit was critical for the spin-off’s on-going success and it is working well.’

The wide variety of industries she has worked with is an important feature in her ‘intuitive’ approach. She often sees opportunities to put candidates from one industry into another, bringing the right set of skills but also a fresh approach. It is important that she ‘makes sure the people that she puts forward have the right kind of approach and can really add value to the company.’ By gaining insight into the individual she is able to identify those subtle things that bring both the right skills and the right chemistry.

 

Jenney Riley and Associates Harwell Innovation Centre 173 Curie Avenue Harwell International Business Centre Didcot Oxfordshire OX11 0QG

enquiries@jennyrileyandassociates.co.uk Tel: 01235 838509 Fax: 01235 838501