Commerce and Industry Market Insights in London 2017

The London Commerce & Industry Market Insights Report covers the following areas. Click to view salaries:

• Part-Qualified & Transactional
• Newly-Qualified
• Qualified
• Executive & Interim

Part-Qualified & Transactional

There is likely to be a continued increase in transactional level recruitment this year, as companies look to nurture and develop talent internally. Roles are of course still available at part qualified finalist level, but less so than in previous years as companies focus on retaining existing staff rather than bringing people in externally. There has been a good spread of roles within the temporary and contract market, although the emphasis here has also been on transactional jobs.

Newly-Qualified

There is an increasing emphasis within the industry on developing accountants who can add communication and relationship building skills to their financial an technical capability. With finance departments now seen as key influencers of business performance, companies are looking for candidates who can business partner with senior stakeholders. For commercial roles, clients are generally looking for candidates with an industry background and with hands on commercial experience. For technical roles, ACA qualified candidates who have come from a practice background are preferred.

Qualified

The two to six years post-qualified experience space was a real hot spot, particularly for CIMA and ACA candidates with a few years’ commercial experience. This trend is expected to continue as companies invest in additional headcount to support growth. Multiple offers and counter offers from existing employers have become common, with fast moving recruitment processes and significant salary offers now the norm.

Executive & Interim

2016 was a steady year for executive and interim recruitment across the spectrum of commerce and industry. There was some inevitable stagnation during the summer months due to the uncertainty created by Brexit, although towards the end of the year confidence improved and we saw an uplift in demand for interim finance director and chief finance officer roles. The triggering of Article 50 this year has resulted in an increased demand for interim resources as businesses  are reluctant to commit to long term hiring strategies. Equally, businesses will also look to carry on with projects they have already committed to, undertake acquisitions , and so the need for highly commercial finance directors and chief finance officers should remain.

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