Changing face of media – fifteen years as a headhunter
Today marks fifteen years since I first became a media headhunter.
It is astonishing how much the sector has changed in that time. The job titles themselves are indicative of these changes. While we still recruit MDs, Editors, Sales Directors and so on, we are now as likely to be working on roles like Head of Product Roadmap or Chief Scientist. As business models keep changing, so too do the attributes of the individuals who can add value.
Of course, media has always been defined by its technology – whether the spread of printing presses driving the growth of newspapers, or the invention of sound in films. Now, with such rapid advances in technology, just staying on top of developments requires incredible dexterity, even if only to be able to filter what works and what will soon be redundant. Finding people with the know-how to navigate these waters is paramount.
‘Media’ now is such an all-encompassing term – from newspapers to apps, software to internet TV, social media to magazines. And these are no longer the preserve of media businesses. Increasingly, our clients are coming up against both high street giants and agile start-ups which are competing for consumer attention in the digital space. Thriving in such a market requires people with special talents.
All this means that it has hardly been a dull fifteen years; the team and I have been fortunate to have been at the forefront of the changing face of media. We have consistently shown that we can identify those exceptional individuals who will make a real difference to our clients’ business.
I just hope the next fifteen years is as exciting as the last.
Martin Tripp Associates is a London-based executive search consultancy. While we are best-known for our work in the TMT (technology, media, and telecoms) space, we have also worked with some of the world’s biggest brands on challenging senior positions. Feel free to contact us to discuss any of the issues raised in this blog.