International News

8th Annual Pharma HR Forum

8th Annual Pharma HR Forum

April 23rd, 2013 – Vienna, Austria – AIMS International To Sponsor The 8th Annual PHARMA HR Forum

AIMS International is delighted to announce that it will join the 8th Annual Pharma HR Forum as a panel sponsor on May 14-15, 2013 at the Crown Plaza Amsterdam City Centre. Stephen Strittmatter, Grégoire Depeursinge and Hendrik Jan Guitink – experts for executive search in the Pharmaceutical, Health Care and Life Science segment – will organize a panel discussion focusing “Multi-Country Recruitment & Cultural Diversity”. More

The ABCA Q1 2013

The ABCA Q1 2013

April 4th, 2013 – Vienna, Austria – AIMS International, a preeminent global Executive Search and Talent Management organization, has launched the sixth issue of its Business Climate indicator. The ABCA delivers a global insight into the executive search business.

This analysis of the Executive Search Market surveys past, present and expected business conditions in 7 major business segments. It approaches the last 4 months and forecasts the next 4 months on the basis of interviews with AIMS International partners and consultants in 47 countries. The first ABCA was published in Q2 2011.

“Every issue of the ABCA delivers interesting insights for me, as EVP AMERICAS at AIMS International and as an owner of a company with international business relations” comments AIMS International Vice President John W. Poracky.

The ABCA Q1 2013 shows the following significant results:

  1. 28% (Δ -2%) of the AIMS International partners and consultants evaluate the current state of business as good, 49% (Δ +4%) as middle and 23% (Δ -3%) as bad. The indices for a stabilization of business which had been visible in ABCA Q2 2012 already, have not materialized. In fact, the number of companies which evaluate the current business situation as good has reached the all time low of 28%. Solely in the EMEA Region,evaluating the situation there is even worse, as only 23% evaluate the situation as good.

    How is the present state of business in your company? 

    Global-State-of-Business-2013-Q1

  2. Allowing multiple answers, significant differences in the development of important business segments during the last 12 months have become obvious, although the general trend is by the majority.The evaluation of the business situation in FMCG, Retail and Luxury Goods has decreased from 63% of positive answers at its peak at the first issue of the ABCA in 2011/07 to its all time low of 40% in 2013/03 (Δ-23%); the business situation in the Energy segment decreased from 41% in 2011/04 to 23% in 2013/Q1 (Δ-18%).The business evaluation in the IT and Telecom segments went down by 10% starting from 36%. Business in the Industrial, Engineering and Logistics segment (Δ-4%) and Financial Services (Δ-3%) has decreased slowly. The Automotive business segment is remarkably stable (Δ-+0%).Only the business development in the Pharmaceuticals, Health Care and Life Science segment has been evaluated positively, with an increase of 7% from 31% to 38%.
  3. Following the answers to the questions about the revenue development in the last 4 months you can see stabilization is not taking place. It is worse. A shift from stable revenues to decreased revenues of the respondent companies took place.

    How has your revenue developed in the last 4 months? 

    Revenue-Development-2012-Q4

  4. Alarming is that again only 9% of the companies evaluate their number of current projects as large. Only 47% of the companies evaluate their number of current projects as sufficient, 45% as not enough. Focusing in the EMEA region, the results are even less promising (3% large, 50% sufficient, 47% not enough). Slack labor will lead to redundancy in the 3rd Quarter if the trend should prove stable in 2013 Q2.
  5. As for the forecast for the next 4 months, 94% (Δ +9%) expect the business to be stable or better, 6% (Δ -9%) as worse. This could be a signal for a positive change of the business situation in 2013 Q2 and Q3.

    How do you forecast your company´s business over the next 4 months? 

    Global-Business-Preview-2013-Q1

The overall outlook for Q1 2013 was not promising as stated in the last issue of the ABCA in 2012/10. The results of the ABCA 2013/Q2 show slightly positive indicators.

Corporate Communications

Christian Schulte +49 178 2854744


About AIMS International (www.aims-international.net)

Incorporated in Vienna, Austria in 1992, AIMS International is an international executive search organization of independently owned and managed executive search firms who work collaboratively to execute executive search assignment for global clients around the world. AIMS International is represented by over 350 consultants in more than 90 offices in over 50 countries throughout all continents. It was ranked the largest executive search partnership in the world by Search-Consult Magazine.

For more information, please visit www.aims-international.net.

"L'economiste" about AIMS Morocco

"L'economiste" about AIMS Morocco

April 2nd, 2013 – Casablanca/ Morocco
Nouvelle franchise de chasseurs de têtes au Maroc – L′économiste, Édition N° 4001 du 2013/04/02,
an article by Aziza EL AFFAS (translated from the original article in French which you find below)

AIMS Morocco soon blows its first candle. Indeed, the recruitment specialist “New Talent Consulting” in 2012 became a partner of AIMS International. Specialising in executive recruitment, talent management, assessment and coaching, the company is headed by Karim Ahniche. With a long experience as a marketing and sales person, Ahniche has more than 10 years under his belt in the media industry in the MENA region. He has worked in companies such as Reuters and MBC internationally, before creating in Dubai in 2007 and then in Casablanca in 2011 the firm “New Talent Consulting”. “By 2008, the effects of the crisis began to be felt in the region. I decided to go for a year and a half, “he says. Today, AIMS International Morocco´s clients include companies such as Novo Nordisk, Sothema, Cooper Industries Morocco … “We work a lot in the industry and services sectors that are doing well despite the recession,” he says.

At the head of a team of 4 people, Ahniche works primarily for the recruitment of managers and high potentials. He also found a strong demand for the Moroccan “diaspora” in Morocco and Maghreb, considered as a regional hub. Many of them want to settle for a career. “We are getting a lot of requests for foreigners wishing to work here,” Karim Ahniche says.

Unfortunately, the language problem remains an obstacle to the recruitment of young Moroccan executives in multinational companies. Indeed, the demand for multinationals often encounters gaps in English at Moroccan applicants. Hence the use of Moroccans living abroad (MRE) or foreigners to occupy key positions in these large structures is normal. “Even for positions based in Morocco, we demand managers with good English skills because they must attend meetings or trainings, and do reporting to corporate headquarters … Many candidates are not chosen because of their disability to speak English.” For him, English is now important not only for managers but also for other profiles such as doctors, computer scientists … “Even the level of French has declined significantly,” he adds.

In addition to recruitment, AIMS Morocco offers assessment services. “Companies are increasingly opting for internal promotion, because of course it works out cheaper than hiring externally, but it also leaves room for meritocracy and the best to evolve,” according to the term of office of the management recruitment.

A report about AIMS International, which is in the top 10 executive search firms over the past 5 years and whose headquarters is based in Vienna, which has 90 subsidiaries in fifty countries around the world.
www.aims-international.net

2013-04-02-Leconomiste-Morocco-P12
Link to the article

April 2nd, 2013 – Casablanca/ Morocco
Nouvelle franchise de chasseurs de têtes au Maroc
Original text

AIMS Morocco soufflera bientôt sa première bougie. En effet, le spécialiste en recrutement «New talents consulting» est devenu en 2012 une filiale du groupe Aims International. Spécialisée dans le recrutement des cadres, le talent management, l’assessment et le coaching, la nouvelle structure est dirigée par Karim Ahniche. Fort d’une longue expérience en tant que responsable marketing et commercial, Ahniche a plus de 10 ans à son actif dans l’industrie des médias dans la région Mena. Il a travaillé dans des entreprises comme Reuters et MBC à l’international, avant de créer, à Dubaï en 2007, le cabinet «New talents consulting» puis à Casablanca en 2011. «Dès 2008, les effets de la crise ont commencé à se faire sentir dans la région. J’ai alors décidé de rentrer depuis un an et demi», affirme-t-il. Aujourd’hui, Aims Morocco compte parmi ses clients des entreprises comme Novo Nordisk, Sothema, Cooper, Maroc Industries… «On travaille beaucoup dans l’industrie et les services, des secteurs qui se portent bien malgré la crise», témoigne-t-il.

A la tête d’une équipe de 4 personnes, Ahniche travaille surtout pour le recrutement des DG et des hauts potentiels. Il a d’ailleurs constaté une forte demande de la diaspora marocaine et maghrébine pour le Maroc, considéré comme un hub régional. Beaucoup d’entre-eux veulent s’y installer pour faire carrière. «Nous recevons aussi beaucoup de demandes d’étrangers désireux de travailler ici», poursuit-il.

Malheureusement, le problème des langues reste un frein pour le recrutement des jeunes cadres marocains dans les multinationales. En effet, la demande des multinationales se heurte souvent aux lacunes en langue anglaise des candidats marocains. D’où le recours au MRE ou aux étrangers pour occuper des postes-clés dans ces grandes structures. «Même pour des postes basés au Maroc, on nous demande des cadres bons en anglais, car ils doivent participer aux réunions, formations, reporting au siège des entreprises… Beaucoup de candidats ne sont pas retenus à cause de ce handicap». Pour lui, l’anglais est aujourd’hui primordial non seulement pour les managers, mais aussi pour d’autres profils comme les médecins, les informaticiens… «Même le niveau du français a beaucoup régressé», ajoute-t-il.

En plus du recrutement, Aims Morocco offre des services d’assessment. «Les entreprises optent de plus en pour la promotion interne, car bien sûr cela leur revient moins cher qu’un recrutement en externe, mais cela laisse aussi la place à la méritocratie et aux meilleurs pour évoluer», selon le terme du DG du cabinet de recrutement.

A signaler qu’Aims International, qui figure dans le top 10 des firmes de recrutement durant les 5 dernières années et dont le siège est basé à Vienne, a un réseau de 90 filiales dans une cinquantaine de pays à travers le monde.
www.aims-international.net

World Executive Search Congress review

World Executive Search Congress review

March 25 – 27, 2013 – Las Vegas /USA
AIMS International as Special Sponsor of the event
Find the homepage of the WESC 2013 following this link

Over a three day period President Rolf Heeb and Executive Vice President John Poracky met with 20 executive search firms in Las Vegas to discuss AIMS International during the WESC meeting. The participating firms were from all continents of the globe. Each firm was represented by the owner(s) of their respective organization. Most of the firms had specialty or multi-specialty practices. Some of the participating companies will apply for a partnership of AIMS International in the near future. If their application process and due dilligence will be successful, this will contribute to further strenghten the international market position of AIMS International as the potential partners came from target markets as Lebanon, Philippines or from states in the USA where AIMS International is not represented today physically.

“The sponsorship of the event was very successful. There were over 100 search firms represented at the conference. Each day AIMS International was recognized and introduced at the event as the Special Sponsor and as the international search organization which it is. Rolf Heeb and me were approached by a multitude of firms wanting to introduce themselves” evaluated John Poracky the success of the sponsorship initiative.

Further more there were also a number of good presentations held at the WESC which are available to AIMS International. All AIMS International Partners can review them on the international intranet, so that the knowledge can be transfered to all partners globally.

Some impressions from the WESC 2013:

Rolf_Heeb_and_John_Poracky_close_up
John_Poracky_in_talks
Rolf_Heeb_in_talks

EMEA Meeting Q1 2013

EMEA Meeting Q1 2013

Vienna, Austria – London, UK

AIMS International will have the next of its international client and partner meetings on March 22nd and 23rd 2013 at the Kensington Close Hotel in London.

50 people from around the globe will attend to exchange experiences on challenging topics. In addition to the partners and executives of AIMS International from the EMEA region, Partners from the USA, Brazil Canada and China will participate.

The agenda of the meeting will include the following highlights amongst other challenging topics:

1) Presentation of the results of the international study about most efficient competencies of Board Members.

2) Workshops with international clients: Challenges and solutions.

3) Presentation of the challenges associated with building the Olympic venues on time and to budget.

4) EMEA Business Development, Marketing and Sales Initiatives.

If you intend to meet the AIMS International Partners in London, please, contact EMEA Executive Vice President Ms Judit Simonyi or the host and UK Managing Director Mr Roger Cater.

The participants:
Aims 1