FWB appoints a new Chair

Edinburgh-based business forges ahead with growth plans after the sale of its energy practice in Aberdeen

Executive recruitment firm FWB has appointed Brian Williamson as its new chair.

Taking over from Bill McCall, the Scottish business veteran’s current and recent roles include being chair of Elevator, a director at Equity Gap, chair at 4icg and vice chair for central Scotland at the Institute of Directors.

Ailsa Sutherland, a board member at the executive recruitment firm, said: “We are delighted to welcome Brian as our new chair – his proven track record and strategic direction will undoubtedly contribute to the continued success and growth of FWB.

“We look forward to working with him and benefiting from his experience – we are excited about the future with Brian’s leadership and remain dedicated to delivering excellence for our clients across the UK as we continue to invest and grow.”

Williamson stated: “I am privileged to be appointed chair of FWB, a 30 year-old institution renowned for not only delivering excellent results for both clients and candidates, but in being such a trusted adviser to so many of Scotland’s prominent businesses.”

The firm also recently announced the sale of its UK oil and gas practice to leadership and talent advisory business Boyden.

Scott Black, managing director of FWB, commented: “We would like to thank the team for the significant contribution they have made over many years, following the acquisition of Park Brown International in 2014.

“We wish John Cameron and the team all the very best – our decision to sell the Aberdeen business completes a process began in 2020 when we sold our US energy business.”

Nick Robeson, managing partner for Boyden in the UK and Ireland, stated: “Our global footprint in energy was highly attractive to John Cameron, who will now join our rapidly developing business as managing partner of our energy practice, along with Peter Roberts, Nia Lynch-Cryle, Keiran Whyte and Jemma Knight.”

The transaction is designed at letting FWB focus on core sectors of expertise across the UK and internationally.

“FWB’s consumer practice has achieved outstanding growth of 150% since 2018, underlining our expertise in advising companies involved the consumer goods markets, where there is a clear battle for talent,” explained Michael Dickson, board director of FWB.

“Similarly, our public sector practice and financial and professional services practices have seen accelerated growth rates of 100% and 67% respectively, reflecting FWB’s expertise in these sectors.”

He also outlined FWB’s track record within public, third and not-for-profit markets.

“Our public sector practice has been appointed as the only Scottish-headquartered executive search supplier to each of the three lots covering executive and non-executive recruitment services on the Crown Commercial Services permanent recruitment framework, which adds to an already well-established market presence.”

Meanwhile, FWB’s built environment, infrastructure and support services practice has delivered growth of 35% since 2018. With the focus on net zero and carbon reduction in the built environment, this area is expected to grow significantly in the next decade.

FWB has also expanded its energy transition, technology, life sciences, engineering and manufacturing practices in recent years.

Black noted that FWB has become the largest executive search firm headquartered in Scotland, with a growth rate exceeding 40% since the management buy-out in 2016.

Since then, FWB has also diversified and grown through the development of it’s management due diligence services, both executive development training programmes and professional networks, including the Scottish Finance Leaders Network and Scottish HR Leadership Group, and the expansion of its Executive Education programmes through a partnership with the University of Edinburgh Business School, through which over 500 delegates and alumni have been educated to date.

Original article by Kenny Kemp & Peter Walker can be found here in Business Insider