2019 wrap up for the Investor Relations and Communications sector

As a team we have reflected on trends that we saw over 2019 – please see a summary below of our key takeaways across both the IR and Comms market!

Interim

Due to political uncertainty, 2019 has seen an influx in interim roles across both the IR & Communications market, particularly at the senior end – even with the IR35 changes looming over the private sector.

The flexibility of an interim role offers the client a short-term solution to a long-term business need without committing to a permanent headcount, the candidate can parachute into a role and deliver on priorities.

Interim roles work really well for clients going through “special situations” and we have placed several Pre-IPO IR roles on a contract basis this year.

The IR & Communications market has also seen a rise of Consultancy type firms over the last few years, and given the volume of work in these businesses can ebb and flow, they provide perfect opportunities for interim professionals who can join on a 3, 6 or 12-month contract to support during busy periods.

We anticipate the interim market to change come April 2020, but believe this skillset will still be as sought after across all industries.

Change Communications

Change communications is imperative to any business going through serious change or uncertainty – we have seen roles in businesses of all sizes and complexities, whether it be a transformation project implementing a new IT system, a relocation of an entire workload or potential Brexit effects.

Change comms has been notoriously a ‘project based’ skillset, however this year more than ever our clients are bringing this role in-house, permanently to ensure consistent messaging among employees.

Growing teams and restructures

Communications has never felt more crucial. A strong, influential communications team (internal & external) is at the forefront of any business. Alongside this is a highly resilient and assertive IR team who can manage two-way communications both internally and externally. It is a tough economic and trading environment for many businesses and therefore transparent corporate and financial communications is paramount.

Many of our clients have revamped and restructured their comms teams entirely in order to prioritise their corporate messaging and PR. Restructures have included building out their Corporate and Consumer Comms divisions, bringing in talent from outside of the industry and developing their senior leadership team.

We look forward to 2020 with excitement and believe the industry will continue to grow and recognise the exceptionally high talent that has been developed. To discuss your hiring requirements, or personal job search, please get in touch with Amber.