Air Cargo Handling Conference
Brussels, 15-16 June 2010
Marlborough was a main exhibitor at the year’s most important conference that galvanises connectivity and communication between all players in the air cargo business.
As the leading aviation Executive Search and Management Consultancy firms, Marlborough were able to address one of the main themes of the event felt by all sectors of the industry; namely concerns about the lack of investment in people and the difficulties recruiting talent into the air cargo handling industry.
The event brought together the leading airlines, air cargo handlers, freight forwarders, airports and equipment suppliers.
Passenger Terminal Expo
Brussels, 23-35 March 2010
Marlborough was proud to be one of the key sponsors at the industry's foremost event that uniquely brings airports and airlines together under one roof.
The event was also the launch-pad for our new Interim Placement and Management Consultancy divisions. Both have been established as a result of direct client demand for the rapid filling of key-roles and specialist help to nurture the leaders of tomorrow.
Marlborough lined-up with an impressive list of over 150 suppliers, 2,000+ exhibition visitors, 850+ conference delegates and 200+ expert speakers from very best the airport and airline companies as well as their suppliers from every area of the passenger terminal industry.
October 2009 - Marlborough expands into new areas to provide customers with an even more superior service and launches its new online presence
The leading executive search firm extends its reach into tourism, leisure & hospitality recruitment, interim placement and management consultancy
Brussels, 01 October 2009; Marlborough today announces the most significant expansion in its ten-year history that will offer its clients an even wider range of services and underlines the company’s position as one of the leading search and consultancy players in the aviation, hospitality and related support industries.
Already regarded as one of the premier aviation executive search firms, Marlborough is now extending its reach into the tourism, leisure and hospitality sectors and is already providing recruitment services to some of the largest global travel companies.
Another new development is the creation of Marlborough Interim. In today’s fluid labour market, Marlborough is responding to its clients' growing demand to bring specialists on board quickly, for a short period of time, whilst a more thorough search is being conducted. The company’s already impressive Black Book of industry contacts ideally positions Marlborough well to serve this growing need.
Marlborough is now also officially extending its services to the field of Management Consultancy. In practice, it has been advising clients for some time on issues well beyond executive search including Leadership Development, Executive Coaching and Management Assessment. In today’s increasingly competitive world, staff retention and development is as important as the injection of fresh talent and Marlborough’s experience in this field is already well-established.
And to support these exciting developments, Marlborough has invested significantly in its online presence with a completely new website offering both clients and candidates even greater levels of customer service.
Commenting on these developments, Richard Lewis, Marlborough's Managing Director, declared: "These new services not only make us the clear choice to meet our clients’ recruitment and development needs but also positions us well for future growth. Our success over the last decade is directly attributable to the high standards of customer satisfaction and this announcement will only reinforce our reputation within the aviation, tourism and hospitality sector as the leading executive search firm."
For further information regarding Marlborough, please visit us at www.marlborough.aero or contact us direct on +32 2 711 4474
***ENDS***
January 2008 - Marlborough Goes From Strength to Strength
With a record sales performance for 2007, Richard Lewis, MD of Marlborough gives his outlook for the aviation sector in 2008
Brussels, 18th January 2008; Following nine consecutive quarters of growth, Marlborough reports record sales figures and robust profits for 2007 as the company continues to demonstrate its position as the leading aviation executive search firm.
With 2007 being Marlborough’s busiest twelve months ever, year-on-year revenue grew more than 40% against 2006 resulting from a larger client portfolio and an impressive 10% placement rate increase against the backdrop of a record year in 2006. A triple-digit percentage profit increase capped off an excellent all-round performance for the Brussels-based practice.
Marlborough’s commitment to high levels of customer service enables the firm to more effectively complete client briefs, aligning the needs of the organisation with that of the candidate. With heavy demand experienced for its services from both airline and airport clients, it comes as no surprise that the current order book already stands at more than 50% of 2007’s total turnover.
Commenting on these performances, Richard Lewis, Marlborough's Managing Director, declared: “Our continued success is directly attributable to the high standards of customer satisfaction we consistently deliver and our growing reputation within the aviation sector as the leading executive search firm.”
“2007 was the best trading year in the company’s history, and with the investment we are currently making in January 2008 to expand our research team we are confident that we will deliver another strong performance in 2008.”
Market Outlook 2008
Richard Lewis, MD of Marlborough gives his views of what the aviation industry can expect in 2008.
2007 for the Aviation industry was, in the main, extremely buoyant and much better than anyone predicted. It would appear that last year’s revenue earnings was the best since 1999, turning a $500m loss in 2006 to a $5.6bn profit in 2007. However, this still only represents a 1% profit margin as rising costs and faltering economies took their toll on the bottom line. With no end in sight to rising oil prices and economic downturn, the question is, is the aviation industry due for a hard landing in 2008?
The good news, and with the exception of major global incidents, is that 2008 will again be profitable but, unsurprisingly, probably not as good as 2007. This may not be such bad news considering the industry has performed so poorly in the first part of this decade together with the current issues of rising costs and general economic downturn in the US and Europe.
Whilst economists are getting increasingly gloomy about the state of the worldwide economy, where growth is expected to slow from 3.7% in 2007 to 3.1% in 2008, this still would still represent a very good performance given that all the talk is of major recession.
With strong links to the key growth markets in Asia and the Middle East, coupled with the relative strength of the Euro that should limit exposure to oil prices, will mean Europe will on the whole do much better than the US.
High oil prices will continue into 2008 and whilst demand is slowing in the US, this will be more than met by expansion in China. However, load factors will remain high, demonstrating that the demand from consumers and businesses for travel will not be dampened in 2008, and this will help counter higher fuel prices.
Travel trends remain strong, and even predict growth in business travel spend. This year will see the implementation of the Open Skies agreement that will lift restrictions on the number of airlines which can operate transatlantic flights from Europe to the US. Furthermore, additional capacity will be provided by a number of new airport expansion projects including Terminal 5 at Heathrow and the new Third Terminal in Beijing in readiness for the 2008 Olympics.
The employment market will remain buoyant, although the competition for talent will be as severe as ever. With an increasingly mobile workforce the challenge for employers will be both the lengths they will need to go to attract the right candidates and their ability to retain them in the face of stern competition. Now, more so than ever, is where highly-skilled professional recruiters will be more valuable to companies looking to develop the best talent the industry offers.
In summary therefore, whilst the economic outlook may appear gloomy in some quarters, we remain cautiously optimistic. Our belief is that the latter half of the year will be much more buoyant when many sectors of the aviation industry will be gearing up for growth. In the meantime, cost management will be critical and employers need to ensure they have the right personnel on board to cope with market conditions and meet the competition head on.
For further information regarding Marlborough, please visit us at www.marlborough.aero or contact us direct on +32 2 711 4474
***ENDS***
October 2007 - Securing Top Management: A Thought Piece on Leadership
Attracting and retaining talent is one of the toughest challenges any airport CEO will face.
But in today’s challenging aviation market, the role of the specialist recruiter becomes ever more so critical if airports are to ride out the current global economic downturn.
The talent pool is becoming increasingly limited and put simply, an advert into a trade journal or magazine no longer works. Instead, companies are turning instead to the services of executive search firms, such as Marlborough who target candidates with the specific experience. Recruitment is a specialised skill and by outsourcing this key area companies eliminate the hit and miss element.
From an airport’s point of view it is vital then to find and work with a professional recruiter whom they regard as a true business partner; someone that must have the client’s interests at heart and have unconditional confidence and trust he will perform to expectations. A good chemistry and interpersonal relationship with the individual comes a very close second.
It’s extremely beneficial if the head-hunter is granted access to all areas of the business to witness first hand the cultural and physical environment into which prospective candidates can expect to enter. He must be allowed to work directly and closely with the ultimate decision maker e.g. the Chief Executive, who in turn should be decisive, have the courage to act, empower his team to deliver strategic objectives and ensure the vision is shared by stakeholders.
The consultant becomes a de facto member of the management team and interacts regularly with the principals through frequent and open communication. It is extremely important though that the airport shares as much strategic information as possible with the head-hunter who in return will respect the confidence shown He is a Partner with an innate understanding of the complexities involved in hiring and appreciates fully how central an airport’s business culture is to the hiring process: Mission, Vision and Values.
In this fashion Marlborough built solid client relationships with the likes of Brus-sels Airport and Airports Council International (ACI), the former leading to a dozen successive appointments over an 18-month period – each candidate attuned with the other to ensure a unified fit both culturally and professionally with the airport’s vision.
The consultant needs to get under the skin of the airport, finding out exactly what personal and professional qualities are required in his candidates. If he is worth his salt he will challenge preconceived ideas about the ‘ideal’ candidate match.. An ineffective hire could have serious consequences all round.
We have been recruiting specifically within the aviation sector for more than ten years during which time we have presented numerous articles in the trade press about the lack of investment in ‘fresh blood’. Someone once re-ferred to the aviation sector as having a reputation for ‘breathing its own ‘exhaust fumes’. This colourful turn of phrase depicts an industry that has struggled to attract fresh talent - the brightest and the best have frequently turned to more ‘glamorous’ industries.
Perhaps controversially, but nonetheless I believe that ‘true’ airport leaders are in visibly short supply. It is time we looked further afield to other industries from which to source the leaders of the future. At the end of the day there is no reason whatsoever why an airport Chief Executive is required to know the intricate workings of a baggage belt or a snow plough. He is a business leader focussed on delivering sustained growth through reaching perform-ance objectives and building a team around him comprised of the very best – no compromises!
Marlborough has consistently appointed non-aviation candidates to more functional areas e.g. HR, Finance and IT. However, this practice is becoming increasingly more prevalent at CEO and CCO levels too. And whilst this may raise eyebrows, the dramatic growth at Brussels for example challenges this perception.
This perfectly reverts back to the central point that it’s not how much you know about the subject but how well you lead that counts.
For further information regarding Marlborough, please visit us at www.marlborough.aero or contact us direct on +32 2 711 4474
***ENDS***
April 2007 - Middle East growth presents huge challenges for recruiters
By: Richard Lewis, Managing Director of Marlborough b.v.b.a.
In 2006, the Arab world continued for the fourth year in succession to lead the world regions’ traffic growth achieving an impressive increase of 12.9% in passenger numbers and 12.3% in cargo according to AACO, the regional association of Arab airlines. To put this in perspective, this growth is about three times the global average and the results in already this year suggests that this trend is not about to slow down.
In March 2007, according to OAG, the Middle East far outstripped any other part of the world in attracting international passengers, with growth of 20.4 percent. According to Peter Harbison, the executive chairman of the influential Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation: "Middle East aviation is tipped to grow by just under 7 percent per annum for the rest of this decade - that means doubling every 10 years”.
The challenge for this region will be to manage profitable growth and to ensure that the right talent is available to see this expansion come to fruition. Already companies are finding it increasingly hard to manage their resourcing requirements and with growth for most airlines and airports surging at more than 20% per annum the market for experienced talent is becoming increasingly competitive.
Investment is the driver for Growth
The massive investment in infrastructure is the driving force in attracting the increased passenger numbers as governments see aviation as a driver to diversify oil-based economies. In total there is at least US$38 billion sunk in infrastructure investments across the region over the next two years.
Furthermore, because of its ideal geographic placement, the Middle East is now considered to be an ideal hub for the Europe-Asia Pacific, Asia Pacific-Africa routes. Add to that the surge both in leisure tourism and business-related travel. According to Reed Travel Exhibitions, Middle East countries are expected to invest USD 3 trillion in tourism projects by 2020; in the process building 200 new hotels, growing visitor numbers to over 150 million and will increasing the size of its aircraft fleet by over 150% by 2020.
Bridging the Talent Gap
With such rapid growth and limited availability of specialist skills many are predicting a greater war for talent. This will not be limited by geography any longer and the successful companies will be those that have HR policies and recruitment strategies focused on being able to find the right staff, wherever they are.
Candidates from the EU, US, Australasia and Indian sub-continent are currently meeting some of the demand but still it's not enough. So far, local ‘gentlemen's agreements’ between companies are preventing full scale poaching between regional competitors, which is a relief since the alternative doesn’t encourage development or good inter-company relations.
Put simply, an advert into a trade journal or magazine no longer works. Instead, companies are turning instead to the services of executive search firms who target candidates with the specific experience required by the company and present a short list of suitably qualified people. Recruitment is a specialised skill and by outsourcing this key area companies eliminate the hit and miss element. This means a more targeted choice of candidates who are better matched to both the role in question and the company culture, and importantly, all within agreed timescales.
For any leading International airport or airline to maintain and develop its market position it must hire and retain the best quality people. In a market growing as rapidly as the Middle East and, as a consequence with a limited talent pool, the role of the specialist recruiter will become ever more so critical if the region is to meet its ambitious targets.
For further information regarding Marlborough, please visit us at www.marlborough.aero or contact us direct on +32 2 711 4474
***ENDS***