Interview with BWW Recruitment CEO Robyn Murrell

1. What specific strengths does your agency bring to recruiting company secretaries compared to competitors?

• How does your network of company secretaries ensure access to top candidates in 2025?
  Our agency has developed a vast, specialised network of company secretaries across a variety of sectors, which gives us unparalleled access to top-tier candidates. We nurture long-term relationships with both active and passive candidates, which allows us to tap into a wider pool of highly skilled professionals, even those who are not actively seeking new roles. This means that in 2025, we will be able to provide our clients with the very best candidates, often ahead of our competitors.
• How do your recruitment processes align with the evolving regulatory and governance landscape?
  Our recruitment processes are designed to keep pace with the rapidly evolving regulatory and governance environment. We work closely with legal experts and industry bodies to stay informed of changes in corporate law, compliance requirements, and governance standards. This ensures that we only place candidates who have the most up-to-date knowledge and the necessary skills to navigate the increasingly complex regulatory landscape.

2. What technologies or platforms do you use to source and assess candidates?

• How does your use of AI or automation improve the recruitment process for company secretary roles?
  We use only the AI we feel actually helps and our process is very personal so our consultants use their knowledge of our candidate database to hand pick the right person.

3. Track Record

• Can you share some recent success stories or metrics that highlight your strengths in this area?
  Recently, we placed a highly experienced company secretary with a global financial institution that was undergoing a major restructuring. The candidate’s expertise in governance and compliance was critical to helping the company navigate this complex process successfully. Additionally, we recently helped a rapidly growing tech start-up find a company secretary with deep knowledge of digital governance and regulatory issues—areas where skilled professionals are in short supply.

In terms of metrics, we have a 95% placement success rate and over 85% of our placements remain in their roles for more than three years, which speaks to our ability to match candidates not only based on skills but also on cultural and organisational fit.

4. What challenges do you face in sourcing or retaining qualified company secretary candidates?

• Are there any gaps in your current recruitment strategies that you aim to address in 2025?
  One of the key challenges we face is pairing technical skills and practical experience in governance, compliance, and leadership. There is also growing competition from other sectors, such as fintech and digital industries, where company secretaries are attracted by more dynamic environments and higher compensation packages.

To improve our service in 2025, we will continue to grow and improve our pool of candidates by building stronger relationships with educational institutions and professional bodies. We are also looking to integrate more advanced recruitment technologies to streamline the process, allowing us to identify and engage with top candidates more effectively.

5. What constructive feedback have you received from clients regarding company secretary recruitment?

One area where we’ve received feedback on is around rapid candidate start dates.

While we prioritise quality and cultural fit, clients often request faster turnarounds, particularly in highly competitive sectors.

We are fortunate at BWW to have built a very strong relationship with our database of candidates over 40 years which enables us to access a whole range of potentials at speed due to our depth of understanding about their current career journey and potential to move.

6. Market Trends

• What upcoming trends in governance or compliance could increase demand for company secretary roles?
  A few key trends are likely to increase demand for company secretaries in the coming years:
  • Increased regulatory scrutiny: As companies face growing pressure to meet ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) standards and adhere to stricter data privacy laws, there will be a higher demand for company secretaries who can help navigate these complex compliance challenges.
  • Digital transformation: As businesses embrace new technologies, there is a growing need for company secretaries who understand digital governance, cybersecurity regulations, and the impact of emerging technologies on corporate strategy and compliance.
  • Stricter corporate governance: As corporate governance standards continue to evolve, organisations will require company secretaries who can keep them compliant with new and complex rules.
• How are you positioning your agency to take advantage of these trends in 2025?
  We’re positioning ourselves to take advantage of these trends by deepening our expertise in emerging areas such as ESG compliance, digital governance, and data privacy regulations. We are also training our recruitment team to be more knowledgeable about the regulatory landscape so we can better understand the specific needs of our clients and place candidates with the right skills. By focusing on these high-demand areas, we aim to provide our clients with professionals who can help them navigate the evolving regulatory environment.

7. CANDIDATES Development

• Are there opportunities to partner with educational institutions or professional bodies to upskill potential candidates?
  Yes, we are actively exploring partnerships with universities, business schools, and professional bodies like ICSA (Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators). These partnerships allow us to support the development of the next generation of company secretaries through specialised training, certifications, and mentorship programmes. We also offer in-house training to help candidates enhance their skills in areas like corporate governance, compliance, and digital transformation.

9. Market Competition

• How do you handle increasing competition in the recruitment industry for company secretary roles?
  We focus on our niche and emphasise our deep specialisation in company secretarial and governance recruitment. By concentrating on this area, we are able to build stronger relationships with both clients and candidates, which differentiates us from more generalist recruitment agencies. We also continue to invest in advanced recruitment technologies and data analytics to improve the speed and accuracy of our placements, but they are an aid, not a replacement for the human touch.

10. Economic and Regulatory Risks

• How might changes in economic conditions or regulations affect the demand for company secretaries?
  Economic downturns could reduce hiring, especially in sectors that are sensitive to market shifts.However, regulatory changes—particularly around compliance, ESG, and governance—could increase demand for company secretaries who have the skills and experience to help companies navigate these complexities.Changes in tax laws, corporate governance standards, or data privacy regulations could all lead to a greater need for skilled company secretaries.

• What strategies do you have in place to mitigate these risks?
  We’ve built a diversified client base across multiple industries, which helps to mitigate risks associated with economic fluctuations. We also stay ahead of regulatory changes and ensure that we have candidates who are ready to meet the evolving needs of our clients. This proactive approach positions us to manage risk effectively and remain competitive in challenging economic conditions.