Since 2005 now, Benchmark Search has become increasingly busy sourcing senior executives in the Retail and Hospitality space. Everything from major on and off line retail giants to QSR, such as Nando’s GBK and Burger King[UK] Fast Food and more conventional restaurant chains Such as Wahaca and Caravan. In this volatile and highly competitive market we have seen rapidly increasing demand for quality candidates. This demand stalled very dramatically in 2020, courtesy of the pandemic and reaction thereto but has since accelerated to pre pandemic levels. Luckily markets outside Europe seem to be less affected.
Hospitality and retail between them account for some 45% of the total employed adult population in the UK. Many are employed short-term, part time, relatively low paid and working in multiple and dispersed sites. To lead, manage and care for this large fragmented workforce requires enormous skill character and experience. A senior hire in a large global restaurant group, for example, will impact on thousands of staff and millions of diners or shoppers worldwide, with an immediate effect on the bottom line.
Benchmark is working with a range of customers in UK and increasingly abroad, as far apart as Malaysia, the Americas, South Africa and Australia to secure top talent in General Management, Operations, Finance, HR and People, Marketing, Technology Supply Chain and Procurement.