By Blandine CORDIER-PALASSE, interview by Anne-Laure BLOUIN, Expert Opinions, Les Décideurs Juridiques
General Management, Legal Affairs and Ethics, compliance and risk managementCorporate governance, CSR and now governance bodies: this is the scope of BCP Partners, a recruitment and governance consultancy firm. Its co-founder talks about the firm's missions and how it will be evolving in the run-up to 2023.
Décideurs. Could you tell us about BCP Partners?
Blandine Cordier-Palasse. BCP Partners was founded thirteen years ago. Initially specialising in the recruitment of legal functions, the firm has broadened its field of expertise to include the recruitment of the following functions corporateleaders in finance, business compliancein riskin CSR. It has also developed a range of consultancy and support services in governance strategy. BCP has acquired a leading position in the recruitment market. This is due to our operational approach and to the lead we had on the subjects of compliance. We took part in the creation of the Cercle de la compliance in 2010. At the time, commentators were saying that we were visionaries. That's not untrue, because today the compliance has become a strategic issue in the permanent change of companies.
What profiles are companies looking for?
The functions corporate are increasingly important for a company. Of course, we are still recruiting legal departments and their teams in increasingly complex areas of expertise, particularly for the governance, business, legal and tax departments. legal operations. It's everything that has built our strength. We're looking for chief compliance officersspecialised functions such asexport control managerresponsible antitrustThe Group is taking these issues very seriously and is looking for talented people to fill these strategic positions. Groups are taking these issues very seriously and are looking for talented people to fill these strategic positions.
Our scope has expanded to include risk, internal audit, internal control and CSR. One thing leading to another, companies are asking us to integrate all the functions. corporate. The firm recruits managing directors, administrative and financial directors, and cross-functional positions such as development directors and sales directors. We are also commissioned to fill positions for company secretaries who have a global role and then call on us to strengthen their teams. Our clients also include international law firms that want to strengthen their teams to meet the changing demands of their clients.
Do you often receive requests for team recruitment?
Our many exchanges enable us to immerse ourselves in the culture of our customers, to collaborate and to be in touch with the local community. top management.
As a result, we know the company well. They ask us to strengthen their teams, particularly in cross-functional areas. corporate.
Last year, for example, I recruited a director of the compliance for a CAC40 company. We were able to put forward other candidates for various management positions. top management cross-disciplinary, with strong international exposure.
General management teams are now being strengthened with development directors and sales directors. Once again, this is an opportunity to recruit teams and complementary profiles with high added value. We often have to recruit for several positions in the same company. top management for the same customer. To the satisfaction of the customer and ourselves.
At the time, commentators said that we were visionaries. That's not untrue, because today compliance has become a strategic issue in the constant change that companies are undergoing.
Blandine CORDIER-PALASSE
Are the law on duty of care, and soon European regulations, encouraging companies to call on your services?
Companies are increasingly embracing change, and are giving themselves more and more of the means to do so. The more the company is aware of these changes, the more the compliance is becoming fundamental. These functions require complementary skills. The teams compliance are made up of engineers, auditors, lawyers, financiers, sales people, communicators, etc., depending on the case.
How would you sum up last year's results?
2022 was a very good year for BCP Partners, which bounced back strongly and developed related assignments. We carried out several interim management assignments. This meets a growing demand in the market. Companies need managers who can adapt very quickly and support the transformation or acceleration of projects within the company. Finally, the economic, international and macroeconomic context has encouraged companies to structure their management. General management teams, legal departments and compliance demonstrated during the Covid crisis their ability to provide relevant advice, and therefore their necessity. There has been a marked change in the way comex or codir organisations are organised, with new, cross-functional talent coming on board.
What are the market trends? Is it getting harder to recruit?
I can confirm that there is a shortage of candidates. Interim management is another possible response to this. Candidates are more and more concerned about the project for which they could join the company, its capacity to adapt to structural changes, its environment, its commitments, its culture in which they could project themselves and adhere. We need to go back to the human element. A company with no commitment is not attractive.
What kind of personalities do your customers expect?
Customers expect personalities who are capable of adapting, managing change and the unknown, with courage and leadership. The soft skills are still going strong.
What are BCP Partners' recent areas of development?
BCP Partners is evolving and embracing change. Growth companies and start-ups need to structure their rapid growth. They call us to recruit their development, sales, legal and HR teams. BCP Partners' offering has been well received by the market. We are also developing interim management.
We also carry out assessments of boards of directors and comex/codir. The aim is to respond to the challenges facing governance bodies, which need to be able to support and adapt to rapid, even disruptive, change within the company. By law, listed companies are required to carry out an assessment of the Board of Directors every three years. Some companies do this every year. The results of these assessments help to highlight the dynamics and performance logics of the board or comex/codir, with a view to driving the company towards overall performance in line with strategy.
Executives and directors appreciate the fact that they can work better together, improve individual and collective dynamics, and enhance the overall performance of the comex/codir or the board of directors. in fine that of the company. This gives the Chairman or CEO a clear vision of the complementary strengths present around the table or missing. Finally, the Governance and leadership of human capital activity is leading the firm to develop its strategy, organisation and management services.
What is your outlook for 2023? What are your next projects?
Keeping ahead of developments in these markets, maintaining our quality through knowledge and our response to customer needs in headhunting and interim management.
As for the evaluation of the comex/codir or the board, customer feedback is good. They appreciate this constructive exercise. It's an opportunity to take a step back, to communicate, with a tool that's easy to use. team bulding It's a powerful way of bringing out the best in everyone. And to note that certain individuals, particularly within the comex/codir, can evolve within the organisation. BCP Partners is also developing the coaching individual or collective.
As a result, we are continuing to grow our talent hunting and governance consultancy business.
Référence : https://www.linkedin.com/posts/univers-droit-%26-finance—magazine-d%C3%A9cideurs_b-cordier-palasse-bcp-partners-chasse-activity-7069679014600155137-HI6q?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
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