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Do you know the biggest organization in the world? No, it’s not Amazon, Walmart, or the U.S. Department of Defense. It’s the Earth herself. Like the most effective companies, the Earth is an interconnected system of infinite parts working in harmony. Some firms last generations, but the sustainable ecology the Earth has developed has thrived for hundreds of millions of years. In the spirit of Earth Day, it’s fitting to examine how companies can use Earth’s ecological sustainability as inspiration for building their own sustainable, time-tested, and thriving organizations. Embracing Organization Sustainability At its core, ecological sustainability is about meeting our individual needs without compromising the entire system or the ability of others to obtain theirs—including future generations, who will ultimately pay the bill for our usage. This principle applies both to the natural world and the corporate sphere. Ecological sustainability focuses on conserving natural resources and ecosystems to maintain the health of our planet. On the other hand, organizational sustainability involves strategies and practices that ensure a company can operate and thrive long-term without depleting its resources or harming its community and environment. Resource Efficiency Another connection between organizational and ecological sustainability is not merely metaphorical; it is practical and intrinsic. Take resource efficiency, for example. Just as environmental sustainability emphasizes the prudent use of natural resources to limit the deterioration of our environment, organizations must manage their resources efficiently to ensure longevity. Rash spending on raw materials, financial assets, or human capital can significantly impact an organization’s health. Too much spending in Q1 can lead to layoffs or budget cuts in Q4. But so too can a lack of spending. The sustainability of your organization can deteriorate with a lack of resource allocation. After years of job growth, 2023 saw an unfortunate rise in layoffs. While job growth has shown signs of bouncing back in 2024, many organizations that were hit by high rates of layoffs have yet to adjust back – leading to overleveraged leaders who have been picking up the slack and covering multiple roles. This trend rolls downhill, leading to overworked and overstressed employees. Which of course, has a profound impact on both productivity and culture. Adaptability and Resilience Ecosystems thrive by being adaptable and resilient to changes in their environment. Earth has weathered countless dramatic climatological shifts. Can your business say the same? Sustainable organizations must be agile in their ability to adapt to market changes, technological advancements, and shifting societal values without losing their core identity and purpose. Interconnectedness Ecology teaches us that everything is connected; changing one part of the ecosystem can have widespread effects. Rising ocean temps lead to eroding coastlines and melting polar ice, which impacts coastal communities and polar habitats. In organizations, decisions and actions in one area can affect all others. For example, a cost-saving measure in the supply chain can have a disastrous ripple effect on production timelines. A wasteful and inefficient marketing campaign can impact both sales and customer success teams. Sustainable organizations must understand how these connections impact all of their different teams. Long-Term Thinking Ecological sustainability is inherently long-term, focusing on preserving the environment for future generations. Mother Earth doesn’t think in terms of monthly numbers or quarterly goals, she prioritizes the long-term health of the ecosystem. Organizations adopting sustainability must also plan for the future, making decisions that ensure their operations are viable and responsible over time rather than focusing solely on short-term gains. Learning from Nature Organizations can learn much from ecological systems, which have evolved over millions of years to optimize resource use, minimize waste, and create symbiotic relationships. Principles such as biomimicry, where businesses model products, services, and systems on biological entities and processes, illustrate how closely organizational practices can align with nature to achieve sustainability. A Unified Goal As we celebrate Earth Day, it’s crucial to remember that our planet’s health and our businesses’ prosperity are not mutually exclusive goals. By embracing ecological and organizational sustainability principles, we can forge a path that ensures our planet’s well-being while fostering economic growth and innovation. Ultimately, the journey toward sustainability—whether organizational or ecological—is about harmonizing with the systems we depend on. It’s about taking responsibility not just for the present but also for the distant horizon. As stewards of both the environment and economic systems, we can create a legacy of sustainability that will support generations to come. On this Earth Day, let’s commit to this shared path of sustainability, recognizing that our efforts to sustain our organizations and our planet are not just parallel but deeply intertwined. About M SEARCH M SEARCH stands out as a premier executive search and advisory firm. We’ve been in business for over 16 years and have been an essential part of helping organizations reach their organizational sustainability goals in a variety of market conditions. Our expertise lies in bridging elite talent with leading organizations. Emphasizing innovation, integrity, and inclusion, M SEARCH tailors talent solutions to the specific requirements of their clients, ensuring success and building enduring partnerships. We’d love to be a part of your success story and use our experience to find the right leaders who can help you get your company where you need it to be.

The AI Boom took off in the 1960s. After many setbacks and breakthroughs, the recent development of large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, has democratized the world of AI, creating new opportunities for adoption and making it easier to use. Experts in executive search and leadership advisory are ‘genetically curious’. What are the opportunities and risks of generative AI in our world? LLMs, built on googols of words and phrases on the internet, with all their built-in bias, conscious or otherwise, tribal ranting and other unfiltered contributions are relatively useful for basic research purposes, but a model such as ChatGPT is still primarily a search engine. Integrating ChatGPT with generative AI opens up a world of opportunities, with advanced machine learning algorithms supercharging disruption across all industries. In recruitment, it takes the time and fatigue out of sifting through resumés, with further capabilities such as candidate screening and creating interview shortlists transforming talent management. Disrupters are already using advanced data science, AI, and machine learning to match people to jobs, using a skills-based approach. “AI is making a massive impact on mid-level, junior roles, but for executive search, it’s a very different situation,” comments Tina Engineer-McRae, Founder and President of M SEARCH. “There may be something in the future, but where we are right now, we are light years away from replacing search consultants with an algorithm.” Why? First, because leadership is an art and a science. While science can track technical capabilities, the artfulness of the executive search consultant is mission-critical for a senior executive, C-suite or board-level search. Secondly, because once in the corner office, senior executives are rarely looking to move. They are typically well-established, taking the organization on a particular journey and locked in with highly attractive, performance-based remuneration packages. Getting a senior executive to make a move requires a sophisticated, discreet and influential approach, that resonates personally, professionally and with market trends. Could AI replicate this? It would need highly nuanced and personal knowledge of the executive, it would need to factor in company culture, reputation and the global economic environment. It would need to switch from informative to deferential, from listening to laying out a landscape, from confidante to ambassador. Then, the model, robot, or other as yet undefined ‘being’ would need to ask and understand questions such as: 1) How do you create a goal-oriented, performance driven environment? 2) How do you perceive risks to the business today and in the next three years? What will this mean for the senior executive talent you will need? 3) What about your style of leadership is especially helpful in building relationships and influencing people? There is also a major ‘anticipatory’ element in executive search. 1. “Executive search is future-focused, particularly in a world where faster tech cycles have super-charged the business cycle,” says Tina Engineer-McRae, Co-Founder and President of M SEARCH. “The ability to synthesize vast amounts of data and information is an incredible advantage with AI – hence the excitement – but synthesizing the multiple and varied inputs involved in an executive search would simply not be possible at this stage of AI’s development.” Valerie Derome, Senior Vice President, Leadership Advisory at M SEARCH agrees. “For our industry and how we work, there are too many variables, too many unique organizational and personal characteristics, to create anything other than a hallucination – the ‘perfect leader’. And we know they don’t exist, because all leaders live in the context of their industry, their organization, and the surrounding team.” Valerie continues, “However, at this stage it’s exciting to think about what AI could do. For example, if we could train a model to draw out from everything associated with a brand name the kind of culture that company has, the complexity of its environment, the types of projects people might have been exposed to, the capability they developed, that could be really valuable. But then culture is subjectively assessed, and how many companies have external profiles that are matched by the internal experience…?” So, how do we approach the world of AI? For every business, leveraging the potential of generative AI is about being thoughtful around how, why and where it is applied. As with all technology, new tools don’t necessarily replace people, they augment and enhance, with productivity gains. “We will never lose our concierge approach,” asserts Tina. “Because understanding the business and people drivers, particularly at board level, is crucial to sensing the culture of an organization. Every day, clients want to know how we do that and how we perceive candidates’ motivations. It’s getting that alchemy right, that leads to success and longevity. Given retention challenges today, this is always part of the conversation”. Are clients thinking or talking about AI in executive search? “At present, conversations about the impact of generative AI on any industry are taking place among the Amazons and Googles,” explains Fernando Vega, Partner, executive search, at M SEARCH. “In mid-sized companies, no-one is raising that conversation with us right now; the focus is more on an early-stage understanding of leveraging AI within the core business.” Early forays into AI in recruitment revealed the shortcomings of using past data with a built-in bias that fails to reflect social progress. In 2018, Amazon shut down its own recruitment AI tool because it discriminated against female applicants. And Galactica, an LLM similar to ChatGPT trained on 46 million text examples was shut down by Meta after three days in late 2022, because it spewed out false and racist information. 2. “AI isn’t getting everything right, but now is a good time to explore what it can do,” insists Valerie. “There are so many more applications that we can’t even imagine today, automating certain tasks is definitely around the corner. What’s missing is enabling people to experiment in how they could use AI. For people in R&D functions, it’s a natural part of their job, but in most companies it’s more about having people with the right mind set and

In 2010, Harvard Business Review ran a feature on The Acceleration Trap. It explored how organizations, faced with intense market pressures, take on more than they can handle, increasing the number and speed of activities, raising performance goals, shortening innovation cycles, and introducing new technologies and organizational systems. Basking in success, the CEO tries to make this the new normal. The original burst of activity morphed into sustained, chronic overload. HBR showed how the acceleration trap harmed the company on many levels, particularly affecting performance, efficiency, employee productivity, and retention. In 2023, there seems to be no let up to acceleration, with AI now recalibrating jobs, industries, and life itself. Post covid, we are close to another acceleration trap. As we remember, return from, or prepare for summer, it is time to break the ever-increasing momentum and reflect on life, particularly our working life. In antipathy to the great resignation, it is a reset that we all need before budgeting begins and Q4 targets end. There is a well-established link between performance and mental well-being, usually achieved by taking the time to disconnect completely. “For me, my recent break in the UK was a time to put work issues aside, embrace parent mode and switch off,” explains Tina Engineer-McRae, Co-Founder and President of M SEARCH. “I was feeling a little mentally burnt out and needed a recharge. After a long period focused heavily on work, taking a proper break meant that I came back refreshed with new ideas and new energy”. The Covid pandemic revealed to many people the benefits of work/life balance, achieved now through hybrid and flexible working. There are global differences here too. At a recent global mobility event in South Florida, the keynote speaker highlighted different approaches, saying, “Americans live to work, but Europeans work to live,” with those in the UK gravitating more to the West. Following the pandemic, Europeans were more willing to return to the office, confident in a decent lunch break to socialize with a colleague or work peer, returning to the office for a client meeting followed by a little social time together to end the working day. At business events, meetings, and research, the most common words we hear today are ‘creative thinking,’ ‘innovation,’ ‘agility,’ ‘flexibility,’ and ‘empathy’ – all terms for a ‘postmodernist work environment.’ In the art world, ‘postmodernism’ is associated with skepticism, irony, and philosophical critiques of the concepts of universal truths and objective reality. Sound familiar? Skepticism of climate change or an individual’s subjective reality, the irony of bank betrayals and political duplicity, and a questioning of how human beings are treated by the medical, political, and scientific establishment. Tina continues, “At M SEARCH, we followed a business model change with a rebrand this year, repositioning the business and broadening our client connections. We would not have been able to do this without the ‘mental break’ afforded by Covid. We had time to think and talk about the business in our own context. The acceleration trap had stopped, and we were able to reimagine our future. It was a macro version of what happens day-to-day. The best ideas rarely come at work – they come to us in the shower, on a bicycle, by a pool, or looking at art”. So, what’s the ‘so what’ for our industry? Executive search is about connection; it’s about people wanting to meet and feel that sense of personal engagement. In high-level discussions and leadership, the engines are running at full power, but without proper breaks, the social battery goes into the red. That affects not only the individual but the team and the business itself. Gen Z is shining a light on this, forcing us to see work as an enabler for the rest of life, European-style, not an end in itself, America. The challenge is to avoid burnout from another source – hybrid working that drastically reduces social connection and the ability to laugh off the bad times with each other, black mood replaced with black humor. Only by taking a proper break where we properly switch off, over the summer, at Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hannukah, or Ramadan, can we maintain our freshness, creative thinking, agility, and empathy. The postmodernist work era will continue to evolve, and we must evolve with it.

With economic growth in the United States slowing to a predicted 0.7 percent in 2023, and ongoing efforts to curb inflation through monetary policy and belt-tightening leading to large-scale layoffs, clients are asking us, “How does this affect talent and what should we do about it?” Executive Search has typically been an economic bell-weather, but today’s more nuanced environment is means we are experiencing what The Economist calls da Vinci’s ‘Mona Lisa effect’ in the post-pandemic economy – no matter how many times you look, you are unsure of exactly what is happening. So, what do we see happening? And what does it mean for our clients? For M SEARCH, the situation is pretty clear. “Companies are always going to have a need for exceptional executive talent,” says Fernando Vega, Partner, executive search, at M SEARCH. “Unemployment is at a fifty-year low and this is a good time for organizations to look at what they can do strategically to prepare for a downturn without implementing austerity measures.” This means getting your house in order and looking after the health and well-being of your organization and your people. Organizations are also turning to leadership advisory to ‘audit’ their capabilities and ensure they have the right people and processes in place to pivot as the Mona Lisa’s gaze shifts. “When you have the right people and practices, you have a sound base to weather all kinds of economic turbulence,” adds Valerie Derome, Partner, leadership advisory, at M SEARCH. “A difficult market will reveal weak leaders, awkward organizational structures and poor procedures that require a strategic rethink around people, practices and processes”. People need to understand the strategic vision of their leaders, and the insight they bring from experience. In a turbulent market leaders need an ability to keep people motivated and focused, enabling a sense of ‘normality’ about coping with market fluctuation and staying calm. “Experienced leaders know that people get anxious about losing their job, working too many hours or the consequences of instability,” comments Valerie. Today’s climate is therefore shining a light on governance and corporate responsibility geared to looking after your people, a priority that we see in leadership advisory today. During the pandemic, interest rates were at an all-time low. In the hyper-growth, digital economy flourishing particularly in South Florida, boards encouraged CEOs and tech leaders to do everything possible to grasp opportunity and gain market share, so when the tide receded they would remain buoyant. But the consequences of an unfettered drive for results were bloated companies and unsustainable balance sheets. Business and people strategy were trampled in the stampede for clicks and subscribers. What would experience say? Robust talent practices are key to surviving today’s market turbulence. “Leaders need to pursue a talent management cycle that maintains a constant finger on the pulse, with regular dialogue between people and management, and assessment of performance and potential, supporting people’s growth,” comments Valerie. “The company grows when people grow, so performance, delivery against corporate goals and how leaders model company behavior are all essential components”. The needle is moving a little here, but not nearly enough. This is partly due to a retreat from hierarchical structures, driven by tech companies. At one extreme hierarchies stifle progress and learning, but at the other ‘totally flat’ extreme there are other consequences, most notably, good ideas with no senior-level sponsorship. “It’s better to speak regularly to your direct report and have a structure for implementing ideas, rather than wonder what happened to suggestions that disappeared into the ether,” advises Valerie. So, how can you leverage an economic downturn in hiring and organizational leadership? By creating real discipline around strategy, people and process. First, “this is a great time to be hiring,” asserts Fernando. “There is an impressive, diverse talent pool in the market attuned to uncertainty.” Secondly, whether or not organizations have robust hiring budgets, today’s disrupted markets are prompting a review of people and process. “Whether you are hiring or reviewing, let’s look at the Mona Lisa together and gain a sense of your perspective. A people strategy based on thoughtful governance and corporate responsibility will position you well for future opportunity,” concludes Valerie. The market may be unpredictable, but for sure, there will be opportunity. Today it’s less about clicks and subscribers and more about people.

In the early 19th Century the ‘gold rush’ saw a rapid influx of fortune seekers to the sites of newly discovered gold deposits, the earliest being in the United States. Today’s ‘gold rush’ has seen a rapid influx of tech start-ups and talented tech wizards to hotspots in the US, particularly Miami, FL. Pent up private equity capital flooded into hyper-growth tech companies following the pandemic years as entrepreneurs couldn’t hire talent fast enough to deliver on high growth objectives and promises to investors. Then the market almost skidded to a halt. Inflated salaries, rising interest rates and the escalating cost of living has led to companies such as Meta firing another 10,000 employees having just reached a headcount of almost 30,000 between 2021 and 2022. In this ‘market correction,’ inflated salaries are now unaffordable, and a disconnect has appeared between people, performance and value. Valerie Derome, Senior Vice President, Leadership Advisory at M SEARCH explains, “A lack of strategic talent planning has resulted in expensive super performers brought in as a ‘band aid’ doomed to frustration and stress, when what the organization needs is a comprehensive review and reset around strategic talent”. A feeling of ‘everything everywhere all at once’ is leaving business leaders reeling as they strive to understand how to manage another hiatus in the workforce. “This is not just happening in the tech sector,” comments Tina Engineer-McRae, Founder and President of M SEARCH. “We are seeing this across the board as the market adjusts to a new reality. This is leading to extreme caution in hiring, as ‘rockstar candidates’ are made to jump through multiple hoops and companies are no longer willing to engage in a talent auction”. It’s a major U-turn, with an enormous amount of displaced employees scrambling for killer jobs; companies no longer have to jump the highest bar to woo talent. The challenge now is to understand an individual’s value in the context of the organization and the market; who will fit a changing culture; and how they will fare in the next market correction. This is made harder by the fact that a lot of hyper growth companies didn’t have HR and Talent expertise, or if they did, it was unfortunately cut as a cost center, which has proved extremely costly in itself. Organizations are now in a rush to access HR and Talent expertise. For some, fractional leadership – a part-time, short-term C-level expert – is the solution; for others, specialist consultants are the answer. Who are they and how can they help? Our leadership advisory team has consistently expanded its services to help clients navigate this market. “We engage as the (?)Chief People Officer for a number of clients who have a broad range of needs. We enable them to understand their capability gaps in context, create a plan and process around them and manage the impact of a bursting bubble,” explains Valerie. “For early-stage companies,” Valerie adds, “bringing in a strategic Head of People is not on the budget nor the agenda for another few rounds of funding. We then need to work with those companies’ leadership to create foundational practices and behaviors, and embed those in their leadership success model. For one of our clients, a niche consumer goods company, we have established HR processes, structures and protocols to create a platform on which to build the right team.. We have also put in place a mechanism for regular talent reviews to identify and reward high performers who will move the company forward, the strong pillars, innovators, and implementation drivers. It is crucial to have a good mix on the team. Then in time, we can find the right Chief People Officer to leverage what we have put in place”. With such a rapid adjustment both internally and externally, organizations need a more intentional, planned approach. An integrated leadership advisory and search solution can provide a holistic, longer-term approach that is grounded in robust planning and processes. Valerie concludes, “For the greatest intangible in your business – your people – you need more process and intentional thinking to reconnect people with performance and value, so you can hire the right people with reward linked to outcomes rather than froth in the market”. Valerie Derome is head of M SEARCH’s leadership advisory services. She was previously Senior VP of Talent and Leadership for REEF Technology and Talent Development Lead for Apple in Latin America. She delivers bespoke programs in talent organization effectiveness, people capital, and culture. Specific engagements include building talent capability; reorganizing structures from product-led to people-led; constructing talent acquisition teams, approach and process; acquiring the right technologies to support the people function; developing authentic leaders and embedding a culture of belonging. Tina Engineer-McRae is the Founder and President of M SEARCH and an acknowledged expert in strategically partnering with clients to acquire the best leaders for corporate functions, notably human resources, finance, operations, sales & marketing. Her exceptional eye for recognizing best in class talent has allowed her to engage dynamic leaders, who enable organizations to transform and rapidly scale. She previously worked in the UK with the world’s largest provider of HR solutions, and spearheaded the growth and acquisition of a leading South Florida boutique recruitment firm.

Tina Engineer-McRae, a trailblazer in the field of Executive Search and Leadership Advisory, founded M SEARCH in 2007, as she arrived from the UK and blended in with the multicultural, vibrant environment of Miami. She is now the proud leader of a thriving business, the only woman-owned and minority-owned business of its kind in South Florida. Tina’s journey to success is one of grit and determination. With a heritage stretching across India, Europe and the United States, diversity and belonging is in the firm’s DNA. Tina and her team have earned a reputation for placing multicultural leaders and agents of change across all major industries. Through a distinctive concierge approach, the team understands their clients so intimately, that they become trusted advisors. The firm’s loyal clients include Fortune 1000, mid-size, hyper growth, start-up, private equity-backed and non-profit organizations, establishing M SEARCH as a highly respected boutique player in the industry.

Tina Engineer-McRae and her team at M SEARCH, Executive Search and Leadership Advisory, are pleased to announce their new name and logo following a change in ownership in Q3 2022. “Our new name is crisp and simple, honoring our company history,” comments Tina Engineer-McRae, President and Founder of the firm. “Our ‘concierge approach’ to client service is symbolized by the crown in our logo and remains the royal standard for our work, while also recognizing my heritage as a British citizen with Indian roots. The team is thriving, living our values of Courage, Curiosity and Collaboration, and energized about our future as M SEARCH Executive Search and Leadership Advisory”. “Our concierge approach to client service is symbolized by the crown in our logo and remains the royal standard for our work, while also recognizing my heritage as a British citizen with Indian roots. ” — Tina Engineer-McRae President and Founder The original firm was established in South Florida in 2007 with the express intent of providing a ‘concierge experience’ in executive search, with a core focus on building diverse leadership teams for clients. In recent years, the firm has grown significantly and expanded into leadership advisory services, led by Senior Vice President Valérie Derome, who delivers transformational change for hyper-growth and mature clients through a unique blend of design thinking and flair for talent leadership. Tina Engineer-McRae took up full ownership and management of the firm in August 2022, celebrating its 15th anniversary, and formal certification as a female-led, Women’s Business Enterprise by WBENC. Tina was accepted into the membership of distinguished network CHIEF for the most powerful women in leadership. Last year also saw the promotion of Senior Client Director Fernando Vega to VP Executive Search, Partner.   About M SEARCH M SEARCH is the leading minority-owned executive search & leadership advisory firm in North America. Through a distinctive ‘concierge’ approach, the firm partners with Fortune 1000, mid-size, hypergrowth, start-up, private equity-backed and non-profit organizations to attract and retain the best leaders and agents of change across all major industries. Leadership advisory programs deliver the full suite of talent solutions for organizations and individuals, optimizing team structure, the cultural environment and performance. Diversity, equity & inclusion is in the firm’s DNA, and it is accredited by AIRS as a Certified Diversity & Inclusion Recruiter. For more, visit www.msearchadvisory.com Valerie Bleus M SEARCH +1 305-571-9590 email us here Visit us on social media: LinkedIn

The “blended workday”, the “new future of work”, the “hybrid environment” have replaced the outdated “work-life balance” in leadership conversations. When most companies made an effective shift to remote work in 2020, they are now seeing issues that are limiting their ability to be successful. Employee engagement and connection to the mission seem low; productivity is impacted, as well as the overall capability to innovate and execute. These are directly related to the change in how employees interact. In a context where employees do not wish to come back to the office full-time, are likely scattered across countries and not tied to a specific office location, and where people managers are out of their wits on best practices to adopt, how to envision a ‘now of work’, where office utilization is redesigned, and where work, culture, and employee delight happen? Build a clear company cadence From strategic planning to cascading OKRs, from Agile execution to performance reviews, adopting companywide practices and processes will not only set the standard for flawless execution, but also allow to codify and plan in-person team interactions along the cycle such as kick-offs, off-sites, all-hands, and office days. Set unprecedented standards for leadership and people management practices Managing remote employees is not a new trend born with Covid. Global organizations have been doing it for decades. What is new are the imperatives to: 1: Create a new breed of authentic people managers, equipped to deal with feelings, emotions and mental wellness as well as results and deliverables, who know how to create a sense of belonging through virtual settings. 2: Define inclusive people management practices that deliver the same employee experience and opportunities, regardless of where they sit. 3: No leniency for mediocre managers, even your highest revenue generating sales leader. Who gets promoted, who gets terminated, are indicators of how Leadership walks the talk. It takes two Flexible working is a moral contract between two parties where “bring your best self to work” has never been so meaningful. It remains a responsibility for companies to provide an inclusive environment for employees to feel safe, be themselves, be engaged, therefore do their best work. Yet this statement also reads “People, show up”. What if the best self is also the one who is accountable, dependable, delivers results, seeks personal growth, supports others, promotes the mission, models company values, asks for help and shows vulnerability? Yes, it’s about attitude. Assess “remotability” of roles The reality is that some jobs lose their impact or purpose if performed remotely. Those where specific work-based equipment is needed, of course. But also, for instance, jobs that require significant supervision – interns, entry-level – and their managers. Or those demanding a high level of innovation – R&D, engineering, creatives. We can also imagine some specific projects, for some specific duration, benefiting from in-person vs remote work. On the opposite end of the spectrum, “If you can do your job from Boulder, it can be moved to Bangalore” said Scott Galloway, Professor of Marketing at NYU, public speaker and thought leader. So, if it can be moved to Bangalore, you’re probably fine staying in Boulder – unless we see there a strategic opportunity to delocalize some roles to Bangalore. Adopting a company-wide philosophy on “remotability” will add to the Employer Value Proposition, managing expectations for both employees and candidates. Because yes, there will be a recommended baseline for office time for everyone. Re-invent what office days look like for remote workers Nobody wants to come to the office to be stuck in a cubicle on video calls. No breaking news here, what people miss the most with remote working is socializing with other human beings. Office days should be driven by a purposeful team agenda focusing on activities that benefit from an in-person setting vs remote: for instance, brainstorming, 1:1, mentoring, exposure to leadership, knowledge sharing, and social events. And now about that time at home Helping people structure their time and signal what they’re up to, designing moments and modes of working together, establishing norms and tools for communication and collaboration, creating an intentional connected culture where everyone feels they belong and want to give their best. Quiet quitting not allowed! We are all humble learners here. Thought leaders are providing valuable insights, and businesses, from Fortune 100 to start-ups, are looking for the magic recipe to accelerate pace of business whilst balancing the needs and requests of their employees. At Mughal & McRae, we can help you envision and implement tailored solutions for your unique company.

November 2022 marks our 15th Anniversary! We talk to founder and trailblazer Tina Engineer-McRae, daughter of a world-famous cricketer, about finding success and the magic of a first client who “loved her bright and vivacious personality!” As the late Queen Elizabeth shook hands with cricketer Farokh Engineer after a test match at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London she said, “I have news for you. It’s a girl!”. Farokh had missed the birth of his daughter to play in a test match for India, at the height of his sporting career. This sense of commitment was passed down by Farokh and his forgiving wife, Shernavaz, to Tina Engineer-McRae, who had all the early indications of a highly entrepreneurial personality, full of energy and ideas, destined to put her own stamp on the world. A few years later, the family moved to the UK where Tina grew up and launched her career. “What made you move to Miami?” we ask Tina. “I was on holiday with my sister and loved the vibrant, multicultural atmosphere. I had studied business, French and Spanish at university, so the Latin influence resonated with me and I immediately felt a strong affinity with the city”. Returning from holiday to Manpower, Tina pushed for an ‘intracompany transfer,’ a new approach to resourcing that became mainstream as globalisation grew through the 1970s and 1980s. The regional manager in Miami received a ‘masterclass’ from Tina in relationship building as she pushed for a meeting, an interview and the chance to deliver on her promise: “I will help you build your business in Miami!”. She did just that, bringing ideas and best practice with her. The UK was a more mature recruitment market and Tina brought her own blend of professionalism, pioneering excellence in client service through her ‘concierge’ approach, strengthening due diligence and upgrading documentation and processes, “A lot of this came from curiosity,” explains Tina. “I was fascinated by the market in this region and had a huge drive to identify opportunities to integrate best practice and ideas from the UK. I was also hungry! I didn’t know a soul in Florida and arrived with just a rolodex, a passion for delivering for clients and a keen awareness that as an award-winning leader at Manpower, I had a lot to prove in this new adventure!” Despite feeling an affinity, Tina initially felt a ‘foreigner’ in the United States. She recognized this feeling from the UK, where, even though she had been born there, her immigrant background had marked her out. “Not only that, but I arrived with an accent no-one understood!” laughs Tina. “Although I felt ‘foreign’ I knew I could blend into the multicultural environment that had attracted me in the first place. All I had to do was engage with clients as individuals, and do everything I could to understand their culture. My own multicultural background has enabled me to be a ‘culturally adept,’ stepping into the shoes of my clients to see challenges from their perspective. When you ask the right questions, you can find the right answers”. As she found her way, Tina looked to her heritage. Her father and mother were role models, becoming entrepreneurs in the textile industry and teaching Tina the value of work hard, business integrity and client service. The family culture was proud but realistic. “As immigrants, we were taught we had to work much harder to get anywhere. Racism didn’t stop us, it was in our culture to work twice as hard. Watching my parents become entrepreneurs made me realise that one day I wanted to run my own company ”. What was the reaction in Miami, when Tina arrived? Martin H. Smith, an early client, then Head of HR for Ivax Pharmaceuticals, says, ”I first met Tina in 1997 when she came to the United States. I was very impressed by her right from the get-go and we instantly connected. I loved her bright and vivacious personality as well as her desire to get to know me quickly, as a key client for her organization. Tina is a quick study. She learns fast and understands her client’s needs by taking the time to get to know the leaders and their business units. I have brought Tina into every organization I have worked with since the day we met. She has the highest work ethic and her conduct is beyond reproach. Tina is exceptional to work with and twenty-five years on I call her a dear friend!” Tina will never forget her first client. “Martin taught me how important relationships are. I always had a ‘concierge approach’ built in, because my father was like that, I learned from him how to quickly build trust and loyalty, providing the best possible service, getting to know the client and having integrity in every interaction.” Tina knew she could make a difference in executive search through the principles of concierge-style client service, multicultural understanding and a fearless ability to take on any work and know she could deliver. It was not easy; the business went through two recessions and a pandemic during which Tina learned the value of agility and reinvention, setting up leadership advisory services alongside retained search. “Don’t be afraid to take risks and reinvent yourself,” insists Tina. “We were self-funded, but we took risks, we are passionate and love what we do. My immigrant mentality has served me well!”. Through grit and determination, and hiring the right people for her own business, Tina’s firm is now a major part of the commercial fabric of South Florida. “Our success is built on doing for myself what I do for my clients!” she says. “I have hired some exceptional people in my time – people in whom I saw something special, and many have gone on to exceptional careers with leading brands like PwC and other global firms. I am very happy to have trained them and sent them out into the world to achieve their long-term ambitions”. Tina continues

MIAMI, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES, October 27, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — M SEARCH, a leading minority owned executive and leadership advisory firm, has announced the promotion of Fernando Vega to Partner, Vice President Executive Search. In addition to leading M SEARCH’s Executive Search department and Finance & Accounting Practice, Fernando will work alongside President and Founder Tina Engineer McRae to manage the company and drive the strategy forward. “Fernando has been a key part of our success. His commitment, exceptional ability to find hidden talent as well as his overall contribution to our business over the past few years has been invaluable to our firm’s growth. Our partnership will be powerful to take the firm into the future.” said Tina, President of Mughal & McRae.” Fernando joined the company in 2019 as Head of Accounting, Finance & Tax Search and quickly stood out for his outstanding assessment skills and ability to uncover unconventional talent. An active Certified Public Accountant and former auditor, Fernando immediately embraced the firm’s concierge approach to drive flawless search assignments for his clients across a number of business sectors. With a firm belief that a diverse leadership team provides a competitive advantage, Fernando is also a Certified Diversity & Inclusion Recruiter accredited by AIRS aligning perfectly with the Mughal & McRae philosophy of inclusion. “I am honored by the recognition and excited by the opportunity ahead. Ultimately, clients want to build balanced, diverse, and high performing leadership teams, fast. My expertise combined with our distinctive approach to retained search have allowed me to deliver a unique experience, resulting in building a loyal client and candidate base across the country. I am looking forward to leading our team to new territories with our secret recipe!” Fernando obtained a Master’s degree in Finance and a Bachelor’s in Accounting & Finance from Florida Atlantic University. About Mughal & McRae: Mughal & McRae is the leading minority-owned executive search & leadership advisory firm in North America. Through a distinctive ‘concierge’ approach, the firm collaborates with Fortune 1000, mid-size, hypergrowth, start-up, private equity-backed and non-profit organizations to attract and retain the best disruptors and agents of change across all major industries. Leadership advisory programs deliver the full suite of talent solutions for organizations and individuals, optimizing team structure, the cultural environment and performance. Diversity, equity & inclusion is in the firm’s DNA, and it is accredited by AIRS as a Certified Diversity & Inclusion Recruiter. VALERIE BLEUS Mughal & McRae email us here Visit us on social media: Facebook LinkedIn