Head of Risk and Compliance Search Project
Background
Our client, a major UK water utility company serving over 5 million customers, engaged us to recruit a new Head of Risk and Compliance following the planned retirement of the incumbent. The role was being expanded to create a new Head of Audit, Risk and Compliance position, combining previously separate functions under one leader.
This strategic appointment would report to the Group Company Secretary with a dotted line to the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee. The position would be crucial in supporting the CEO’s program of cultural transformation, placing compliance at the heart of organisational change.
The role would lead a team of approximately 15 people across three distinct functions – Internal Audit, Risk Management, and Compliance – with three direct reports managing these areas. As part of the Senior Leadership team, the appointee would work closely with the Executive in shaping and implementing the organisation’s risk and compliance framework.
Challenge
The search presented several unique challenges:
- The role demanded experience across multiple disciplines (audit, risk, and compliance), with candidates likely to have deep expertise in some but not all areas
- The position required someone who could drive cultural change while maintaining operational excellence in a highly regulated environment
- We needed to manage both internal and external candidates through a three-stage interview process
- The role needed someone who could quickly integrate into an organisation undergoing significant transformation
Solution
Working closely with the key stakeholders, we developed a comprehensive search strategy geared towards risk and compliance candidates, over internal audit, to add value in the desired areas. Additionally we:
- Created a detailed candidate profile focusing on transferable skills from regulated industries
- Conducted extensive mapping of risk and compliance leaders across utilities and comparable, highly regulated sectors
- Implemented a thorough assessment process including behavioural evaluation to ensure cultural fit
- Managed a three-stage interview process involving the Company Secretary, HRD, CEO, and Audit Committee Chair
The successful appointee came with extensive experience in another regulated industry, bringing a fresh perspective while understanding the complexities of working within a statutory framework. Their background in driving cultural change around compliance made them an ideal fit for supporting the organisation’s transformation agenda.
The project demonstrated our ability to manage complex senior appointments in highly regulated environments where technical expertise must be balanced with cultural fit and change management capabilities.
