Norman Broadbent PLC promotes from within for new group managing

() has promoted Angela Hickmore to group managing director and has appointed four divisional managing directors to help drive growth.

The executive search firm, which has branched out into interim management and consulting, earlier this month acquired the outstanding minority interest of 25% of Norman Broadbent Interim Management Limited from Hickmore.

“Having worked alongside Angela these past four years I have seen first-hand how effective she is,” said group chief executive Mike Brennan.

With Hickmore having successfully taken responsibility for the group’s Interim, Solutions, and Research & Insight businesses, and following the purchase of her minority stake, Brennan said, “it is a logical step for her to take overall responsibility for the day to day operations of Search and Consulting as well”.

“These are all critical services we provide to our clients and our objective is to continue to grow and develop them further.”

Steve Smith, the group’s finance and operations chief, said: “Angela will work alongside Mike and I to continue to drive the organic growth agenda whilst Mike and I will, amongst other things, also continue to explore non-organic growth opportunities where we can further scale the group.

“As a management team we are confident that having traded well during the pandemic, our ongoing strategy will enable us to offer exciting new career opportunities for existing and new team members.”

Promoting from within, the four new managing directors have been appointed atop various sector ‘hubs’, with Jonathan Stringer to lead finance, John Begley for industrials, James Gregory at life sciences and Richard Jones for digital.

Earlier this month, the group reported half-year results showing a slight decline of net fee income due to the disruption from the coronavirus pandemic, but strong growth from the interim management and solutions businesses.