Three prominent firms join forces to become a leading Belgium-based executive search group

Press release – November 6, 2023

 

The “war for talent” impacts companies not only at operational level, but also at executive and board levels. Three Belgian players with extensive experience in executive recruitment and leadership advice, and international positioning, are joining forces to better assist clients to address the (top)talent shortage. Hightech Partners (HTP) Group, a strong executive search consultancy that has helped shape the European ICT industry for 38 years, Hoffman, a trusted leadership advisor, executive search and interim management company with over 35 years of serving clients, mainly in Belgium, across all sectors and Ataya & Partners (A&P), an advisory firm delivering digital governance and trust to its clients, including the revamp of the CIO and CISO functions and digital skills management activities, are joining forces to help their clients identify and develop the talents who will lead the ongoing digital and business transformation.

The participating firms will work closely together and create synergies, while continuing to operate autonomously under their original name and according to their recognised high-quality standards.

“Being a generalist firm dedicated to deliver the highest added value in each search assignment and to act as a trusted advisor for a very diversified range of clients, we were looking to significantly enhance our ability to address the technological dimension in all aspects of the current major digital transformation, prominent in all sectors. Both at executive level and in boards of directors, there is a critical need for leaders who understand the challenges of AI, Cloud computing and its impact,  Cybersecurity  governance,  social-media  and  online platforms, and who can translate these into advanced business strategies. By joining forces with HTP and A&P, we will be in a stronger position to help our clients to acquire the right executive talent and build skills to fully address the opportunities of the ongoing revolution.” – Ineke Arts, Jean-Michel Lucas and Michel Grisay, Managing Partners of Hoffman.

“We have already a very fruitful cooperation with HTP, and we believe that joining forces, will widen the market for our respective organisations and enable Ataya & Partners to play an important role on the European market. There is a major need for digital governance expertise when engaging digital or Cybersecurity leaders. Our involvement in research of digital skills, and our link with professional organisations and the Academic World will benefit all the clients of the new group.” – Georges Ataya, Managing Director of Ataya & Partners.

“In the next 10 years we will witness more changes in the world than we’ve faced over the past  100 years. In  this context the traditional approach to identify and develop leaders able to ride the wave of changes seems no longer effective. A more holistic approach is required, aiming at understanding how those changes may impact businesses and make them ‘future ready’. Our conviction is that, regardless of the level of automation and aid that new technologies will provide, the future executives will play an even more central role in the success of businesses, where lateral-thinking,  adaptability,  ability  to  discern,  compassion, motivating and engaging teams will be key differentiators. We can now reach out to the broad Belgian and international customer base of Hoffman so they can benefit from our capabilities to boost their digital transformation ambitions.” – Bert Vermeiren and Raffaele Jacovelli, Co-Managing Directors of HTP.

 

As a result of the transaction the newly formed group becomes a top 30 Executive Search and Leadership Consulting firm in EMEA. With 24 partners and a strong presence in Brussels, the capital of Europe, and offices in France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, and Norway among others, the group has the ambition to further expand in the rest of Europe, the Nordics and Middle East using a borderless customer-centric, as opposed to a country-centric, approach that is typical for many other executive search firms.

The group can offer to its clients a full portfolio of solutions for permanent and temporary talent needs: recruitment of executives and senior managers, interim management, skills gap assessment & consulting and training solutions.

About Hightech Partners Group
Hightech Partners Group is a leading executive search and consulting firm in EMEA specialised in assisting companies in their digital transformations. The HTP team leverages forward-looking methods to inject the digital talent development and executive search process with smart and fast-paced techniques. This technology, combined with the seasoned leadership of the firm, helps HTP ensure accurate candidate matches that help companies embrace new ways of working.

About Hoffman & Associates
Hoffman is a leading independent provider of executive search, interim management and board services. Based in Belgium, the company is specialised in the search and assessment of senior business leaders for 35 years for local as well as international companies across all business sectors and functional areas.

About Ataya & Partners
Ataya & Partners is an advisory firm in the HTP Group delivering Digital Governance and trust support to its clients. Those services include the revamp of the CIO function and Digital management activities, the revamp of the CISO function and the implementation of Cybersecurity support and CISO as-a-service activities, and finally, compliance management for DORA, GDPR, NIS2, ISO27001, and other regulations and standards.

Hightech Partners and Hoffman are proud members of AESC and commit to the AESC Code of Professional Practice and Standards of Excellence. As well as the Diversity & Sustainability Pledge.