EXECUTIVE RECRUITMENT
Gary Irvine and Ian Rainey
Searching in the 4c direction Following its recent acquisition of MSL Search & Selection, Belfast-based 4c Executive tells Ulster Business how it has carved a niche position in the Northern Ireland market in recent years…
“T
his acquisition was very much the next most logical step in 4c’s ambitious growth strategy,” says Gary Irvine. “It puts 4c in an exceptionally strong place – firmly cementing our position as the leading, and now the largest, provider of true executive search services in Northern Ireland.” Irvine was the founder and former Managing Director of the £40million turnover Diamond Recruitment Group – Northern Ireland’s largest locally owned recruitment group, which he sold to a UK Plc in 2015. He established 4c Executive in
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October 2013 in response to what he says was a very obvious gap in the market in Northern Ireland. “There was no other provider then – or indeed now, with the exception of 4c – in the Northern Ireland market who was offering executive search in the truest sense of the word: that is, finding the best person for a senior-level business-critical role by taking a search-led approach, rather than simply delving into a network of local contacts or a ‘little black book’. So in that sense, we are unique here. “Search means exactly what it says. To begin
with, a company needs to know what, or who, it is searching for and that requires detailed consultation and engagement with the client – not just the receipt of a job description or person specification. We consult first, followed by live research before searching and approaching the market – it’s a methodical and scientific model that brings the very best results and mitigates against getting it wrong.” Staying true to executive search in this way has stood 4c in good stead over the past three and a half years, according to Irvine. “4c has enjoyed steady but significant