Quality-Driven Executive Search in a Changing World
Written by: Jeroen Van Ermen from Talent Business Partnerson February 5, 2025
In a candid conversation with Roel Carati, Executive Search Consultant and COO at Glasford International BeNeLux, we explore the unwavering commitment to quality in executive search. With over 25 years of experience, Roel shares insights about maintaining excellence in an ever-evolving industry, and why being "razor-sharp" is crucial for success in today's executive search landscape.
What inspired you to enter the staffing and recruitment industry? Was there a specific experience that sparked your passion?
Roel Carati,COO at Glasford International BeNeLux: "Quite honestly, starting up a business venture was not like on top of my bucket list, but I was lucky to team up with some experienced recruiters with diverse industry experience and with a profound common interest in executive search."
What's a challenge you've overcome, and how has it shaped you as a leader?
Roel Carati: "Looking back at more than 25 years in the recruitment industry, we have had to adapt to new situations. Economical disruptions, new technologies, candidate expectations shifting per generation, upcoming and declining markets...., never a dull moment! Constantly adapting and at the same time sticking to your beliefs that quality of service and a daily focus on seriously finding the very best candidate in the market, leaving no stone unturned until success."
What sets Glasford International Benelux apart from the competition, and how do your clients and candidates benefit from this unique value proposition?
Roel Carati: "We work hard, are objective and sharp as a razor. Each consultant in our team offers their own unique experience in a specific industry. This way, we can offer the added value of market knowledge, a broad, first-class network of potential candidates and demonstrably, successfully completed projects."
What core values guide the culture and decision-making within Glasford International?
Roel Carati: "We will never select just 'somebody' who we happen to know. We directly approach people structurally, screen and test them for the right knowledge, experience and behaviour. Our clients don't settle for a six out of ten, they expect ten out of ten."
How do you ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion are embedded in your recruitment practices?
Roel Carati: "Diversity is always an item at the assignment intake. So the client defines how they view diversity and who would fit best. We search and select accordingly. In presenting a shortlist to the client, we do try to diversify to make sure the client can evaluate and make the very best decision on who to hire. Do understand that diversification goes so much deeper then just the aim for a female quotation, it can and should be seen from so many other angles in the need of - for instance - bridging to other cultures or regions, in the need of paying attention to new client generations, or simply in the need of diversifying a leadership team with different personality traits and/or business experiences."
What strategies do you use to build and maintain long-term relationships with clients and candidates?
Roel Carati: "While we're a generalist boutique firm, our strength lies in our team's specialized expertise. Each consultant brings unique experience in specific industries. We stay deeply connected to our markets by following our clients' competition year after year and keeping track of candidates' movements within target industries. This deep industry knowledge means we can act quickly and effectively when new assignments come in."
How do you measure success for your agency beyond financial performance? What key KPIs do you track?
Roel Carati: "Let me be bold here - we don't obsess about our financial performance, as long as it's on the positive side. What really matters to us is the added value our placements bring to our clients' organizations. We track our placed candidates year after year, and nothing makes us prouder than seeing someone we placed grow into even more senior leadership roles within that same organization. That's real success for us."
What are you most proud of when it comes to Glasford International Benelux's achievements, and what impact do you hope to make in the world through your work?
Roel Carati: "Over and over again, thoroughly and immaculate searching for this one specific candidate to land into our client's team, and not just closing the deal but noticing this mutual effort (client selection team, candidate and us) results in short term and long term success."
What do you see as the three most significant changes in the recruitment industry over the past five years, and how has Glasford International Benelux adapted to them?
Roel Carati: "First, globalization, that is why we work closely together with the Glasford teams in other parts of Europe, Americas and Asia. Second, corporate clients building their internal recruitment forces? Maybe, but our firm was never based upon huge volumes. And there are so many ways to support our clients, benchmarking, consulting and adding our wider industry experience to our client's teams."
What role does technology play in your recruitment processes, and how are you leveraging it to meet the evolving expectations of clients and candidates?
Roel Carati: "To me, technology has always been part of our business. Whether it is integrating multiple data sources, using AI as a supportive tool in competition research, using our own candidate databases as a referral and validation instrument, using online assessment tools, it is all essential for a successful search and selection process."
Throughout our conversation with Roel, one thing becomes crystal clear: in executive search, there's no substitute for quality and thoroughness. In an era of rapid technological advancement and changing workplace dynamics, Glasford International BeNeLux maintains its commitment to excellence by combining deep industry expertise with dedication to finding the absolute best talent. Their approach proves that while the tools of recruitment may evolve, the fundamental principle of quality-first executive search remains timeless.
What inspired you to enter the staffing and recruitment industry? Was there a specific experience that sparked your passion?
Roel Carati,COO at Glasford International BeNeLux: "Quite honestly, starting up a business venture was not like on top of my bucket list, but I was lucky to team up with some experienced recruiters with diverse industry experience and with a profound common interest in executive search."
What's a challenge you've overcome, and how has it shaped you as a leader?
Roel Carati: "Looking back at more than 25 years in the recruitment industry, we have had to adapt to new situations. Economical disruptions, new technologies, candidate expectations shifting per generation, upcoming and declining markets...., never a dull moment! Constantly adapting and at the same time sticking to your beliefs that quality of service and a daily focus on seriously finding the very best candidate in the market, leaving no stone unturned until success."
What sets Glasford International Benelux apart from the competition, and how do your clients and candidates benefit from this unique value proposition?
Roel Carati: "We work hard, are objective and sharp as a razor. Each consultant in our team offers their own unique experience in a specific industry. This way, we can offer the added value of market knowledge, a broad, first-class network of potential candidates and demonstrably, successfully completed projects."
What core values guide the culture and decision-making within Glasford International?
Roel Carati: "We will never select just 'somebody' who we happen to know. We directly approach people structurally, screen and test them for the right knowledge, experience and behaviour. Our clients don't settle for a six out of ten, they expect ten out of ten."
How do you ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion are embedded in your recruitment practices?
Roel Carati: "Diversity is always an item at the assignment intake. So the client defines how they view diversity and who would fit best. We search and select accordingly. In presenting a shortlist to the client, we do try to diversify to make sure the client can evaluate and make the very best decision on who to hire. Do understand that diversification goes so much deeper then just the aim for a female quotation, it can and should be seen from so many other angles in the need of - for instance - bridging to other cultures or regions, in the need of paying attention to new client generations, or simply in the need of diversifying a leadership team with different personality traits and/or business experiences."
What strategies do you use to build and maintain long-term relationships with clients and candidates?
Roel Carati: "While we're a generalist boutique firm, our strength lies in our team's specialized expertise. Each consultant brings unique experience in specific industries. We stay deeply connected to our markets by following our clients' competition year after year and keeping track of candidates' movements within target industries. This deep industry knowledge means we can act quickly and effectively when new assignments come in."
How do you measure success for your agency beyond financial performance? What key KPIs do you track?
Roel Carati: "Let me be bold here - we don't obsess about our financial performance, as long as it's on the positive side. What really matters to us is the added value our placements bring to our clients' organizations. We track our placed candidates year after year, and nothing makes us prouder than seeing someone we placed grow into even more senior leadership roles within that same organization. That's real success for us."
What are you most proud of when it comes to Glasford International Benelux's achievements, and what impact do you hope to make in the world through your work?
Roel Carati: "Over and over again, thoroughly and immaculate searching for this one specific candidate to land into our client's team, and not just closing the deal but noticing this mutual effort (client selection team, candidate and us) results in short term and long term success."
What do you see as the three most significant changes in the recruitment industry over the past five years, and how has Glasford International Benelux adapted to them?
Roel Carati: "First, globalization, that is why we work closely together with the Glasford teams in other parts of Europe, Americas and Asia. Second, corporate clients building their internal recruitment forces? Maybe, but our firm was never based upon huge volumes. And there are so many ways to support our clients, benchmarking, consulting and adding our wider industry experience to our client's teams."
What role does technology play in your recruitment processes, and how are you leveraging it to meet the evolving expectations of clients and candidates?
Roel Carati: "To me, technology has always been part of our business. Whether it is integrating multiple data sources, using AI as a supportive tool in competition research, using our own candidate databases as a referral and validation instrument, using online assessment tools, it is all essential for a successful search and selection process."
Throughout our conversation with Roel, one thing becomes crystal clear: in executive search, there's no substitute for quality and thoroughness. In an era of rapid technological advancement and changing workplace dynamics, Glasford International BeNeLux maintains its commitment to excellence by combining deep industry expertise with dedication to finding the absolute best talent. Their approach proves that while the tools of recruitment may evolve, the fundamental principle of quality-first executive search remains timeless.
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