Andy Low, Director and Head of Private BankingWith its collegiate team, the new breed executive search firm is adept at tying its service delivery to clients’ specific requirements. Its ‘positively different’ approach to training its team ensures employees feel empowered and enthusiastic about consistently delivering nothing short of excellence to its valued clients. This dedication is reflected in its ability to help clients recruit candidates who are a perfect fit, technically and culturally.
“We get the fundamentals right. Our recruitment approach is grounded in setting clear agendas with a deep understanding of client needs, which gives us a cumulative impact in the market,” says Andy Low, director and head of private banking of Redstone Search Group.
Bridging the Talent Demand
Building on its decade-long experience in the executive search industry, Redstone has forged long-term relationships with top talent. This extensive network and in-depth research capabilities equip it to provide prompt and precise search solutions for a diverse clientele.
Redstone specialises in three prominent sectors—commodities, private banking, and legal, risk, and compliance—offering bespoke recruitment services. It encompasses retained and contingency search models, extraction search, salary benchmarking, market mapping, and market intelligence.
In its early years, Redstone set out to disrupt the market by predominantly operating on a contingency basis. It subsequently expanded its retained search volume by an impressive 300 percent while maintaining fair and transparent fee structures.
The recruiting team assumes complete responsibility for identifying, screening, evaluating, and shortlisting deserving candidates. A roster of clients, including trading houses, brokerages, utilities, information houses, wealth management firms, private and investment banks, energy, metals, soft commodities, and agricultural sectors, benefit from its white-glove service.
Reimagining Experiences with Service Excellence
With a one-of-a-kind hiring process, Redstone delivers on its promise of service that extends beyond the confines of job description, profit-chasing, or KPI adherence. Its administrative team reviews every application and quickly responds to clients.
Redstone’s consultants, highly skilled head-hunters, earnestly engage in upfront discussions with clients to solidify the hiring agenda, ensuring recruitment plans are mutually agreed upon rather than imposing preferences.
On an equal note, Redstone values prompt and candid feedback from clients on the resumes shared within 48 hours, which enables the team to learn more about their preferences and present the right fit for the job.
“We listen twice as much as we speak. Our core principle is aligning the desires of clients and candidates with the opportunities they have explicitly expressed interest in,” says Andy.
Fostering Loyalty through Success Stories
Redstone understands that making the right career choices for candidates is as crucial as prioritising client needs. The firm diligently verifies whether the role aligns with their expectations, including salary, work culture, and job location, helping them navigate their next career move. Candidates are supported throughout recruitment, from CV enhancement to interview preparation and coaching, placements, and contract negotiations.
A client success story manifests Redstone’s dedication to placing candidate and client preferences at the forefront.
In one instance, a candidate sought a new position within the marine fuel trading industry. She desired a workplace with a family like atmosphere over a strictly KPI-driven environment. Despite her receiving a more financially lucrative offer from a corporate firm, the Redstone team understood that it would not align with her needs due to their faster hiring and firing practices. Guided by its principle of prioritising candidate and client preferences, it directed her toward another small company that cherished a familial atmosphere. She made a conscious decision to opt for it as the new offer better matched her aspirations.
We Get The Fundamentals Right. Our Recruitment Approach Is Grounded In Setting Clear Agendas With A Deep Understanding Of Client Needs, Which Gives Us A Cumulative Impact In The Market
An interesting example is a candidate who was successfully placed as a trader within a U.S. company. Experiencing a positive outcome, he recommended Redstone’s services to fill various positions in his former workplace. This same candidate, now a client is exclusively utilising Redstone’s services to assist in launching a new proprietary Hedge Fund in Switzerland.
Building Champion Teams
This winning streak is made possible by its passionate team of recruitment consultants who exhibit industry-wide business acumen and meticulous attention to detail. The team members are more than employees; they are a family, nurturing the ethos together.
Placing culture at the centre, Redstone emphasises the principles of ethics, friendliness, and professionalism, with a strong bias for performance and impact. Each staff member receives the recognition they deserve to stay motivated and the training required to outperform in their specialities.
“At Redstone, it’s not just about individuals, but collective teamwork. We are consultants with the same dream and desire as our clients, working in perfect synergy to deliver the best possible service,” says Andy.
For its internal team, Redstone directs its efforts toward hiring individuals from colleges, universities, or unrelated fields. They are assigned to one of the three specialised desks— commodities, private banking, or legal, risk, and compliance. The training commences before individuals join the team, with starter tests conducted to ensure they meet the minimum qualifying standards.
As part of the onboarding process, prospective trainees must complete a personality profiling exercise and a speed of learning assessment to evaluate their suitability for the respective role and culture. This equips Redstone with insights into qualities like resilience to handle rejection, confidence to initiate connections, and the ability to quickly build rapport with clients and candidates, which are vital for succeeding in their roles.
During the initial weeks, the company observes and identifies specific areas in which trainees are keenly interested. Customised booklets are provided based on their domains of interest to become well-acquainted with industry nuances.
The training process follows a four-stage approach. In the initial ‘unconscious incompetence’ stage, Redstone bridges the knowledge gaps trainees are unaware of. As they gain experience, they transition to ‘consciously incompetent,’ realising what they need to learn and progress. With continuous practice and feedback, they become ‘consciously competent,’ with Redstone equipping them to effectively perform the job. Ultimately, the goal is to reach the ‘unconscious competence’ stage, where tasks become second nature and they excel effortlessly.
The Path to Recruitment Proficiency
Redstone’s commitment to continuous improvement is founded on the philosophy ‘prevention is the best cure.’ The firm fosters an environment that allows consultants to learn from their mistakes in a controlled setting. Once actively engaged, they are entrusted to systematically execute their responsibilities.
This approach also extends to its client interactions. The goal is to establish a rapport, which serves as the grease for effective communication. Once trust is built, Redstone’s consulting team asks open-ended questions to align its services with their distinct requirements.
Its relentless training has seen individuals who began as trainee recruiters evolve into accomplished consultants, and some have even been inspired to become business owners. The search firm is also formulating its succession plan to offer consultants opportunities to become shareholders, fostering a level of dedication beyond conventional employment.
Setting benchmarks with its well-structured team and client centric ethos, Redstone is the top pick for industry-wide clients and candidates, charting new horizons in their talent hunt journeys.
