News & Insights

Tech-enabled scaling of production and safety in integrated mining operations

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 07:51:01 Z

In 2026, Chile’s Exponor mining exhibition assembled 60,000¹ visitors in the Atacama desert. With dirt floors, chemical bathrooms and a patchy phone signal, the venue reflected the natural habitat of the mining representatives. To an outsider, a mine can feel like the moon. But in the north of Chile, you could often hear: “My parents worked in mining, I was born here, mining is in my blood.” It’s common to call operators viejos - ‘old mates.’ This isn’t disrespectful. It’s cultural.

When the Right Leader Comes from Outside the Sector: An Amrop Case Study

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 11:28:49 Z

Consumer & Retail

Looking Beyond Sector Experience

Some executive searches are about finding the strongest candidate in a familiar market. The more consequential searches begin one step earlier: by asking whether the familiar market is still the right one.

Amrop Announces New Partners in EMEA

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 09:12:26 Z

Amrop announces the addition of five new partners in Sweden, Netherlands and Czech Republic, enhancing our executive recruitment and leadership advisory footprint across EMEA.

These appointments reflect our ongoing commitment to supporting clients in building resilient leadership teams and achieving sustainable success worldwide.

Building a Board Ecosystem

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 07:12:43 Z

Benoit Lison | Belgium

When speaking about board governance, articles almost invariably refer to “directors.” Yet, in reality, there is no single, generic director. A board is a carefully balanced ecosystem of individuals with different mandates, responsibilities, and competencies. Effective governance depends not on the excellence of one director, but on the quality and complementarity of the entire board.

Energy & Infrastructure: How can boards hire for ‘sustainable resilience’?

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 15:18:48 Z

Aiga Arste-Avotina | Baltics

The energy transition is marching towards the realities of tomorrow. But energy and infrastructure leaders are judged on what they do today.

Can they ensure the power supply in the face of electrification and ravenous data centers? Intercept geopolitical shocks, from drone attacks to cyber threats? Can the infrastructure handle extreme weather events? How supple are supply chains?

Resilience has never been more critical in mining. Here’s why.

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 09:25:18 Z

Alberto Cardenas | Peru

Uncertainty and isolation. Operational pressure, safety concerns and talent scarcity. Relentless scrutiny. Whether leading a remote site or a central function, mining is not for the faint-hearted. In this rocky world, decisions can involve billions of dollars, while regulation slows momentum and geopolitical uncertainties launch constant depth charges.

AI offers wide-ranging solutions, but many boards are wary. This is a high-stakes industry. It requires exceptional resilience.

How to Spot a Spoof: Protecting Yourself from Impersonation Scams

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 07:16:40 Z

There's never been a more complex time to be a leader – or a more tempting time to be impersonated as one.

Across the recruitment industry, fraudsters are impersonating consultants, using stolen names, titles and photos to approach candidates and clients with fake job offers, false "services," and requests for money or personal data. Amrop is not immune. Neither is any firm you might work with.

The good news: these scams follow patterns, and once you know what to look for, they're easy to catch.

Is your technical hire set up to fail?

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 11:41:48 Z

Borja Vara | Spain

Here’s a classic case of responsibility without power: 71% of CEOs don’t think their IT operating models are fit for the age of AI. But only 24% of CIOs believe their models effectively adapt to business needs.¹

The disconnect between technical CXOs and their entourage signals the need for bigger bandwidth all round. Hiring organizations will increasingly need to seek CIOs (and equivalents) who combine technical expertise with business understanding and leadership skills. Boards and top management teams must better understand what success looks like.

Over there is coming over here: The new Mining leadership imperative

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 07:52:39 Z

Lena Kozovski | Canada

Mining leaders long viewed geopolitics as an external risk, best left to government affairs, consultants, or country managers. Today it is a core competence for senior executives. Their decisions impact corporate strategy, capital allocation, talent, supply chains, and shareholder value.

But the amplitude is far greater. Mining occupies a busy intersection. Here, national interests, economic security and the energy transition collide with global competition for critical minerals. For governments, these are no longer just commodities. They are strategic assets.

Mining leaders must acquire geopolitical fluency – fast.

Private Markets: Is your C-suite ready to open Pandora’s box?

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 10:49:48 Z

Elena Ghirardotto | Italy

A sea change is underway in the investment world. Returns on traditional asset classes,¹ equities, government bonds and cash or cash equivalents, are flattening. But global alternative assets are on an exciting upward trajectory.

Are European financial services players ready to take advantage of the opportunity and mitigate the risks? The transition will require a gear shift in C-suite mindset, competencies, and roles – and the top floors are already switching on the lights.

The Quiet Intersection: Mining, Critical Minerals and Global Defence

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 15:39:58 Z

Lena Kozovski | Amrop Rosin Canada

Critical minerals are no longer a niche topic for extractive industries; they are central to national security thinking, defence procurement and the technologies that underpin modern military capability. From surveillance systems to advanced materials and battery storage, the inputs that originate in mines feed capabilities that governments now treat as strategic priorities. This shift changes what defence organizations, and the companies that serve them, look for in leadership, governance and partnerships.

China’s FMCGs: Competing hard for margins – and talent

Fri, 14 Aug 2026 12:44:18 Z

Can talent strategy keep up?

Candy Cai | China

Nèijuǎn. This is the Chinese term for an exhausting rat race. Yet the country has skilfully transformed intensity into a world-leading strength, writes Candy Cai, a Director of Amrop China.

Big Pharma: Do you need a new talent strategy?

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 07:08:23 Z

Patent cliffs. A pricing squeeze. AI can answer both.

Pablo Pristupin | Argentina

Big pharma is no stranger to chronic pressures. Today, two forces have become particularly acute for executive hiring organizations. The first is patent cliffs. The second is pricing. A third force – AI – has immense potential to provide relief.

But many legacy organizations are struggling to inject the talent they’ll need to unlock it.

The AI Imperative for C‑Suite Hiring

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 13:17:12 Z

Dorota Kolecka | Poland

No longer a niche technical concern, AI is also transforming what companies expect from senior executives – and how they hire them. As companies adapt to an accelerated AI-driven transformation agenda, executive recruiters are seeing crucial patterns emerge, revealing new leadership requirements, evolving role definitions and growing expectations around governance, transformation and strategic vision.

The Rhythm of Performance: Leadership Insights from a Women’s Rowing Eight

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 12:07:43 Z

Ulrich Beckendorff | Germany

On a Sunday morning, an eight glides across the river Ruhr in Germany. Nine women, one shell, and the drive for the perfect rhythm. Every stroke carries the idea of aligning timing, force, and intent. A fraction of a second too early or too late, and the boat loses synchronicity.

This year, Amrop Germany sponsored the Amrop Ruhr-Achter Essen-Kettwig, and witnessed this dynamic in action. The crew entered the 2026 German Rowing League (Ruderbundesliga) as the defending League Champion, having secured the title in 2025. But what makes this story especially compelling is this women’s crew, racing with precision, ambition, and unrelenting commitment to collective performance.

Going Deeper: 7 Questions for CIOs

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 11:18:00 Z

Joseph Teperman | Paulo Aziz Nader | Amrop Brazil

We have spent more than 50 years, combined, working with technology companies. We started inside them, early in our careers. Then we moved to the other side of the table – as consultants, headhunters, mentors, and advisors.

Even after all that time, one thing still stands out: most interviews for technology leadership roles remain shallow.

European Manufacturing: Smart is no longer enough

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 13:46:38 Z

Matthias Rodewald | Germany

For 20 years, smart factories have been boosting production output, efficiency and adaptiveness. But their potential is still underexploited.

Beyond honing the efficiency of individual machines and fully automated manufacturing lines, skilled organizations are using data holistically to identify bottlenecks and solve problems intelligently. As geopolitical problems intensify, data will be critical to tackle supply chain volatility, from raw‑material to energy consumption, and beyond.

On the upside, real time data access makes it easier to flex competitively to client needs and market dynamics. It can reduce energy use and CO₂ emissions by 25–30%, strengthening a firm’s sustainability credentials and creating an immediate bottom-line impact.

Contextual AI Leadership: Structuring the Modern Org Chart

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 12:20:00 Z

As organizations sprint to operationalize artificial intelligence, the most pressing question lands squarely on the desk of executive search and leadership advisors: Where should the AI function sit?

In the market today, there is a fierce debate over whether AI should report directly to the CEO, the CIO, or the CTO. At Amrop, our advice to Boards is rooted firmly in our Context Driven leadership framework: there is no single ‘correct’ reporting line. Instead, the optimal structure depends entirely on your industry segment, your organizational maturity, and your strategic horizon.

Jamal Khan – Managing Partner at Amrop Australia and a member of Amrop’s Global Digital Practice – shares his insights.

Unlocking Vital Human Value for Telecom Operators

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 07:00:08 Z

From ‘one size fits all’ to systemic customization: the enterprise opportunity is a true leadership test.

Bo Ekelund | Sweden

More than 5G SA and IoT portfolios, capturing the potential of enterprise and programmable networks means dismantling old habits – and re-designing organizations.

Mobile telecom operators face a perfect storm, with underperforming stocks, profit margins and investments butting up against heavy infrastructure investments. As many are running to stand still, an enterprise-focus is appealing. But designing customer solutions demands systemic culture change.

Leadership Under Pressure: Resisting the Call of Charisma

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 14:20:43 Z

Igor Sulik | Slovakia

Strong-arm rhetoric in the political arena. Forceful founder-CEOs challenging and disrupting the status quo. The socio-economic environment is heating up.

Do boards risk falling prey to an old bias: charismatic, directive leadership? A reversion to an aggressive, short-term culture?

Now is the moment to take a step back, says Igor Sulik, Head of Amrop’s Global Leadership Advisory Practice.

AI Governance: Why Boards Must Lead the Conversation

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 10:58:13 Z

Cinzia Donalisio | Italy

Every business publication has run its version of the AI story by now. The productivity gains. The generative breakthroughs. The regulatory scramble. What's had far less airtime is the question that actually belongs to boards: not what can AI do, but who is accountable for what it does.

AI isn't a matter to leave with IT departments or data scientists. Increasingly, it's a matter of governance. And governance belongs in the boardroom.

Single family offices are moving upward and outward

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 07:32:21 Z

Their broadening scope is opening new doors for critical talent.

Paul Weinberg | Toronto

Closed, inaccessible worlds. Investment engines and little else. This is the widely held image of the single family office. But change is afoot. SFOs are growing, not only in numbers, but in scope. As their spectrum of activities widens, they’ll need the bandwidth that external executives and advisory board members can bring to the top table.

Appointing outsiders benefits all stakeholders. It opens strategic opportunities for SFOs. It creates enticing career opportunities for top candidates. These deserve examination, argues Paul Weinberg, a Partner with Amrop in Toronto and a member of Amrop’s Global Financial Services Practice.

Why Retail Boards Are Rethinking Leadership Capability

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 13:58:00 Z

Is your executive team built for today’s complexity or yesterday’s playbook?

For many years, retail executives operated within relatively predictable parameters, where success depended on scale, footprint and the disciplined optimization of a proven operating model.

Leadership teams expanded store networks, improved operational efficiency and protected margins through consistent execution, while Boards focused on growth, performance and operational excellence.

That model worked well – for a long time. Today, that environment has changed.

Leading Through Complexity: Reflections from Eurosatory 2026

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 14:57:35 Z

Amrop's Global Defense Practice was on the ground at Eurosatory 2026: Benoit Lison (Belgium) - leader of our Global Defense Practice, Alex Ulanovych (Ukraine) and Sven-Olof Koopmann (Germany) spent the week connecting with manufacturers, innovators, institutions and delegations from across the international security ecosystem.

A few themes stood out – and they're as much about leadership as they are about technology.

Inside the Circle: Executive Success Factors Within Single Family Offices

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 10:05:00 Z

Single Family Offices are changing. Generational wealth transfer is accelerating. Investment mandates are shifting decisively toward direct investments, co-invests and private capital. And governance structures are evolving, as family offices attract increasing scrutiny. This inevitably leads to increased demands for more sophisticated executive talent.

Adam Saunders, Managing Partner at Amrop UK, draws on confidential interviews with senior executives who have held leadership roles within single family offices, and attempts to name experiences that are widely felt but rarely articulated.

The question is ultimately a simple one: as SFOs professionalise, will the talent systems that surround them professionalise too? Or will the sector continue to rely on intuition, goodwill and reference - tools that are genuinely inadequate for the environments they are being used to navigate?