Bulletin August 2009

Assignments keep coming thank goodness but they are like pulling hen's teeth right now. I am sure many of you are experiencing the same in terms of deferred decisions, clients changing their minds and some assignments being curtailed early.

Our investment to continue marketing and business development through these tough times to generate opportunities for you is what we make profits for. Our aim is to make 10 percent on turnover at the end of the year which is a normal sustainable profit in the business services sector. We believe it right to keep reinvesting our profits with a view to the upturn and to keep your talents in the forefront of buyer's minds.

One message we have been pushing hard is how procurement is a hot opportunity for unearthing hidden savings and in my experience is self-liquidating, as the savings the client makes outweigh the cost of the interim executive being engaged.

Consequently we have had a notable increase in assignments in this discipline in recent weeks. It is a win win win. Happy clients making savings, happy interim executives raking in some fees and happy Brooklands making profits to keep pumping the market. We are keeping costs low ourselves whilst also defending your day rates. Curiously we have not seen rates as a barrier to current business particularly. 'Shall we, shan't we?' is the hurdle, more than 'We will if it is cheaper'.

Stephen has been back out in the Middle East enduring 40+ degree heat to conjur up more assignments for you. His growing success in the region is testimony to hard work being rewarded.

South East Asia remains challenging but interesting. Rates here are an issue and we all need to trim our sails for that market. But if you have no assignment on in the UK and a few weeks in a fascinating part of the world appeals, then earning less than usual there might be preferable to earning nothing here, plus you get to bolster your CV with some overseas experience.

I am delighted to say Stephen Lawrenson won our prize draw as one of the donors to our Mutaro School rebuilding project. He will be off to Ibiza soon.

Yours sincerely,

David Jensen
Chief Executive

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