Recruiters address virtual chapter meeting.

• Position: Events

FEI's third Virtual Chapter Meeting, held March 21 in the august boardroom of the New York Stock Exchange, featured a highly topical discussion on employment prospects and career advice for the finance profession from three prominent executive recruiters. The session was Webcast to some two dozen venues where chapters were meeting. Joining the panel discussion with FEI CEO Phil Livingston were: E. Peter McClean, vice chairman of Spencer Stuart and co-head of its Global Financial Officer Practice; Barry Bregman, managing partner in charge of Heidrick & Struggles' Chief Financial Officer Practice; and Charles W.B. Wardell 3rd, managing director of Korn/Ferry International's New York office and head of the Northeast region and the New York Financial Services Practice.

Not surprisingly, McClean said that the six months following 9/11 were "relatively slow" for finance recruitment. Bregman echoed that, saying that "the overall market is very slow," though it has picked up a bit in recent weeks, stimulated in part by a new risk climate spurred by the Enron Corp. collapse late last year. Wardell argued that the finance function is key to a firm's risk control and reputation, and there has been renewed interest in re-examining a firm's own talent and finding top-quality people who can help assure that reputation. With that, he said, there has been increased demand for analytic skills and for CFOs who understand the need to be an integral part of how the company is viewed by outsiders.

Bregman said he senses more of a focus on basics, as well as more...