Get To Know Us

Brightwater Executive has established itself as one of Ireland’s leading Executive Search companies that has earned the reputation of providing steadfast support to senior executives who are navigating their next transition or striving to define their next career move.

Through our network and extensive database which we have cultivated for over 20 years in the Irish and International markets, we’ve successfully and continually forged genuine relationships with a wide range of senior talent and clients across all growth sectors.

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What We Do

We specialise in providing:

  • Executive Search C-Suite, Director and Head of Function roles
  • Independent salary benchmarking
  • Independent interview panellists
  • INED & Chair search
  • Executive interview coaching and CV preparation
  • Interim assignments

Our Commitments

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion is at the core of our everyday conversations for our clients, candidates and
our own team. No search process is or ever can be the same and
we treat each assignment with the 100% commitment and focus it deserves.

Current Opportunities

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Client Partner Service

We match the best talent in the market for your
business.

Our Executive Search team are continuously connecting, building talent networks, and outlining individual talent information that will be able to provide you with the necessary insight into the skills, background motivations, and expectations of talent to properly assess and profile them.

We take the time to understand your organisational needs and can get a clear overview of the business, the organisational structure, the company values, goals, and culture. It is through this process that we can truly endorse talent who have the required skills, background, and experience, for your company.

We have a depth of over 20 years' experience supporting our clients both locally and Internationally with their senior talent strategies. We're proud that our clients see us as an extension of their team and successfully work with them throughout their key milestones of change, be it undergoing Organisational Restruction, Succession Planning, Digital Transformation or Scaling For Growth.

What Our Clients Say

Our Client Network

For over 20 years we have had the privilege to work and understand the talent needs of a wide and diverse client base. We work with our client Partners to build a bespoke executive search strategy that is right for you, is transparent and led by data driven insights to ensure your senior hire is the right fit for your organisation. Our client partners return to us because we have built a reliable reputation in gaining their trust and delivering what they need in a robust and timely way.

We’re Here To Help You.

We connect talented people with great companies. Join our network today.

Join Our Network

Industries Served

  • Consumer Markets (B2B and B2C)
  • Technology & Telecommunications
  • Financial Services

    Fintech / Payments | Banking | Insurance |
    Asset Management | Aviation Leasing

  • Public Sector, Not For Profit
  • Life Sciences & Healthcare
  • Professional Services
  • Industrial

    Supply Chain | Manufacturing | Utilities |
    Renewables

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Salary Survey 2023

Today’s CEO and C-Suite executive teams are business leaders, mentors and advisors. Unique challenges include ESG, diversity and talent retention. Their pay reflects the needs of the business and their wider remits so each organisation has a different executive compensation programme. Our Salary Guide for leadership in 2023 reflects a wide range of pay across a broad diverse of sectors and organisations. If you need further clarification on any of the salaries in our guide, please contact [email protected]

Download Salary Survey

Latest Blog

2023 - A Challenging Year for M&A Activity

Oct 12, 2023, 13:11 PM by Brightwater Executive
We look at the M&A activity across Ireland and how regulatory changes, sector challenges, economic uncertainities and a focus on sustainability have had an impact.

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) have long been considered a barometer of economic health and investor confidence, as are the macro trends we see across recruitment markets. In our Q1 2023 Salary Survey, we referenced the notable skills and experience being highly sought for strategic SLT hires, with exposure to both pre and post M&A activity being seen as highly desirable. Regardless of M&A activity dipping in 2023, these skills are still required to support the strategic and operational integrations from previous deals.

It's been interesting to review the recent stats across the domestic and wider global markets.  

The Financial Times reported that globally the value of M&A deals announced in the first nine months of the year equated to circa $2trillion. This was the lowest level since 2013, down 28% vs. the same period in 2022. 

Several factors have contributed to this slump, including geopolitical uncertainties, fluctuating market conditions, and the lingering effects of the pandemic. Investors are exercising caution, carefully evaluating risks and rewards before making any substantial financial commitments.  According to Renatus Q3 2023 M&A Report “mega deals are slowing down faster than the traditional mid-market SME deals.”

Ireland has a robust economy and favourable business environment.  Historically it’s been a hotspot for M&A activities. However, we have not been immune to the global slowdown. Irish M&A deal volumes have decreased to 316 deals completed as of Q3’23, compared to 333 in the same period last year.

Several factors have been identified as influencing Ireland's decreased M&A activity.

Regulatory Changes: Ireland, like many other countries, has implemented new regulations and policies to safeguard its economy and national interests. Added complexities and uncertainties are dissuading some potential investors from pursuing M&A deals.

Tech Sector Challenges: Often dubbed the "Silicon Valley of Europe, Ireland boasts a thriving tech industry. However, increased scrutiny on big tech companies, data privacy concerns, and evolving regulations have created hurdles for M&A activities within this sector.

Economic Uncertainties: The global economic climate, marked by inflationary pressures and trade tensions, has made investors more cautious leading companies to adopt a wait-and-see approach.

Focus on Sustainability: With a growing emphasis on sustainable business practices, companies need to prioritise environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors. This shift in focus has led to meticulous evaluations of potential M&A plans, often resulting in a longer decision-making process. As part of the PwC Private Equity Responsible Investment Survey 2023, 51% of private equity partners said they look at ESG in every opportunity they consider with 64% citing brand enhancement through ESG.

It was no doubt a great boast to see Smurfit Kappa’s merger with US rival WestRock last month. It bolstered not only Q3 but the full year, the €10bn deal was the largest with Irish involvement and the sixth largest globally for 2023.  Financial data provider London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) highlighted the value of deals with an Irish element increased by nearly 50% year to date versus the same period in 2022 to €24.5bn, largely due to the Smurfit Kappa deal.

Always in search of a silver lining, it’s true that historically, M&A activities have displayed resilience, healthy challenges and bounce back mode after periods of stagnation.  It does seem that industry players and policymakers are working closely to address challenges, streamlining regulations, and fostering an environment that will be more conducive to investment.

This year has not been without its challenges for many of our clients in scale up and international expansion mode, but we wouldn’t go writing off 2024 just yet. 

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