The Industry

The Industry and Our Experience
Our Services
The Executive Search industry is dynamic and fast-paced, with numerous companies trying to find the right executive to fit for their unique business needs, at the same time. With so much competition for candidates, it is critical for a business to have access to large talent pools and the right kind of candidates in terms of qualifications, experience, and leadership capabilities. This is especially the case in industries related to financial and professional services, oil, gas and energy sectors, as well as resources and infrastructure industries. This is where our experience comes in. 

Our Experience

With over a decade of experience behind us, our team understands how important it is to take ownership of each search project. We are committed to helping our clients grow and succeed by meeting their executive search needs through:

  • Broad networks and talent pipelines that allow us to access individuals at the top of their fields across a range of industries and levels. 
  • A flexible executive search approach that allows us to adapt and change our search model to fit your unique business needs. There is not a one size fits all approach.
  • Experience and specialisation in executive search across Africa, specifically in West and East Africa. 
  • A reputation for meeting client deadlines and ensuring the reliability of candidates.
More about us

Our Business

RESEARCH & HEADHUNTING SERVICES

Our business has one main focus, and that is to provide quality, high-level headhunting services to corporate clients and niche executive search firms. What do we mean by this? Our firm specialises in C-Suite executive search research. If you are looking to fulfil CEO, CFO, COO, or other executive positions, we are here to assist. What differentiates us from other executive search research firms is our global reach. Over the last decade, we have worked with several clients in West Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa, Australia, the United Kingdom, United States of America and Germany, connecting with talent across a wide range of specialisations and geographies.  Our curiosity and research-centric approach mean that our team will go above and beyond to understand your client environment to find you the right talent fit.

Finding the Right Fit

CHARGE FORWARD

Our headhunting and talent mapping services rely on two very important components: existing networks and the ability to build new networks. Over the years, as a business, we have built large networks within the Management Consulting, Mining, Manufacturing and Heavy Industries sectors and in the Financial Management, Operational and Engineering functional areas. By leveraging these relationships, we can approach and find candidates that are outside the public sphere. This allows us to access a unique talent pool of individuals in niche industries and positions. Through our research methodology, we are also able to identify and target candidates outside our network to ensure that we cover the whole market and provide you with as many sound and qualified candidates as possible. 

Our Founder

Julia Botha

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PurpleSkwirrel was founded by Julia Botha in 2012. Julia began her career as a researcher in the Executive Search industry in 2002. She has built her knowledge of executive search methodologies and business management skills by working within entrepreneurial, specialist and global top tier management consulting companies as well as global top tier executive search businesses.  After a decade in this dynamic field, she saw a gap in the market that needed to be filled and opened PurpleSkwirrel. Read more about this journey here. 

Her journey began in 2002 when she joined Jack Hammer Executive Headhunters as a researcher. She spent seven years with this Cape Town based firm, executing search projects ranging from Head of Employee Benefit Sales to Senior Tribologist. 

While learning all about the ins and outs of Executive Search, she took a keen interest in the operational side of the Executive Search business and recruited, trained, and managed a team of researchers for several years.

After leaving Jack Hammer, she was presented with the opportunity to assist with building Maxwell Drummond International in South Africa. Julia spent the next two years delivering research and executive search projects focused on the Upstream Oil and Gas and Mining industries while also taking on an active operational management role at Maxwell Drummond International in Johannesburg. During this time, she was also a part of the start-up team for the Talent Reservoir project, which is a project focused on Talent Pipeline Management for a global Oilfield Services giant.

In 2010 Julia joined McKinsey & Company Johannesburg to take on the challenge of headhunting and Talent Pipelining for this leading Global Management Consulting firm. 

In 2012 she saw a gap in the market, took a leap of faith and started PurpleSkwirrel. Over the last decade, the business has grown, developed, and reached international shores. We hope to continue this growth, expand our reach, and assist more clients in successfully finding the right candidates.