Month: April 2025

The real power lies in what you can do, not in what your business card says. As we discussed during our recent INAC Global webinar on The Future of Work:  Trends, Skills, and Reinvention, one of the clearest signs of workplace transformation is that companies are no longer building teams around fixed roles, they are building them around capabilities … and at the center of this shift is the gig economy.

What began as a model for freelancers and independent workers has evolved into something much bigger … a global redefinition of how we engage with work.  In this new paradigm, skills are the currency, adaptability is the mindset, and agility is the strategy.

The global workforce is undergoing a major transformation with the gig economy playing a central role in this shift.  According to World Bank, gig work now represents up to 12% of the global labor force, a number that surpasses previous estimates and highlights the growing relevance of this employment model.

But this is not just about more freelancers.  It is about a structural transformation in how organizations think about talent.  The traditional full-time, single-role model is giving way to blended teams made up of permanent staff, project-based contributors, and interim executives, all united by shared goals, not shared contracts.

At INAC Global Executive Search, we are seeing a rising demand for fractional consultants and interim executives, highly skilled leaders who step in for defined periods to lead transformations, stabilize teams, or drive innovation in critical moments.

This model allows companies to tap into deep expertise without the long-term commitment of a traditional hire, while offering leaders the flexibility to focus on mission-driven, high-impact work.  It is a shift from permanent presence to strategic precision, bringing the right leadership at the right time for the right purpose.

Companies, in turn, are redefining what they are looking for.  No longer is it enough to hire someone based on where they have worked or what title they held. What matters now is what they can do, and how fast they can do it in a rapidly evolving context.

Leading organizations like Unilever are now organizing work around skill clusters, not right job titles (Deloitte).  Others are investing in internal talent marketplaces, where employees can pick up cross-functional projects, reskill, and evolve beyond their original job scope.

But to truly embrace this shift, organizations must go beyond reactive hiring.  They must adopt a skills-first talent strategy, focusing on identifying, deploying, and developing talent dynamically, wherever it exists, internally or externally, full-time or fractional.

So, in summary, it is not about filling jobs, it is about assembling capability.  The gig economy is not just changing how we work, it is changing who gets to lead, and what leadership looks like.  It opens the door to a more agile, diverse, and high impact future.

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For additional insight into top skills that employers are looking for, please read this article by Jon Gordon at Sheer Velocity.

Jon Gordon, Board Member INAC Global and Managing Partner Sheer Velocity, LLC (INAC USA)

Jon brings over 25 years of expertise in executive search and business leadership. With a background in venture capital-backed startups, he has held key roles across IT, Finance, HR, Operations, Sales, and Supply Chain, specializing in recruiting top-tier talent. A successful entrepreneur, Jon has founded and led multiple companies while staying actively committed to community service through Boulder’s Emergency Family Assistance Association.

Jon Gordon

Sheer Velocity, LLC

The straight line is gone. Careers no longer climb, they zig, they zag, they leap. The era of the corporate ladders is over, replaced by a dynamic landscape where pivots, detours, and reinvention are not anomalies, they are the new normal.

This was one of the key insights from our recent INAC Global webinar on The Future of Work: Trends, Skills, and Reinvention. Across industries and geographies, professionals are rewriting their trajectories, shifting roles, acquiring new skills, and embracing unexpected opportunities. It is not about climbing anymore, it is about navigating.

And this transformation isn’t anecdotal, it is structural.  According to the World Economic Forum, 44% of core skills are expected to change within the next five years, and nearly six in ten workers will require retraining by 2027 to keep pace with market demands.

What does that mean for leaders and organizations? It means that the old rules of talent development no longer apply.  Hiring based on past experience or fixed career paths is no longer a reliable predictor of future success. What matters now is the ability and willingness to evolve.

At INAC Global Executive Search, we are seeing companies seeking out leaders who embody this mindset.  Not just experts in their fields, but professionals who are curious, agile, and unafraid to reinvent themselves, and to help others do the same.

Organizations that thrive in this new reality are creating cultures where continuous learning is part of their DNA.  They encourage people to step out of linear roles, explore lateral moves, reskill in new areas, and grow beyond traditional boundaries. Reinvention is not just accepted, it is expected.

The impact is powerful.  Companies that foster this culture of mobility and development see stronger engagement, higher retention, and great innovation. People stay where they can grow.  They commit where they feel empowered to evolve.

We are no longer in an age of career for life. We are in the age of careers in motion.  The question for organizations now is not how to bring back the ladders, it is how to build the kind of culture where everyone can keep climbing, event if the path is not straight.

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Cedric Schütz, Board Member INAC Global and Managing Director Grünewald Consulting GmbH (INAC Germany)

Cédric is the Managing Director at Grünewald Consulting GmbH – Part of GRÜNEWALD GROUP (INAC Germany I) with over 7 years of executive search experience in industries like chemistry, metallurgy, electronics, and energy. Holding a Master’s degree in Human Resource Management, he serves on the INAC Global Advisory Board and leads the Expert Group Chemistry.Known for his innovative approach, reliability, strategic expertise, and commitment to networking and knowledge sharing, Cédric is dedicated to delivering tailored executive recruitment solutions globally.

Cedric Schütz

There is a quite revolution happening in leadership, and it is not about tech, strategy, or margins.  It is about people.

As we discussed during our recent INAC Global webinar on The Future of Work:  Trends, Skills, and Reinvention, a powerful shift is taking place, where burnout, mental health, and work-life balance are no longer seen as HR topics; they have become board priorities.  The most forward-thinking leaders have realized that productivity and profitability are no longer sustainable if employee wellbeing is treated as a secondary concern.

Welcome to the era of human sustainability -a concept coined by Deloitte, which refers to an organization’s ability to promote and sustain the physical, mental, and social wellbeing of its workforce over time.

According to the World Health Organization, depression and anxiety cost the global economy over $1 trillion USD each year in lost productivity. And yet, when organizations make intentional efforts to support wellbeing, the results are tangible, impacting higher retention, greater performance, and stronger cultures.

We are seeing it firsthand in our work around the world at INAC Global Executive Search.  More and more companies are seeking leaders who not only deliver results but who also create human-centered environments; spaces where people can thrive, not just survive.  Leadership is being redefined.  Today’s most effective executives are those who understand that taking care of people is strategy.

Human sustainability is not about adding more wellness programs.  It is about integrating care into the core of work itself, reimagining how, when, and why people work. It is about creating cultures where psychological safety is not a bonus, it is a baseline; where flexible work is not a benefit, it is an expectation; and where personal growth and purpose are not side conversations; they are part of the business model.

Companies that embrace this are seeing the upside.  According to a Deloitte study, organizations that invest in human sustainability outperform their peers in innovation, inclusion, and long-term growth. With this in mind, wellbeing is not the opposite of performance, it is the engine behind it.

We are at a turning point.  Employees are demanding more, and rightly so.  Leaders who rise to the occasion and invest in their people will not only attract the best talent but also build organizations that are resilient, future-ready, and truly sustainable.

In the end, the smartest investment any leader can make is … their people.

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Klemens Wersonig, Board Member INAC Global and CEO TARGET Executive Search Group (INAC CEE)

Founder and CEO of TARGET Executive Search CEE (INAC CEE), is a visionary leader with over 30 years in executive search across Central and Eastern Europe. Austrian pioneer of the East, who crossed the iron curtain in 1988. He is known for turning challenges into opportunities. With over 20,000 personal interviews he has become one of the most experienced headhunters. He also is an expert on top secret searches. With a doctorate in business administration and international experience beyond CEE also in Canada, the USA, and France, he brings a truly global perspective.

The rules of work are being rewritten in real time.  As we explored in our recent INAC Global webinar on The Future of Work:  Trends, Skills, and Reinvention, one thing became clear … the shelf life of skills is shrinking at an unprecedented pace.  The expertise that made professionals successful five years ago may not be enough today and will likely be obsolete tomorrow.  According to the World Economic Forum, by 2025, 50% of employees will need to reskill to remain competitive in their current roles.

Companies are struggling to keep up, industries are shifting, technology is evolving, and customer expectations are redefining business landscapes.  Yet, the biggest challenge isn’t just acquiring new skills, it is the ability to adapt, unlearn, and relearn continuously.  It is no longer just about having the right skills; it is about developing the capability to evolve.

At INAC Global, we see this transformation firsthand.  Organizations are no longer just seeking candidates with the right experience; they need leaders who demonstrate agility, resilience, and a mindset for continuous learning.  In today’s market, executive search is not just about filling roles; it is about identifying visionaries who can lead through change and drive reinvention.  The ability to embrace transformation has become a key differentiator between success and inertia.

This shift has deep implications, not just for employees but for organizations as well.  Hiring for skills alone is no longer enough, because the skills themselves are a moving target. The future belongs to those who can learn fast, think flexibly, and embrace change as a constant.

For businesses, this means rethinking talent strategies.  Traditional workforce planning, where companies hire for specific skill sets and expect stability, is no longer sustainable.  Instead, leading organizations are focusing on agile talent development models, where employees are continuously upskilled, reskilled, and empowered to transition into evolving roles.

We have now a dynamic career pathway, where professionals must navigate lateral moves, industry shifts, and unexpected disruptions. Continuous learning is no longer an optional perk, it is a survival strategy.

Forward-thinking companies are investing heavily in internal mobility, AI powered learning platforms, and personalized development structures to ensure their people stay ahead of the curve.  They understand that developing adaptable talent is not just a competitive advantage, it is a business imperative.

Work is changing.  Skills are evolving. Are we evolving fast enough too?

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Marcela D’Alessio, Board Member INAC Global and Partner INAC Peru

Global executive search partner at INAC Perú and Coach with a distinguished career in business and marketing—including her role as Marketing Director at Procter & Gamble—she brings deep expertise in corporate and family businesses. Her background in Business Administration and Accounting along with an MBA allows her to provide strategic, high-impact executive talent solutions.

As we mentioned in a recent post on our corporate LinkedIn profiles, AI is not here to replace leaders, it is here to elevate them.  This was also one of the key takeaways from our recent INAC Global webinar on The Future of Work:  Trends, Skills, and Reinvention, where we explored how executive leadership is evolving in response to technological advancements.  One thing became clear … leaders who embrace augmented intelligence will outpace those who rely solely on experience and intuition.

Augmented intelligence isn’t about AI making decisions for us, it is about leveraging AI to enhance our own ability to think critically, anticipate risks, and act decisively. We have always known that the best leaders are those who can see patterns, make sense of uncertainty, and chart a course through complexity.  Today, the difference is that AI allows us to do this with greater precision, speed, and strategic foresight.

The shift is happening fast. 67% of business leaders anticipate that generative AI will transform their organizations by 2025 (KPMG, AI Quarterly Pulse).  Yet, despite this growing awareness, many executives are still a little bit hesitant, unsure of how to integrate AI into their leadership approach without losing the human touch that defines great decision-making.

But the real risk isn’t AI.  The real risk is not leveraging it at all.  The most forward-thinking executives don’t view AI as a competitor, they treat it as a strategic partner. They integrate AI-driven insights into their decision-making without losing the human touch of leadership as judgment, ethics, and vision.

The shift is not only redefining leadership but also reshaping the landscape of executive search.  The demand for leaders who can navigate digital transformation, embrace AI, and drive innovation has never been higher.  Organizations are no longer looking for executives who simply have experience, they are looking for leaders with adaptability, tech fluency, and the ability to integrate AI into their strategic thinking. We are, as INAC Global, evolving alongside these needs, identifying and attracting leaders who possess both the human and augmented intelligence required for this new era.

The real advantage comes when leaders move beyond basic adoption and develop an AI-empowered leadership mindset.  This means learning to ask the right questions of AI, discerning insights from noise, and ensuring that technology serves strategy, not the other way round.  It requires a shift from seeing AI as tool for efficiency to recognizing it as a co-pilot in innovation, problem-solving, and long-term value creation.

We are at a turning point.  AI is no longer a futuristic concept; it is a present reality reshaping industries and workforce.  The leaders who will thrive are those who don’t just acknowledge AI’s potential but actively integrate it into how they think, lead, and build organizations for the future.

The question isn’t whether AI will be part of leadership, it already is! The real question is, are we … are you adapting fast enough?

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Rui Borges, President INAC Global Executive Search and Managing Partner Ad Capita Executive Search (INAC Portugal)

Rui is the founder and Managing Partner of Ad Capita Executive Search (𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗖 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗴𝗮𝗹), a preeminent retained Executive Search firm in Portugal since 2001. A recognized seasoned Executive Recruiter for the past 25 years, Rui has been identifiying and placing senior-level executives across sectors and geographies and has always devoted himself to emerging leaders and the buildout of executive talent pipelines. Rui is also Co-founder of our network, 𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗖 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹, one of the leading Executive Search networks in the world. Having served this organization for over 30 years and held a variety of roles during that time, most recently as its President, Rui has always focused his energy and intercultural intelligence on building and leading a global team to drive growth, entrepreneurship, innovation and creativity to provide first-rate talent advisory services across the globe.