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CS&P Annual Review

2008 was another land-mark year for Cripps Sears & Partners. We maintained our significant growth in revenue and have enjoyed some stability in our team as we have further consolidated our market position in our core sectors.

Our plan for 2009 reflects confidence for our outlook within a challenging environment. We are committed to our strategy of becoming the world's most respected executive search firm working in the energy and infrastructure sectors and with the professional advisers to those sectors.

Energy and Infrastructure continue to be critical in the global economy and the demand for resources, new technologies, and the infrastructure with which to deliver energy, drive much of the commercial activity around the world.

Our clients are leaders in these areas and seek the most talented people to ensure they compete effectively in their markets. We believe our integrated approach, providing executive search across our core sectors of energy/utilities, construction/infrastructure and legal/professional services is unique.  We are committed to those sectors and work in Practice Groups whose members are experts in their sectors often working in cross-disciplinary teams sharing knowledge and expertise across sectors where appropriate.  This has enabled us to recruit the best people for our clients.

We have completed numerous high-profile searches, including board-level hires in energy, property, infrastructure, construction,  project finance and at partner level within the advisory firms (particularly law firms, accountancy practices and management consultancies) working with clients in these sectors.

Our membership of Agilium Worldwide continues to prove valuable and has given us the capability to work on international and cross-border search assignments. We have completed assignments in the UK, Europe, the Middle East, the Americas, Africa, Russia and the FSU and the Far East.

Our ongoing affiliation with People Work Best has also enabled us to provide portfolio of HR and recruitment-related services including assessment services for Board-level and partnership recruitment and management team assessment and development.

Cripps Sears continues to maintain outstanding relationships with our long-standing clients.  Over two thirds of our instructions in 2007/8 came from existing clients.

We have begun some interesting research into the subject of entrepreneurship within the corporate/partnership environment - a topic which has sprung out of some of our recent assignments - and this theme will be developed further in round table discussions involving CEOs and Managing Partners from our core sectors.

We remain committed, through our Action for Burns & Children initiative, to supporting Burns Rehabilitation Camps for severely burnt children.  We thank our colleagues, clients, candidates, suppliers and contacts for their support in this endeavour.

In September 2008 we celebrated our 35th anniversary with a fantastic party at Kensington Palace involving fire eaters, belly dancers and snakes not to mention our clients, friends, colleagues, candidates, suppliers and contacts.

Michael Cripps

Managing Partner