Several Iberian boards postponed their strategic plans last year for one reason: the senior leader they needed never surfaced. No wonder—McKinsey’s HR Monitor 2025 puts European executive-search success at just 46 %, with offer-acceptance stuck at 56 %. Add euro-area unemployment at a record 6.2 % and the market for seasoned leaders is almost static.
Why are executives in no rush to move?
- They enjoy near-full employability; if they jump, they set the terms.
- They insist on scrutinising the company first: culture, financial health and—above all—the significance of the assignment.
- They chase legacy, not merely a bigger pay-cheque.
How to earn their genuine attention?
- Laser listening. Track their podcasts, alumni circles and invite-only round-tables; spot the issues that excite them.
- Tell a transformational story. Forget the pet-friendly office; outline the strategic decision only someone with their background can drive.
- Guarantee real autonomy. Ring-fence resources, name the reporting line and spell out decision-making authority from day one.
- Value their time. Cap the journey at 14 days: cluster interviews and turn each meeting into a two-way exchange, not an endless questionnaire.
When the process feels like a dialogue among equals and the challenge truly expands their legacy, the so-called “grey unicorn” stops being myth and signs.
Sources (EN)
• HR Monitor 2025, McKinsey & Company – 29 Jul 2025
• Euro zone unemployment holds at record low, Reuters – 31 Jul 2025
