Acre is the specialist Executive Search consultancy supporting the Public Affairs and Communications functions. We work with Boards and Executive Committees to identify, evaluate and secure the modern blend of skillsets required where performance, purpose and reputation meet.

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Executive Search

and Recruitment

We support ambitious companies to source leaders who can shape change through implementing compelling strategy, policies and campaigns across. We appoint individuals through to entire teams; from Boards and CEOs through to Directors, Managers and Executives.

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Leadership Development

We empower companies to develop business and leadership capabilities within their organisations through behavioural assessment and data-driven development solutions such as coaching and training. Our Acre Frameworks methodology supports individuals and teams to perform better and with purpose.

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Our Network

We believe the right leadership exists now to solve global challenges and our mission is to convene individuals and organisations to make a collective dent. We bring our community together through events, insightful thought leadership and compelling networks to create a positive impact on social and environmental objectives.

Meet the Team

Meet the Leadership Team

Featured Content

  • The Value of a Growth Mindset at CBRE

    ​​If you don’t often find yourself immersed in the professional development space, you may not be overly familiar with the concept of a growth mindset. So, you might be wondering, what exactly is this?

    Think: Someone who is not only open to new ideas and concepts but actively makes decisions and achieves outcomes based on them.

    Enter: Dave Dite, QHSE Director at CBRE.

    Dave is no stranger to the idea of a growth mindset. Having worked with him here at Acre for the better part of the last eight years, we’ve seen him continue to raise the bar for himself and those around him when it comes to abandoning ‘the way we’ve always done things’ and opting for new ways of achieving the desired outcomes.

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    The Value of a Growth Mindset at CBRE

  • 1 in 3 young workers turn down jobs if a business reveals weak ESG ratings

    ​​Millennials and younger workers are already considered a force to be reckoned with, so it may come as a little surprise that they are turning down jobs with companies that lag behind when it comes to valuing ESG factors.

    According to a new study by professional services firm KPMG, businesses lacking robust environmental, social and governance credentials are not appealing to younger prospective candidates who are searching for a more environmentally friendly and purpose-driven role.

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    1 in 3 young workers turn down jobs if a business reveals weak ESG ratings

  • Becoming a Coach

    ​​Hi! I’m Ana, and I’m a Coach at Acre Frameworks. I’m the newest team member, although I’ve been part of Acre for almost 2 years. I wanted to share my story about why I became a Coach, as it’s not exactly a typical profession that’s talked about at university career days.

    I was interested in human behaviour from a young age – I was an observant child (according to my family), and I always asked ‘why.’ For example, why people were motivated to do what they do, what made them tick, and the reasons behind their decision-making was always fascinating to me. But how could I forge a career out of my interests?

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    Becoming a Coach

  • Utilising the Skillsets in Your Workplace

    ​​The BBC recently published an article on age discrimination in the workplace entitled "Over-50s at work: 'You feel your usefulness has passed'’. Although I’m not in that age bracket, I’m certainly not in the first flush of youth, either! It made me reflect on the skills and experience I’ve gained not only through the kind of jobs I’ve had throughout my career but also what I’ve learned from other people – whether they are a line manager, inspirational CEO, or colleague who’s had a different experience to me.

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    Utilising the Skillsets in Your Workplace

The Current Climate:

Due to the climate of economic uncertainty, business model disruption and the speed of connectivity between stakeholders, social, and environmental impacts are more frequent and damaging than ever before. This instability has elevated the 'purpose' agenda and an evolution in the leadership skills, competencies and behaviours that are required to filter risk, identify emerging opportunity, and build confidence among an organisation's stakeholders.

Companies require insight into the modern blend of skill and competencies required where performance, purpose, and reputation meet.

  • Performance - Do they have the relevant leadership competencies to do the public affair jobs (and work cross-functionally) across disciplines?

  • Purpose - Can you help define their organisation's role in society and translate the business' external impacts / materials into successful strategy?

  • Reputation - Can they articulate a compelling story to engage and empower a varied group of stakeholders to take desired actions?

The Modern Public Affairs Executive

Reputation has been reset. Public affairs practitioners now need to be comfortable with ambiguity. They must remain fluid in re-positioning strategic orientation against the shifting backdrop of a highly connected and politicised environment, whilst creating competitive advantage out of challenges, moving from 'defend and protect' to 'engage and lead'.

The function must be a part of the Executive Committee’s decision-making process and seen as a team of ‘trusted advisors.' A recent report cited that 82% of Public Affairs VPs attend their firm’s Executive Committee’s meetings, with 42% sitting on the committee itself, in order to help shape strategy.

What are the Skills required?

Practitioners therefore need to provide the crucial link between helping to understand and define the economic opportunities into action-on-the-ground, through both corporate and brand campaigns.

Practitioners need to provide clear and empathetic support to employees and consumers, untangling potentially complex and misguided information into compelling communication and value propositions. This will be directed to a range of stakeholders who will be at various stages of understanding what the organisation’s vision is and what it means to them.

They need the credibility to engage with policy makers to shape and influence new legislation. At all levels, they need to be a well-respected figure with gravitas, integrity, influence, and a robust commercial track-record of leadership in order to leverage value from policy.

As coaches, collaborators, and connectors, practitioners need to help set strategy and devolve responsibility into the business.

People want to know what an organisation stands for, where it is coming from, and where it wants to get to. Practitioners need to cultivate and articulate a story that captures the culture of the organization, armed with case studies, personal stories and a strong key message. They require the ability to influence and guide key decision makers and stakeholders in the business.

What is the Experience required?

Industry experience is not often cited as necessary. It is far more important to have the functional experience across the communications mix. Cross-sector movement is common in corporate affairs and communications.

Practitioners require experience embedding business transformation or change management programs, and the ability to create compelling business cases and positioning initiatives to promote behavioural change. Building alliances through collaboration, influencing, networking with 'opinion formers,' and understanding how they interrelate back to the commercial business strategy.

Why Acre?

Acre, the world’s leading Public Affairs and Communications recruitment consultancy has been positioned at the intersection of these conversations since 2007. We empower our clients through executive search and recruitment services, leadership development programs and access to the relevant insights and networks, all with the purpose to bring the right individuals and organisations together. We work on permanent recruitment assignments as well as contract and interim assignments. 

Acre are working in partnership with our in house leadership development tool, Acre Frameworks, to develop a useful competency frameworks to support practitioners in their careers.

Contact Us:

​Get in touch today to discuss our Public Affairs Recruitment and executive search services.

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