Liv Wigan, Principal

Q&A with Liv

1. Tell us about your career path here. How did you find yourself at Acertitude and why did you join the firm?

I've worked in executive search since I graduated from Newcastle University in 2014, and have always thoroughly enjoyed working with interesting colleagues, clients, and candidates.

When I joined Acertitude, there were only three people in the European business - Guy, Oli, and James - and I was really excited by the idea of contributing to a growth story. Acertitude had (and continues to have) ambitious growth plans and I was keen to be part of building something. I was also impressed by the calibre of the people I met during the search process and the culture of the firm.

2. Describe a day in your life. Favorite parts of your job?

A typical working day starts with a walk to work past Buckingham Palace and through Green Park to get a much-needed coffee. The rest of the day usually involves a mix of internal meetings with team members to catch up on projects, client meetings to discuss project updates, and connecting with candidates to build relationships within the technology sector.

There are two things to the job that I enjoy the most. The first is meeting executives and learning about their career journeys - in search, you get unparalleled access to interesting business leaders at a young age, which is something I always find rewarding. The second thing is working as a team on projects and collaborating on solutions.

3. What is special about working here?

The people and the opportunity to be part of the growth journey.

4. How has Acertitude helped you grow and perform at your best?

Acertitude has been fundamental in my development as a search professional. It has provided the space and support to go beyond the scope of my role - the team always encourages you to stretch to work on new topics and deepen your knowledge. It's also provided me with a platform to take on leadership responsibilities, which is something I have really valued and enjoyed.

5. In what ways - big or small - do you live out our mission of unleashing human potential?

I try and partner closely with our candidates to build long-lasting relationships, so that we can help them fulfill their potential, whether it be on a live search or helping them further down the line.

6. What advice do you have for people looking to join Acertitude? What qualities do people need to be successful here?

A good attitude. We all strive to treat each other well and genuinely enjoy working together. Resilience is also crucial, as our growing business sometimes requires us to stretch to keep up with that growth. Lastly, having a sense of humor is important - while we all work hard, the ups and downs of search can be challenging, and maintaining a positive attitude and being humorous helps navigate through the tougher moments.

Liv at a glance...