Reimagining BD for Growth in a US Market

Slow pipelines. Cautious clients. Fierce competition. To grow in today’s US market, recruitment leaders are rethinking how they win work and how they build trust that lasts.

Join senior leaders operating at global scale for a straight-talking, practical session on what it really takes to drive business development and growth in the US. This 45-minute session will explore which BD activities are proving most effective for keeping pipelines active when demand is slower, the single biggest priority firms should focus on when trying to open new doors in the US market, and where the most exciting opportunities lie for US executive search businesses to stand out and win as we move into 2026.

James Osborne sits down with James Baker, CEO at Buchanan Staffing Group, and Will Hannaford, MD and CEO at Maven Partnership, for a focused session designed to help business owners navigate US talent shifts, expanding into new markets, and embracing opportunity in complex economies.

What you’ll learn:

• What's driving demand (and drop-off) in US markets right now
• Building high-performing, cross-border teams
• How leaders are balancing tech, process, and people
• Lessons from expansion: what works, what doesn’t
• Advice for anyone scaling internationally in the US or recruiting global talent
• How to build sustainable, relationship-led pipelines even when demand is patchy
• The leadership and BD habits of firms still winning in a cautious market