When we're briefed on a senior communications or policy mandate, our clients often ask us to find talent with direct experience in a similar or competing organisation. We understand why this approach can feel lower risk. Familiar sector knowledge appears to promise faster onboarding and fewer unknowns. However, in our experience, looking for a strictly “like for like” profile can unintentionally limit both the quality of your shortlist and your access to new ideas beyond your market.

Our clients span charities and not-for-profits through to regulators and large multinationals. With over 25 years of headhunting in corporate affairs, we’ve seen talented professionals move successfully between sectors time and again, despite some initial concerns about hiring from outside of a particular vertical market.

The reality is that the skills needed in a Director of Communications or Head of Public Affairs in the energy or technology sector are remarkably transferable to another regulated sector. With the right curiosity and understanding of a business’s goals, looking beyond your immediate sector can deliver long-term value and fresh strategic thinking that simply wouldn’t emerge from a narrower search.

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Why cross-sector hires work

In the past 18 months, close to 30% of the communications, policy and public affairs leaders we’ve appointed have moved from a parallel sector. Candidates who move between sectors often bring perspectives and experiences that sit outside an organisation’s usual frame of reference. That difference matters. It shows up in the questions they ask, the assumptions they challenge, and the opportunities they spot that others may have stopped noticing.

The ability to apply your skills across contrasting environments, for example, moving between financial services and energy, demonstrates adaptability, resilience and a willingness to step outside a comfort zone. These qualities are often exactly what senior communications and policy leaders need when navigating change or complexity.

By contrast, hiring only from within your sector can unintentionally shrink your talent pool to people who think like your existing team and may not always demonstrate the long-term calibre and potential of someone in another, related sector. Equally, hiring all positions in your function from your direct sector can reinforce an echo chamber where assumptions go untested and blind spots persist.

When hiring for a FTSE listed business, experience of working for a Plc is a prerequisite for most senior communications appointments but directly relevant sector experience, while preferred, is less likely to be essential. For specific technical roles, direct industry knowledge will clearly be invaluable. But for broader media, digital and communications remits, exploring talent from outside your sector introduces new insights, different problem-solving approaches and broader commercial awareness - all of which can catalyse the positive change many C-suites are seeking.

How we manage risk in the search process

A common concern is whether a cross-sector hire will understand the operating environment quickly enough. For example, if someone has only worked in a large, complex matrixed structure, will they be able to transition into a smaller start-up environment or vice versa? Or conversely, can someone from a traditional corporate adapt to the partnership structure within a professional services firm.

These are valid questions but they’re less about sector and more about softer skills including adaptability, EQ and willingness to learn.

As part of our consultative process, we encourage interview panels to shift their mindset from “Have they done this exact job in our sector?” to “Can they learn our context quickly and bring something we don’t already have?” This reframing helps teams focus on potential and impact, rather than familiarity.

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How you can feel confident these skills are transferable

In our searches, we prioritise strong core capabilities: strategic thinking, stakeholder management, sound judgement, demonstrable impact, the ability to manage complexity and operate as a translator between the Board and external audiences. These are the fundamentals of effective leadership in corporate affairs, regardless of sector.

Sector-specific knowledge (the jargon, regulatory landscape or policy nuances) can usually be learned quickly with the right onboarding and support. Leadership capability, however, is much harder to teach.

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Where this may be challenging

Of course, we acknowledge this approach is not universally applicable. Some roles genuinely require deep technical or regulatory expertise from day one. For example, a senior hire at a financial trade body will require knowledge of financial regulation and established relationships within that ecosystem.

In these cases, it’s important to be realistic about what is essential versus what can be learned. Having an open discussion with your leadership team about which skills are truly non-negotiable can help strike the right balance between specialism and broader capability.

Reframing the brief

If you're defining the ideal background for your next leader in corporate affairs or policy, we’d encourage you to focus first on delivery outcomes and the characteristics of an effective leader for your Board rather than sector background.

What do you need this person to achieve? Is the focus on finding a change maker, reputation recovery expertise, proven experience of combining multi-discipline functions or political influence?

A brief built around clear objectives and impact tends to produce a stronger, more diverse candidate pool. It also makes the interview process more insightful and strategic.

As part of our consultative approach, we help clients weigh specific sector knowledge against learning agility, cultural alignment and the fresh perspective a cross-sector hire can bring.

If you're planning a senior hire and wondering whether to look beyond your usual talent pool, we'd be happy to help you shape the requirement. We can help you think about what's realistic for your role and timeline, and where widening the search might strengthen your shortlist.

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Get in touch at hello@ellwoodatfield.com or call us on 020 7340 6480.