Client Testimonials
I highly recommend CriticalKnowledge. They have the capability to come into the most difficult situations and deliver, throughout the world. We retained one of the most prestigious search firms in the world to bring in senior talent to run our operations in China. They were unsuccessful.
We subsequently called in CriticalKnowledge, and they were able to source specialized senior talent to fill this extremely strategic position for us in a matter of weeks. We called on them again to bring in a sales leader for our German operations. And again they were able to deliver critical talent in a very difficult situation. I considered both of these situations to be long shots. And in both, CriticalKnowledge proved the capability and sophistication of the process they have developed. CK has worked to build a strong, long-term mutually beneficial relationship with us, and they have demonstrated a relentless desire to get us what we need.
I would suggest you hand them one of your difficult files, as we did, and then step back and allow them to demonstrate what they can do.
CK has proven themselves to us in situations where the top firms in the world have failed, and we will continue to leverage their exceptional capability to produce results.
They are a step above anything else we have seen.
– Chief Executive Officer,
Umbra
(Leading Global Designer and Manufacturer of Consumer Housewares)
We work with six of the top executive search firms in the world and six of the top specialized search firms in the world and none of them would have been able to deliver the talent that CriticalKnowledge did.
– Director of Human Resources, Petro-Canada (Global Fortune 500 Energy Company)
I would be pleased to recommend CriticalKnowledge. They came in to undertake a critical executive search for us. This search demanded a deep strategic understanding of our technology and business objectives. Therefore we made the decision to go outside the usual suspects in choosing them. It was the correct decision.
We had specific parameters defining what we were seeking that made the search particularly challenging, in terms both of expertise and cultural fit. CriticalKnowledge was able to assess the complexity of the need, provide valuable counsel, and deliver at a very high level.
Ultimately, we are focused first and foremost on results, and CriticalKnowledge was able to meet our needs with real expertise.
– Chief Executive Officer, Com Dev International (Leading Global Designer and Manufacturer of Space Systems and Hardware)
CriticalKnowledge has demonstrated to us a capability to produce exceptional results for a particularly challenging situation. They develop a genuine and thorough understanding of the operational issues around the role in question at a level that allows them to deliver to the precise operational demands of a given situation.
Based on our experience, CriticalKnowledge really understands retail.
In this case, our need was complex, multi-faceted and urgent, and the required individual needed to be able to contribute immediately to our ability to effectively lead and manage significant processes, systems and organization changes within our merchandising and buying team.
We felt that this was not a situation where a standard recruitment approach would have been effective in getting us what we required. CriticalKnowledge does things very differently and that may be what allowed them to exceed our expectations for this search. Moreover, they were able to meet this need on a compressed timeline so they “pulled out all the stops” to help us get what we needed, when we needed it.
CriticalKnowledge is to be commended for their expertise and for their commitment to delivering at the highest level.
– Executive Vice President, Merchandising, HDS Retail North America (Leading Global Fortune 500 Retailer)
We engaged Critical Knowledge to undertake specialized searches for a CEO and a Vice President of Global Sales & Marketing for a major new subsidiary that provides satellite based AIS data for the maritime industry; initiatives that were central to the company’s future growth objectives.
As a former executive, returning to lead the recruitment of the senior management team for the subsidiary, I needed to bring in a firm that could work closely with us at an operating level to define strategic talent issues and source qualified candidates to meet our needs.
CriticalKnowledge was chosen over other high profile alternatives for this critical work. We made this decision because CK demonstrated a unique understanding of the fundamental nature of the business . They did not disappoint.
CK engaged in a sophisticated process that took them deeply into the operational , technical and strategic nature of the roles in question. They approached the work at a significantly deeper level: They were not only concerned with key skills and experience, but also with determining at a core level the operating components that drove success in a given role and they used that knowledge to identify, evaluate and define talent.
These searches were, in all senses, global in nature. Through this process, CK reached out across the world to investigate the talent market. Ultimately, the results CK achieved were exceptional.
I continue to be impressed with CK’s ability to access great talent anywhere. They demonstrated high integrity and tireless efforts in the context of what were, at times, difficult circumstances. I genuinely enjoyed working with them and will do so again in the future. I would give them my highest recommendation. They are truly expert in what they do.
– Senior HR Consulting Executive, exactEarth Ltd. (Global Satellite Data Services Company)
I would strongly recommend organizations work with CriticalKnowledge, especially in difficult situations where they require highly specialized skills and have no good options. We needed an expert at planning and coordinating an overall head office move, from the initial search of a new location to preparing for the new layout and the move itself.
They were able to deliver when no one else could. They spent time with us to clearly define and understand our needs, which allowed them to bring in the appropriate talent with an out-of-the-box solution. They are neither a traditional search firm nor a consulting firm, but fall somewhere in between.
When you need specialized talent in difficult situations, I would suggest you contact them. They have demonstrated the capability of generating results in a way not a lot of traditional alternatives can.
– Executive Vice President, Lagardère Services and Chief Financial Officer, HDS Retail (Leading Global Fortune 500 Retailer)
I highly recommend CriticalKnowledge and would work with them again. They are able to deliver specialized talent in the most difficult circumstances.
We needed specialized senior level talent with expertise in lean manufacturing to come in to restructure operations in an underperforming plant. The requirements for this role were demanding and extremely specific in scope. We had been seeking a candidate for this role through a range of other options for a long period of time without success. CK was brought in and delivered results.
They operate at a far higher standard than any other firm I have encountered. I get calls all the time from recruitment firms I am not interested in. CriticalKnowledge, however, is quite different.
– Director of Operations, G&K Services (Leading Worldwide Industrial Facilities Services Company)
I would recommend CriticalKnowledge without hesitation. In my experience, they have an unmatched capability to deliver key talent under the most difficult circumstances.
In order to build out our operational risk framework and internal policies some years ago, we required a very senior executive with world class experience and expertise in risk management.
We viewed this as an exceptionally challenging project for which other firms would simply not have been either capable or appropriate. CriticalKnowledge undertook an intensive process that thoroughly mapped out our needs and ultimately produced an individual from out of country with extraordinary qualifications.
We have since returned to CriticalKnowledge multiple times, most recently to bring in senior level HR talent. CK is an impressive organization with a powerful, proprietary approach. They are real experts. You will not regret working with them.
– Director of Global Risk Management, Nexen (Global Energy Company)
CriticalKnowledge has demonstrated a unique and impressive capability to deliver specialized senior talent in particularly difficult circumstances.
We had been seeking a highly experienced, senior level expert to work with us on process facilities for a multi-billion dollar capital project – a large green field mine facility.
We had demanding requirements, including the ability to function persuasively and effectively at the board level, as well with the senior leadership of global partner organizations. CriticalKnowledge indicated to us they had a very sophisticated approach that would yield results and we decided to test their ability to deliver.
They undertook an intensive investigation and brought in the ideal individual from out of country, in addition to a team of skilled individuals to support him.
We continue to come back to them to search for other specialized personnel as necessary. I would have no hesitation in recommending CriticalKnowledge. We believe they are a highly valuable business relationship for us.
– Vice President, Mining, UTS Energy Corporation (Energy Exploration and Development Company / Participating Ownership in some of the Largest Heavy Oil Projects in the World)
After a number of attempts with other firms to locate a senior level individual to represent the owner in leading the Engineering and Procurement activities for a billion dollar project, we presented the challenge to CriticalKnowledge.
CriticalKnowledge was able to define in detail the overall scope of the challenge, and in relatively short period of time identified a highly specialized individual from a remote location who possessed the capabilities, skill set and attributes required for the role. A project is a unique, non-repetitive and dynamic activity designed to achieve change with a defined start and finish, specific objectives and deliverables, and has limited funds and resources.
This particular project was technically complex and capital intensive and therefore required extensive project management discipline. The individual presented by CriticalKnowledge had extensive project management experience and was able to execute the project process with the required level of discipline.
Faced with similar difficult challenges in the future, I would not hesitate to utilize CriticalKnowledge again.
– Director, Suncor Energy (Global Fortune 500 Energy Company)
UTS Energy has been a client of CriticalKnowledge for more than year. During that time we have employed the services of several senior level cost specialists through CK a number of times and have also used CK to search for other senior specialized talent. We have been very satisfied with the service provided by CriticalKnowledge and the talent the firm is able to bring in. We found CriticalKnowledge’s attention to detail particularly impressive.
We had very specific and demanding requirements for the specialized talent we were seeking and had extensive discussions with CK’s key operations personnel to ensure they were fully understood. In our experience, CK’s process is uniquely intensive. As a result, the senior talent proposed had an ideal combination of expertise and experience. The hard work was done for us and we did not have to sift through numerous alternatives. CriticalKnowledge has also been thorough in follow up to ensure we were satisfied with the performance of the talent they brought in.
We have been very happy with the services provided by CK and will certainly come to them in the future whenever we need specialized talent.
– Vice President, Engineering, UTS Energy Corporation (Energy Exploration and Development Company / Participating Ownership in some of the Largest Heavy Oil Projects in the World)
I have the highest respect for CriticalKnowledge and the expertise they bring to bear.
Their approach is fundamentally different than any other search firm or professional recruitment firm I have encountered. They understand the strategic and technical complexities of the business at a deep level and were able to investigate and validate my ability to execute the critical components of those things that make or break success in my work. I have rarely encountered individuals outside my area who were more conversant in the operational specifics of what I do and better qualified to assess my ability to execute. In our business, top talent is rare and extremely difficult to source.
I recommend them without qualification.
– Former Managing Director, Light Sources, China (Global Manufacturer and Distributor of Lighting Products)
I would highly recommend CriticalKnowledge to source talent in complex and critical situations. I was seeking to fill a position on a interim basis to lead an internal department and maintain progress on several strategic initiatives we had put in place in order to significantly reduce cost and improve efficiency. Getting the right individual was crucial.
CriticalKnowledge was able to bring in senior talent who had excellent experience in relevant areas and the ability to move things forward even in the context of a complex operating environment. The individual they brought in did remarkably well. She was able to step in quickly, assess personnel and processes, and recommend numerous system changes. CK understands healthcare, and they understand how important the intangibles are, in combination with expertise.
– Vice President, Human Resources, Humber River Regional Hospital (Leading North American Acute Care Hospital System)
When first contacted by CriticalKnowledge, we were dealing with production efficiencies issues that we felt we could resolve with a fairly extensive internal corporate-wide resource base. Four months later, we had incrementally improved, but a step change was needed.
After contacting CriticalKnowledge, they were able to provide us with an individual with significant specialized expertise and manufacturing management experience. Through his vast experience, knowledge, and skills, a sophisticated investigation of our needs was done, a plan was proposed, and changes put into effect. We achieved an immediate step change and, with the foundation provided by CriticalKnowledge, we are working on longer range plans that should provide another step change. I would like to thank you and your organization for a job well done.
– Manager, Sumitomo Bakelite Corporation / Durez Corporation (The Worldwide Leader in Engineering Thermoset Resins and Molding Compounds)