Big man of City headhunting rumoured to be making an unexpected exit
Rumours have been swirling around the City regarding the intentions of Jonathan Baines, a veteran of UK headhunting and a current partner and board member at Korn/Ferry Whitehead Mann.
According to various sources, Baines is either stepping or has stepped down from his role.
If Baines really is going, it will be the end of an illustrious career which began in the army, continued with the foundation of financial services boutique Baines Gwinner in 1986, and followed with his elevation to the Whitehead Mann board in 2001 when Whitehead Mann acquired Baines Gwinner. Baines was appointed as chairman of Whitehead Mann in 2006.
His alleged departure may well be linked to Korn/Ferry's acquisition of Whitehead Mann in June, after which various consultants were trimmed.
(Korn/Ferry has confirmed that Baines is indeed going, but not until June 2010. "He's driven the firm through the integration and is looking forward to the next phase of his career," says a spokesman).
