Kelly heads TMP executive search

The appointment is part of a restructuring of senior management in the search business. Together with the firm's eResourcing arm, TMP Executive Search is to be spun off as a separate entity by April 30.

Kelly was formerly the global sector leader of the healthcare practice and president of executive search for North America for TMP. He also becomes a member of a newly created board of directors for executive search.

Other appointments to the board include Andrew Simpson, formerly president of executive search in Europe and now elevated to CEO for Europe, John Wallace, COO of executive search North America who becomes CEO of North America and Dan Dumitrescu, who has left his job heading the advanced technology practice at rival firm Korn/Ferry to become CEO of Asia Pacific at TMP.

Earlier this month TMP reported a net loss of $51.1m in the fourth quarter of 2002 compared with earnings of $17.9m in the same quarter in the previous year. It also announced a charge of approximately $100m to reorganise the business in connection with the spin-off of the eResourcing and executive search businesses.

Headhunters are watching the spin-off with interest as the markets for executive search remain extremely depressed. Sceptics have suggested that TMP will find it hard to run a publicly listed standalone business based only on recruitment.