Symonds quits TMP for Russell Reynolds

Symonds was on holiday and could not be reached for comment. She was expected to take up her position at Russell Reynolds within three to four weeks.

TMP's executive search division and eResourcing arms have together just been re-branded as Hudson Highland Group, in preparation for them to be spun off from TMP's large advertising business.

For a transitional period the former search arm is to be called TMP Highland Partners.

Rival headhunters have been watching the spin-off plans with some scepticism in extremely depressed hiring markets.

TMP Worldwide said its revenues from executive search fell 48% in the fourth quarter of last year, from the same period the year before.