Capital markets professionals wanted!

Demand for staff to service Ireland's equity capital markets is buoyant and looks set to stay that way.

"I would expect 2007 to be consistent with last year," says Colin McGhee, a director at financial recruitment agency Paragon Search. "The market is globalising so there is an increase in cross-border listings and more competition between the different exchanges, which creates more options for companies looking to go public."

Senior staff and accountants wanted

Demand is strongest for senior staff who can both find and execute deals, says McGhee. But Ireland's corporate finance houses are also on the look out for accountants who can do the groundwork - NCB, one of Ireland's largest corporate finance houses, is currently hiring executives and accountants after raising equity of more €650 million for its clients in 2006.

The dearth of talent in the market has also been stretched by a growing number of financiers moving to work directly for Irish companies.

"Because these guys have been working solidly for five or six years they don't want to work every single weekend and are being approached for corporate finance roles at companies," Mr. McGhee says.