01 / APPOINT
The right person. Secured.
A target is interested and the fit is established. We manage the introduction, interviews and offer discussions through to appointment.
Extraction Search
You Know Who You Want. We Open the Conversation.
Targeted headhunting and confidential competitor approaches across commodity trading, brokerage and financial markets.
When you want to recruit a specific individual from a competitor, the approach matters. Imperium Commodity Search directly headhunts traders, brokers, commercial leaders and specialist professionals who may be successful, established and not actively looking for another role. You identify the person or source business; we develop the proposition, make the confidential approach and establish whether a move could be realistic.
Imperium acts as a confidential intermediary, approaching agreed targets directly and exploring their interest, motivations and practical circumstances. Before contact begins, we establish how your opportunity will be represented, what information can be shared and when your identity should be introduced.
The engagement is retained, with the approach built around your commercial objective. Where there is mutual interest, we manage the introduction and subsequent hiring process. If the initial target cannot progress, we discuss whether to widen the search, drawing on what the approach has established.
From a Named Target to a Confidential Introduction
Direct competitor headhunting, with the approach and disclosure agreed before contact.
You may have one trader, broker or commercial leader in mind, or two or three people whose interest you want to explore. We agree the targets and proposition, approach each person discreetly and establish which conversations could realistically progress. The individuals may sit within one business or across several competitors.
Hand-picked. Discreetly approached. Introduced by agreement.
Illustrative approaches and introductions.Start With Your Targets. Expand If Required.
A defined headhunt, with the option to continue into a wider retained search.
An identified individual may be settled, unavailable or interested on terms that do not fit your plans. A small target list may also leave the appointment unresolved. The findings give you a basis for deciding what comes next: progress an appointment, explore the wider market or conclude once the agreed approaches are complete.
One targeted brief. Three possible outcomes.
You decide how far the search goes.
02 / EXPAND
Same objective. Wider market.
If the targets cannot progress, commission a full retained search. We map competitors and identify alternative profiles, informed by the initial approaches.
Extraction fees credited to retained search
03 / CONCLUDE
A defined brief. Completed.
Keep the remit to the agreed individuals. We complete those approaches and report the interest and feedback established. There is no automatic expansion.
A Direct Approach. A Carefully Agreed Brief.
Clear targets, controlled disclosure and a proposition worth considering.
Knowing who you want is the starting point. Before we approach them, we establish why the opportunity could be compelling: the mandate, commercial platform, decision-making authority, remuneration and what your business can offer that their current position may not.
We agree which individuals and competitor businesses are within scope, what can be shared initially and when your identity may be disclosed. Existing client relationships and protections are respected before any contact begins.
You receive feedback on interest, expectations and the practical barriers to a move. We distinguish an exploratory conversation from a credible hiring opportunity, helping you decide where to invest time and when to reconsider the brief.
Knowing who you want is only the beginning. Give them a reason to listen.
Targeted Headhunting Across Commodity Trading and Brokerage
Direct competitor recruitment for traders, brokers, commercial leaders and specialist professionals.
Approaching an established trader or broker requires an understanding of what makes their position valuable, and what could make another opportunity worth considering. Product coverage, client relationships, trading authority, platform resources and remuneration can all shape the conversation.
Imperium Commodity Search undertakes retained headhunting across energy, metals, agriculture, shipping and financial markets. You may want to approach a particular desk head, explore the interest of two or three competing brokers, or recruit a specialist whose experience is difficult to find through advertised recruitment.
We help frame the opportunity, make the confidential approaches and establish whether there is a realistic basis for a move. You gain an intermediary who understands the market and can explore sensitive questions before a direct introduction.
Extraction Search: Your Questions Answered
What is Extraction Search?
Extraction Search is a retained headhunting service for employers who want to recruit a specific individual or explore a small, agreed target list. Rather than beginning with a search of the whole market, we approach those people directly, establish their interest and manage introductions where there is a realistic basis to progress.
Can you headhunt someone from a competitor?
Yes. We undertake direct competitor recruitment across commodity trading, brokerage and related financial markets. Sometimes described as candidate poaching, this involves discreetly approaching an agreed individual to explore whether your opportunity could be attractive to them.
We agree the target businesses, individuals and exclusions before contact. Existing client relationships and protections are respected. Interest in a conversation does not guarantee an introduction or appointment.
Can we approach two or three people rather than one individual?
Yes. The brief can cover one named person or a small target list, including two or three individuals within one business or across several competitors. We agree the list, priorities and scope before approaching anyone, and report which conversations can realistically progress.
How do you manage confidentiality during a direct approach?
Before contact, we agree what can be shared about the role and hiring business, and when your identity may be disclosed. Imperium acts as the intermediary for the initial conversations, allowing us to establish interest and explore expectations before a direct introduction.
Can you approach traders and brokers who are not actively looking?
Yes. Targeted headhunting is particularly relevant when an established trader, broker, desk head or commercial specialist is unlikely to respond to an advertised vacancy. We help frame a credible proposition around the remit, platform, resources, authority and remuneration, then establish whether they would consider a conversation.
What happens if our agreed targets cannot be recruited?
You can keep the engagement limited to the agreed individuals and conclude after those approaches and feedback are complete. Alternatively, you can commission a wider retained search to map relevant competitors and identify alternative profiles.
Fees paid for Extraction Search are credited against the retained search fee if you broaden the mandate. The wider scope and remaining fee are agreed before proceeding. The search does not expand automatically.
Is Extraction Search retained, and how are fees agreed?
Yes. Imperium works exclusively on a retained basis, including targeted approaches to named individuals. The target list, research requirements, fees and payment terms are agreed before work begins. We do not undertake an initial contingent approach or provide speculative profiles to demonstrate fit.
How does Extraction Search differ from a full retained search?
Extraction Search starts with the specific people you want us to approach. A full retained search starts with the appointment you need to make, using broader market mapping to identify and assess relevant professionals against the brief.
If you know the individuals, a defined extraction brief may be suitable. If you need to discover who is available across the market, explore our retained search service.
Who Do You Want to Bring Into Your Business?
Need to identify the right people first?
