Quit making pitch books and pick up a magnifying glass, Sherlock!

Maybe it’s time to look beyond the coveted i-banking “gig” or the elusive corporate finance position. According to Kathy Lavinder, a headhunter, “the war for talent has driven up salaries for sleuths and security consultants by 20-25% since 2010.”

Even more notable are the opportunities for deals in this industry. Figures show that even with the recent economic downturn, there is an increase in fraud litigation, asset-tracing, and insolvency work. Some recent jobs have included the investigation of the failed Kabul bank in which $1 billion was allegedly embezzled. For companies like Kroll, who are industry leaders, their client base only continues to grow.

Hedge-funds and private equities alike are using their services to send sleuths around the world to investigate ex-employees from unreliable accounts in countries like China before acquisitions. Risk mitigation companies such as Kroll are also revolutionizing the term of “self-diligence.”

In countries where corruption is synonymous with good business relations, companies are hiring companies such as Kroll to conduct investigations internally which in turn, can provide outside investors the green light to do business with them. Due to the influx of work, Kroll has announced plans to double the size of its R&D team in the next 5 years.

As companies continue to globalize, they are more susceptible to fraud which can be costly. More “information” is in-demand. M&A deals have dwindled and companies such as Kroll are in need of talent.

And thus, I ask - are you up to the task, Sherlock?

Article
http://www.economist.com/news/business/21569028-it-good-time-be-corporate-investigator-bloodhounds-capitalism