As businesses face increasingly complex regulatory landscapes and emerging risks, the risk and compliance sector continues to evolve rapidly. We sat down with Jack Johnson, Business Director for IDEX Consulting’s Risk and Compliance division to discuss current market trends, employer challenges, and strategies for attracting top talent in this competitive field.
The evolving global risk and compliance landscape
The global risk and compliance market has experienced unprecedented growth in recent years. According to Fortune Business Insights the global market is projected to hit $75.24 billion by 2028, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14% (Fortune Business Insights: Enterprise Governance, Risk & Compliance market trends). This expansion reflects the increasingly complex regulatory environment facing businesses worldwide, driven by technological disruption, geopolitical tensions, and evolving regulatory frameworks.
In the UK specifically, the risk and compliance sector has seen robust growth, with the market valued at over £8 billion in 2023 and expected to reach over £13billion by 2028. Economic forecasts predict market projections to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.1% from 2024 to 2030.
The business impact of compliance failures has never been more severe. Research shows that companies who experience compliance breaches often see a drop in their market value. In a report by Chubb, leading insurance provider, “74% of executives at large companies [cited] cybersecurity as the top risk to growth, with 40% reporting that cyber breaches and data leaks have been the most disruptive and financially burdensome man-made threats” (Chubb: Chubb report reveals cybersecurity as leading risk threatening business growth).
Market trends
"The Risk and Compliance market is now seen very much as a value-add service and critical for businesses to achieve their growth targets," says Jack. "The days of viewing risk and compliance as a mere tick-box exercise are long gone, and the barrier to entry is far greater than ever before."
This shift has influenced hiring patterns, with organisations prioritising quality over quantity and seeking commercially minded professionals with modern approaches. "Clients are looking for professionals who can bring strategic insights alongside technical expertise," Jack adds.
Recent market dynamics have created specific talent demands across specific sectors. "We've seen significant M&A activity across insurance and financial services, which has increased the need for professionals with M&A experience, whether in due diligence or integration.”
Several risk areas continue to dominate the compliance landscape:" Climate risk, ESG, and data privacy remain critical concerns. Professionals experienced in implementing controls and frameworks for these risk events are always well received. This is particularly true of Consumer Duty, where employers are looking for people with specific knowledge and expertise of changing regulations and requirements.”
Talking of future trends, Jack emphasises how technology will unsurprisingly continue to reshape the sector. "The biggest trend and expectation throughout 2025 will continue to be automation and AI. Clients are seeking greater results in quicker, more cost-effective ways—whether that's real-time monitoring, improving customer outcomes, or increasing efficiencies in new business. If you're not demonstrating interest and understanding of automation and AI, you'll be left behind."
What should employers prepare for?
When asked what employers should anticipate for the remainder of the year, the war for talent remains a key challenge with Jack highlighting that the best candidates will likely be considering two or three job options simultaneously.
This competitive landscape places increasing demands on hiring processes. "Your processes must be super slick to attract the best people, and your proposition and offers need to back up your interview style. Be prepared that candidates will no longer accept substandard interview processes, and the reputational risk far outweighs the time it takes to run a good process."
Jack’s five tips for attracting top talent
For organisations looking to secure the best risk and compliance professionals, our Jack offers five strategic recommendations:
Ensure your recruitment process is slick - Improve your recruitment processes and time to hire. Work collaboratively with agencies and ensure your hiring managers are engaged and committed to hiring.
Make decisions quickly - Don't sleep on speculative talent. The value a strong candidate can offer is better than waiting months for approval. If you see someone you like, push to make it happen.
Strengthen your employer branding - Business and employer branding really is key. Professionals conduct thorough research and due diligence on potential employers before applying.
Partner with a qualified recruiter - For key positions, perception is reality. Taking the time to retain an agency and ensure the correct message goes to market has a lasting impression.
Review and optimise your hiring strategy - Don't be shocked when the best talent have multiple options. If you want the best people, you have to beat the best companies.
Common hiring mistakes
There are a number of critical errors, Jack says, that employers routinely make during recruitment:
"Poor recruitment processes and extended time-to-hire continue to be major issues for employers, when securing the best talent in the market. Generic job descriptions and uninspiring company branding also significantly limit candidate interest."
Perhaps most importantly, he says, "Not providing feedback on interviews and failing to supply adequate information ahead of interviews is a serious misstep. If someone is giving you their time, the least you can do is let them know what to expect."
What candidates value most
Today's risk and compliance professionals have evolved priorities beyond compensation alone:
"In my ten years working in risk and compliance, I've never had so many people talk to me about job satisfaction. People want to enjoy where they work and like the people they work with. It’s important for employers to take this into consideration during the interview process and include specific questions around it."
Autonomy and flexibility continue to be crucial. "The best candidates still managed to excel during COVID lockdowns. They know what they're doing, so don't bring them back into micromanagement environments. Trust them, and they will repay the favour in bucket loads."
While culture and flexibility matter enormously, financial packages remain important. "Particularly the softer benefits. HR teams need to ensure they're staying competitive with pension and insurance benefits."
Why partner with IDEX Consulting for your talent needs
When asked about the value of partnering with specialised recruiters like IDEX, Jack talks ofIDEX’s unique reputation in the market, as well as the consultancy’s ability to act as an extension of a client’s internal team:
"We are experienced head-hunters representing only the best candidates in the market. We partner incredibly closely with a client, taking real care to understand their business and exactly what they’re trying to achieve – this helps us to offer genuine tailored solutions to their recruitment needs. This might mean first assessing a client’s ‘brand story’ and hiring approach to identify enhancements where we can bring company culture and the job to life. Following that, we’re able to leverage our 20 years plus database, cutting edge technology, market sentiment reports and knowledge to provide access to the best talent.”
As the risk and compliance landscape continues to evolve in 2025, organisations that strengthen their authentic storytelling, streamline their hiring processes and move fast will be best positioned to secure the talent they need to navigate an increasingly complex regulatory environment.
References
.png)
.png)
.png)
