Hays Senior Finance Reveals Demand for South West Based Finance Chiefs

LONDON, February 2, 2011 - Hays Senior Finance has announced that finance professionals in Essex and
East Anglia are enjoying a rise in demand for their business management
skills and commercial know-how, according to research by the leading
recruiting expert. Two-thirds (67 per cent) of employers say retention of
qualified accountants will be a key priority in 2011, with four in 10 (40 per
cent) worried they won't be able to hold onto their star players. The
research suggests they may have good reason to worry, with two-thirds (67 per
cent) of senior finance professionals saying they intend to look for a new
job at the start of the new year.

Karen Young, Regional Director of Hays Senior Finance in Essex and East
Anglia, says, "It's clear finance teams are seen as critical as companies of
all sizes, from blue-chip multinationals to small and medium enterprises
(SMEs), have been lifting headcount freezes to ease the burden on existing
finance teams. Employers are also making more strategic use of interim
finance managers, appointing senior qualified accountants for fixed-term
troubleshooting or business transformation roles."

In Essex and East Anglia, chief financial officers (CFOs) and group
finance directors in large corporate organisations can earn between
GBP120,000-GBP250,000 and finance directors (FDs) are typically paid
GBP100,000-GBP150,000. Competition has already intensified to the extent that
senior finance professionals routinely receive more than one job offer.

Young continued: "The war for talent is highly competitive and therefore
many finance leaders can look forward to a more rewarding 2011. Even in parts
of the region which traditionally pay at the lower end of typical pay scales
- such as in the Fens, the Norfolk Broads or in rural Suffolk - employers are
likely to have to revise offers upwards to attract top talent. Senior finance
people and other qualified accountants in cities like Chelmsford or Cambridge
can expect packages at the upper end of the range. The absence of a Big Four
accounting firm in Essex, which means there are fewer newly qualified
chartered accountants coming through the ranks, may be a factor driving up
salaries, especially in Romford and elsewhere in the Thames Gateway."

About Hays:

Hays plc (the "Group") is the leading global professional recruiting
group. The Group is the expert at recruiting qualified, professional and
skilled people worldwide, being the market leader in the UK and Australia and
one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. The Group operates across
the private and public sectors, offering health and safety jobs
(www.hays.co.uk/enhance-your-career/health-safety-jobs/index.htm),
accountancy jobs (
www.hays.co.uk/enhance-your-career/accountancy-finance-jobs/index.htm)
and HR jobs (
www.hays.co.uk/enhance-your-career/hr-training-jobs/index.htm),
amongst others, in permanent positions, contract roles and temporary
assignments.

As at 30 June 2010, the Group employed 6,845 staff operating from 270
offices in 28 countries across 17 specialisms.

    For further press information please contact:

    Alexandra Tucker
    Hays
    2nd Floor
    Stockley House
    130 Wilton Road
    London
    SW1V 1LQ
    +44(0)20-7259-8821

www.hays.co.uk

For further press information please contact: Alexandra Tucker, Hays, 2nd Floor, Stockley House, 130 Wilton Road, London, SW1V 1LQ, +44(0)20-7259-8821