The Richmond Group USA Blog
Fun perspectives and valuable tips.
2026 Q3 Bank M&A Deal Trends: Control Through Consolidation
Regulatory reviews are moving faster, and buyers are looking beyond total assets when deciding what to purchase. Some want stronger... read more
When Opportunity Calls, Will You Answer? | Job Seeker’s Guide to Recruiter Communication
Job seekers are tired of feeling like their résumé disappeared into a black box when they submit their applications. They want clearer communication,... read more
As Fraud, AI and Credit Risk Rise, Banks Are Seeking a New Set of Skills
Credit standards are tightening, payment rails are speeding up, fraud is becoming harder to contain, and AI is moving from... read more
Packaging Regulations, Retrofit Sales, and the New Aftermarket Opportunity
New requirements around extended producer responsibility, recyclability claims, 2D barcodes, and traceability don’t automatically lead to full equipment replacement. More often, the... read more
Private Equity Trends in Service Industry Acquisitions
Private equity interest in service businesses remains strong because the basic investment logic still works. Many service companies have recurring demand,... read more
A CEO Succession Plan Isn’t Enough. What the Board Really Needs…
Own capital decisions. Stand in front of investors. Manage a divided executive team. Manage the use of resources across... read more
Executive Search in Pharma: The Trends We’ve Seen in 2026
Executive hiring in U.S. pharma is taking longer, shortlists are thinner, finalists hesitate and boards second-guess. It is easy to blame... read more
Executive Compensation Trends in Manufacturing (2026): How Equity, Incentives, and Subsector Differences Are Changing Executive Pay
Manufacturing executive compensation is still moving in 2026, but the biggest change isn’t seen in base salaries. The more important shift is in... read more
How Long Does It Take to Hire an Executive Role? (Benchmark Timelines by Industry)
Introduction Leadership turnover has accelerated across many industries. Retirements are rising, private equity ownership continues to expand, and boards are... read more
Job Hugging In 2026: Why More Workers Are Staying Put
More than half of employees are staying in their jobs out of necessity, not because they truly want to. That’s the unfortunate reality we face... read more
Red Flags When Hiring a Bank Risk Executive
Banks usually don’t mis-hire a risk executive because the candidate looked obviously reckless, unserious, or unqualified. The more common mistake is... read more
More Than Numbers: What CEOs Expect from a Strategic Controller
The strategic controller role has changed faster than many accounting professionals realize. Accuracy and compliance are still required, but they... read more
Executive Hiring: When Internal Promotion Beats External Search
Executive hiring rarely goes sideways because the interview process was sloppy. It goes sideways because the organization picked the... read more
The Real Reason You Can’t Hire Heavy Equipment Executives (It’s Not the Labor Market)
Walk into any dealer conference and you'll hear the same refrain: "We can't find good people." Branch managers say it. Regional... read more
2026 Medical Device Regulations: EUDAMED, FDA QMSR, and Compliance Risk
It’s time to get your regulatory systems in check in 2026. With the regulatory changes going into effect this year, it’s becoming easier for regulators to see inconsistencies in... read more
Technical Sales M&A Trends Entering Q2 2026 in Equipment and Automation Sales
Executive Summary In equipment and automation sales, the most important transactions entering Q2 2026 are not the ones that simply... read more
Manufacturing M&A Activity & Trends Entering Q2 2026
Key Deal Themes Shaping Q2 2026 Manufacturing M&A Several patterns are emerging across manufacturing transactions announced in early 2026 and heading into... read more
Life Sciences M&A Trends Entering Q2 2026: Strategic Signals Behind the Deal Wave
Executive Summary Life sciences deal activity entering Q2 2026 is being driven by a narrower, more disciplined logic than the... read more
Construction & Heavy Equipment M&A Activity & Trends Entering Q2 2026
Executive Summary Construction and heavy equipment deal activity entering Q2 of 2026 points to an industry reorganizing around scale, control,... read more
Banking M&A Trends Entering Q2 2026: Strategic Signals from U.S. Deal Activity
Executive Summary U.S. banking M&A activity entering Q2 2026 reflects a clear shift from defensive consolidation toward strategic expansion. After... read more
Accounting & Finance M&A Activity & Trends Entering Q2 2026
Executive Summary Accounting and finance deal activity entering Q2 2026 is about fixing structural problems that smaller firms cannot solve on their... read more
Technical Sales Executive Hiring: 5 Obstacles Killing Your Search
You've posted the job for eight weeks. Eighty-three applications later, you've conducted six phone screens and not one candidate can explain how your product integrates... read more
AI In Accounting Isn’t Replacing Accountants. It’s Changing the Skills Finance Teams Need
Finance teams keep getting asked to do more with the same headcount. Close faster. Explain variance in plain English.... read more
How to Reduce Late-Stage Candidate Dropouts in R&D Hiring: Lessons from Recent Placements
Hiring leaders across U.S. R&D teams are running into a familiar problem. The candidate pipeline looks strong. Technical assessments check out. Interviews go... read more
Beyond The Plant: How Manufacturing CEOs Are Redefining Growth
Manufacturing growth in the United States is no longer determined by how well a plant runs. The ceiling for many manufacturers is... read more
The Future of Technical Sales Teams: Smaller, Smarter, and Consultative
Technical sales is evolving beyond a traditional quota-driven function. Buyers now research deeply before ever engaging a rep, and technology is... read more
When (and Why) to Hire an Executive Search Firm
Hiring the right leader at the right time can make or break a company. Yet many organizations struggle to find that... read more
COO Executive Recruitment: Handling the Modern Supply Chain Maze
Compared to a decade ago, the manufacturing industry has taken on a whole new look. Digital transformation, geopolitical complexity, and customer... read more
Executive Hiring 101: Retained vs. Contingency Search Models
When your organization is ready to bring in top-level talent, especially leadership or other critical roles, the method you use to... read more
The Future of Accounting in 2026: Trends, Skills, and Workforce Changes Shaping the Profession
Accounting is entering one of the most pivotal years in its modern history. The current state of the profession looks noticeably different than it did... read more