Iain Grieve – Chairman of high Group Consulting

Interview and photo Human Value International

High Group Consulting owns the medical and wellness High Care Centre in Sofia and is specialised in training and development consultancy for Bulgarian and international organisations.

Iain Grieve is one of the 4 owners and CEO of High Group Consulting.

First job- he started work in a government department in the UK;

First management position- he was promoted manager of training and development for the government department in the UK, where he led a team of 30 people.

Would you describe the business sector that your company is active in?

Our company works within the healthcare and wellness sector. There is a growing awareness of healthcare and wellness globally which is also coming to Bulgaria. The country has shown higher economic performance so customers could afford to spend more money on healthcare and wellness.

What do you think about the Bulgarian labour market in your business?

The average wages in Bulgaria are still not high enough, though the unemployment rate in Sofia is low. The main challenge for employers is to keep qualified staff within the company. There are many disadvantages in professional education.

To ensure that a good professional is employed, the candidates must submit professional references from previous employers.

Do you think today the Bulgarian labour market in your business area is competitive with labour markets in other EU countries?

Medical and wellness professionals are highly experienced to provide high quality services at a reasonable price. Many people from EU countries travel to Bulgaria to enjoy medical, wellness and other related services.

What is the need for employees within your business field? What kind of staff is most demanded?

Different types of therapists, including qualified physiotherapists are in great demand.

According to you, would foreigners be able to fill a labour niche within your business field?

I do not think that foreigners would occupy positions in the sector because of the low payment.

What does it mean to be a manager? What is the challenge in this?

The challenge is to develop and maintain the commitment of your staff. The manager's job is to achieve the business objectives of the company.

What is your strategy for motivating people?

My strategy is to involve staff in problem solving and decision making process in the business, to respect their professionalism and to ensure they receive appropriate training and development.

How do you position your company in the market?

We position our business to attract professionals who have a strong interest in healthcare and wellness.

Were you hunted by head hunters?

Actually,I was approached by consultancy companies, not head hunting organisations.

Have you used the services of headhunting for finding key and management positions in your company?

No, I have not.

What is your opinion about executive search / headhunting?

Headhunting services are useful when looking for top managers- CEOs, executive directors and relevant management positions.