The Road Ahead: Key Factors Shaping the Job Market in the Latter Half of 2023

June 2, 2023
  • As the labor market remains unpredictable, companies can acquire top talent while employers prioritize hiring and retaining top talent, making it essential for workers to evaluate potential employers for fulfilling jobs and growth opportunities.
  • The key trends for businesses to watch in the remainder of 2023 include managing turnover and employee burnout, attracting top talent, promoting diversity and inclusion, addressing pandemic-related trauma, and adapting to changing business environments to stay competitive. The top soft and hard skills employers prioritize include management, communication, software development, SQL, and customer relations management.
  • The Philippines’ job market in the latter of 2023 will have a high demand for professionals with technical and interpersonal skills, particularly in fields such as software development, logistics, information security, and marketing, across various industries, including technology, healthcare, and customer service.

Despite economic challenges, hiring is expected to remain strong for the rest of 2023. 

Employers will face heightened competition for top talent due to a robust job market. 

Trends like quiet quitting and The Great Resignation give employees increased leverage in making workplace demands. 

While the labor market is overall strong, reports of hiring freezes and layoffs have caused worker anxiety. This may lead some individuals to consider a career change. 

With that, staying informed about the job market is crucial for both employers and employees, as it helps predict trends and assess employment opportunities that align with skills and interests.

Anticipating Change: A Look into Job Market Trends and Workplace Transformations for the Remainder of 2023

Given the current economic climate, some companies have implemented layoffs and imposed hiring freezes. 

However, this situation creates a remarkable opportunity for forward-thinking organizations to acquire exceptional talent that has become available. 

Despite the overall uncertainty in the labor market, many workers are eagerly considering job transitions before a potential downturn. 

Looking ahead to the remainder of 2023, employers are expected to prioritize robust hiring practices and retaining top-notch talent. 

As a result, job seekers should conscientiously assess prospective employers to ensure they provide fulfilling roles and ample opportunities for professional development and advancement.

Navigating the Changing Landscape of Work: Trends to Watch Out for in the Rest of 2023

The business environment poses significant obstacles for organizations. Employers face an intensely competitive job market and must address employee burnout and high turnover rates. 

Additionally, an approaching economic downturn means companies are under pressure to manage costs effectively.

Employers must deal with various challenges to attract and keep the best employees in the coming year. Leaders should prioritize the nine workplace predictions based on Gartner’s research to achieve this goal.

These predictions focus on essential areas such as adapting return-to-office policies, addressing employee burnout, and managing costs. 

By paying attention to these critical aspects, businesses can distinguish themselves as desirable employers in a market that’s becoming more competitive.

Keeping It Low-Key: Why Employers Are Quietly Hiring In-Demand Talent

During the latter half of 2022, the idea of “quiet quitting” garnered attention in work-related news. It refers to when employees must maximize their efforts to meet only the minimum requirements of their roles, resulting in a depletion of organizational skills and expertise.

In the latter half of 2023, astute businesses will embrace the strategy of  “quiet hiring” to acquire new skills and capabilities without necessarily recruiting additional full-time employees.

This approach focuses on promoting internal talent mobility, offering upskilling opportunities to address changing organizational requirements and utilizing nontraditional methods like alumni networks and gig workers.

By doing so, companies can acquire new skills and expertise while compensating employees for adopting roles.

The Push for Hybrid Work Models to Reach the Front Lines

As desk-based employees transition to a permanent hybrid work model, ensuring equitable flexibility for frontline workers in industries like healthcare and manufacturing is important.

A Gartner survey showed that 58% of organizations employing frontline workers have improved employee experience in the past year, with 33% planning to do so in the next 12 months. 

Additionally, the study found that frontline workers place high importance on having flexibility in their workload, colleagues, and working hours.

Specifically, they want more control over their work schedule, stability in their job, and access to paid leaves. 

Addressing these concerns can help businesses improve support and retain their frontline workforce.

Navigating the Expectations of Leaders and Employees as a Manager

Managers in hybrid work environments face the challenge of balancing the expectations of employees and senior leaders.

Harvard Business Review found that many managers face difficulties adapting to changes due to digitization, reengineering, and remote work. 

Managers must now prioritize team success, performance coaching, and leading in dynamic settings while also meeting the performance expectations of higher-ups.

A survey from Gartner also found that 60% of hybrid employees see their managers as their top link to the company culture. Managers play a significant role in creating a culture-connected team, but many may require guidance in hybrid work environments.

Throughout the remainder of 2023, leading organizations will prioritize providing enhanced assistance and training to bridge the growing disparity in managerial abilities. 

They will proactively define clear goals for managers and make necessary adjustments to their responsibilities, ensuring a more effective approach to addressing this issue.

Diversity in Talent Acquisition: How Pursuing Nontraditional Candidates is Expanding the Pipeline

For the rest of 2023, organizations must broaden and vary their channels for talent recruitment as they may need to go beyond conventional methods to fill essential positions.

They can achieve this by assessing candidates’ skills rather than solely relying on their qualifications and past work experience.

To expand the potential talent pool and fill essential positions more efficiently, job postings will no longer require formal education or experience.

Additionally, nontraditional candidates who may have been previously overlooked will be contacted internally and externally.

Finding Strength in Adversity: How Healing Pandemic Trauma Can Drive Sustainable Performance

In 2023, leading companies started to focus on helping their employees achieve sustainable performance by addressing the trauma caused by the pandemic.

The ongoing physical and emotional effects of COVID-19 have resulted in decreased productivity and increased stress levels in the workplace.

To overcome these hurdles for the rest of the year, businesses will provide preemptive breaks, conversational avenues, and counseling for managers dealing with trauma.

These endeavors are designed to preserve workers’ emotional fortitude and performance, which are necessary for lasting achievements.

Organizations Will Overcome Pushback to Drive DEI Forward

Throughout the remaining of 2023, there will be an increase in pushback against organizations’ efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), with 42% of employees seeing these initiatives as divisive

This pushback can negatively impact employee engagement, inclusion, and trust within the company.

To prevent DEI progress from stalling, HR should provide managers with effective tools and strategies to engage with resistant employees and address pushback as soon as it arises.

To encourage a more inclusive and engaged workforce, leaders can create safe spaces for specific groups, adapt communications and incentives to promote allyship and guide employees on advancing our DEI goals in their professional roles.

Concerns Over AI Bias are Driving Transparency in Recruiting Tech

With the growing use of AI and machine learning in recruitment, concerns about AI bias have become more prominent.

Consequently, governments are closely examining the utilization of AI in hiring processes. 

By the latter part of 2023, companies incorporating AI in their recruitment practices should anticipate mounting pressure to enhance transparency regarding implementing this technology. 

This may involve releasing public reports detailing their hiring metrics and conducting annual audits to identify and address biases.

To address these concerns, companies and their vendors must allow employees and candidates to opt out of AI-led processes.

Related: The Future is Here: How Artificial Intelligence Transforms Executive Search

Finding the Right Balance for Navigating Data Risks in Personalized Employee Support

Organizations will collect personal data in 2023 to better support individual employees by using technology such as AI assistants and wearables.

However, this could lead to privacy concerns as the data collected could contain sensitive information about the employee’s health, family situation, living conditions, and mental health.

To address such concerns and prioritize employees’ well-being, leading organizations in the latter part of 2023 will establish an employee data bill of rights.

The aim is to make data collection, use, and storage more transparent, allowing employees to opt out of any practices they disagree with. 

It’s vital for HR leaders to effectively and clearly communicate these measures to their employees.

Organizations Need to Tackle the Widespread Decline of Social Skills in their Workforce

The National Society of Leadership and Success reports that social skills have declined among all generational groups in the workforce due to the pandemic. 

Additionally, 51% of Gen Z employees feel their education did not fully prepare them for work. 

Organizations must redefine professionalism for their entire workforce to tackle this issue rather than solely concentrating on Gen Z.

Leaders should build intentional connections among employees across geographic and generational boundaries by providing employee choice and autonomy, clear structure and purpose, and a sense of levity and fun. 

Gartner’s research suggests that such intentional interactions boost employee engagement and productivity.

Here are the Key Skill Sets for Thriving in Jobs Throughout the Remainder of 2023

According to a LinkedIn report, there are the top skills that employers prioritize when recruiting, posting job opportunities, and hiring. By honing in-demand skills, individuals position themselves in high demand by employers. 

Despite potential obstacles like an imminent reorganization or shifts in business strategy, individuals and teams equipped with sought-after skills can still achieve their career objectives in the latter half of 2023, even within a challenging macroeconomic environment.

For soft skills:

  1. Management
  2. Communication
  3. Customer Service
  4. Leadership
  5. Sales
  6. Project Management
  7. Research
  8. Analytical Skills
  9. Marketing Teamwork

For hard skills:

  1. Software Development
  2. SQL
  3. Finance
  4. Python
  5. Java
  6. Data Analysis
  7. Javascript
  8. Cloud Computing
  9. Operations
  10. Customer Relations Management

Related: Executive Soft Skills: What Is It and Why Do Executives Need It?

Career Opportunities Ahead: Promising In-Demand Jobs in the Philippines for the Second Half of 2023

The job market in the Philippines is continuously evolving; throughout the rest of 2023, numerous professions will experience high demand. 

Consequently, the executive search industry will have a remarkable opportunity to identify and recruit exceptional talent from these sought-after fields.

The following ten professions are expected to be in high demand in the Philippines, according to Nexford University, spanning from software developers to healthcare professionals, and offer a glimpse into their duties and responsibilities.

Software Developer

Businesses and operations rely heavily on computers to run smoothly in the current digital landscape. To ensure efficient functioning, computers require software.

This is where Software Developers come in. Their role involves designing, developing, and maintaining software for various computing tasks. They primarily focus on writing and implementing the code that enables computers to function effectively and efficiently.

Virtual Assistants

Virtual assistants have risen in the Philippines due to their ability to manage administrative tasks, including accounting, scheduling, and data entry.

Moreover, they can even offer specialized services such as social media management and editing. This cost-effective solution has become especially popular among startups.

Logistics and Warehouse Personnel 

Logistics personnel play a crucial role in the Philippines’ developing economy, especially in facilitating the safe and efficient transfer of goods.

With the rise of e-commerce, their responsibilities are more important than ever. Their expertise in monitoring and optimizing supply chains is key to ensuring that inventory is managed, transportation is coordinated, and goods are delivered promptly and in impeccable condition.

Information Security Professional

Industries across the globe are prioritizing cyber security due to rising malice from online actors. As a result, companies are investing in Information Security Professionals to enhance their data and network security.

These experts specialize in preventing and combating cyber threats, assessing, fortifying networks, and addressing vulnerabilities to safeguard sensitive information.

Social Media Marketer

The use of social media has become increasingly important in the Philippines and has a significant impact on modern society.

Social media marketers create content and campaigns that appeal to social media users by using different digital tools to manage and expand brand communities and launch and monitor targeted advertising campaigns.

Project Manager

Project Managers are in charge of managing a project from start to finish. They make sure that everything is completed on time and within budget by coordinating and supervising tasks related to the project.

They also manage team members and prioritize their needs while promoting clear communication. A strong team is crucial for the success of a project, and effective team management plays a significant role in creating a cooperative atmosphere.

Recruitment Specialist 

Recruitment specialists play a crucial role in ensuring a company’s smooth operations by identifying and hiring the best-suited candidates. Their responsibilities include sourcing and screening candidates, evaluating their qualifications, assessing their suitability for the role, and assisting them in the application process.

By selecting and vetting candidates carefully, recruitment specialists help organizations build a robust and competent workforce.

Healthcare Professional 

The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the significance of healthcare professionals globally, including in the Philippines. They play a vital role in delivering quality health services, including consultations, therapy, and medicine dispensing.

Especially doctors and nurses offer personalized care to help patients fight their illnesses and offer suggestions on leading a healthy life. The continuous requirement for health services highlights the necessity of qualified and committed healthcare professionals.

Customer and Tech Support 

The customer and tech support industry is a major part of outsourcing in the Philippines, making a significant contribution to the economy.

Professionals working in this sector aim to efficiently assist customers and clients in resolving concerns related to products or services. They provide quick and dependable solutions and guidance on any issues that may arise.

Marketing Professional

Businesses need marketing professionals to build and maintain a loyal customer base. These professionals conduct research to develop effective marketing strategies and create campaigns that promote their brand to potential customers.

They analyze market trends and customer behaviors, creating targeted campaigns using various channels, such as social media and advertising. Marketing professionals drive a company’s growth by building brand awareness and customer engagement.

Related: Maximize your Hiring Potential for 2023 with CDA’s Salary Report

Final Thoughts

As we head into the latter half of 2023, the workforce is on the brink of significant changes, presenting opportunities and challenges for organizations. 

Companies must prioritize diversity, equity, inclusion initiatives, trauma counseling, and data security measures to stay competitive. 

In-demand job roles will continue to require specific skill sets, so individuals must focus on honing these skills and develop a tech-savvy mindset for career advancement.

Moreover, the Philippines remains a fertile ground for recruiting top-notch professionals with the necessary skills and expertise. 

We encourage organizations to explore this market and cultivate talent from various fields to stay ahead of the curve. 

It’s essential that all stakeholders take proactive steps to adapt to these emerging trends and challenges to thrive in this dynamic environment.

How can your company cope with these changes in the 2023 job market?

To successfully navigate the dynamic job market throughout the remainder of 2023, it is crucial for your company to remain updated on the latest trends in executive search and recruitment. 

By staying abreast of these developments, your organization can adapt and optimize its strategies to effectively attract and secure top talent.

Curran Daly & Associates can provide valuable insights and guidance to help you succeed in this dynamic landscape. Our recruitment specialists utilize advanced techniques to ensure you have access to the top talent. 

Take advantage of this opportunity to stay ahead of the curve – get in touch with Curran Daly & Associates today.

References:

McRae, E. R. (2023, January 20). 9 Trends That Will Shape Work in 2023 and Beyond. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2023/01/9-trends-that-will-shape-work-in-2023-and-beyond

Molla, R. (2022, July 13). Economists are predicting a recession but companies are still hiring. Vox. https://www.vox.com/recode/23203511/recession-job-market-hiring-layoffs-benefits

Ngo, M. (2022, July 7). How will we know if the United States is in a recession? Vox. https://www.vox.com/2022/7/7/23198724/united-states-recession-indicators-economists-forecasters 
Top 10 In-Demand Jobs In The Philippines 2023 | Nexford University. (n.d.). https://www.nexford.org/insights/top-10-in-demand-jobs-in-the-philippines

By: Curran Daly + Associates

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Jerry Amores

Practice Lead, Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance

Areas of Expertise

Manager to C- Suite Level

Banking (Retail Banking, Corporate Banking, Investment Banking, Private/Wealth management, Digital), Financial Services (Traditional, remittance, alternative finance, fintech), Insurance ( Life, Non-life, Reinsurance, Insur-tech)

With over 11 years of Executive Search experience, Jerry Amores has built a strong track record in leading talent acquisition strategies and delivering end-to-end recruitment solutions across APAC. His expertise spans Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI), Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO), and a wide range of Talent Solutions, allowing him to support organizations with scalable, efficient, and high-impact hiring programs.

Jerry brings nine years of management experience, during which he has led multi-geography recruitment teams, strengthened operational performance, and fostered strong stakeholder partnerships. He has consistently driven process optimization, team development, and service excellence, while managing senior client relationships and ensuring the successful delivery of executive, specialist, and volume hiring projects.

Grounded in his background in Psychology, Jerry is deeply passionate about mental health and people development, which shapes his leadership philosophy and collaborative approach. He is committed to creating supportive, productive, and growth-oriented environments—both for his teams and the clients he serves—while continuously elevating recruitment standards and talent strategy impact.

 

Pam Delas Alas

Client Relations and Digital Marketing Lead

I shape the digital presence of Curran Daly & Associates through thoughtful branding, strategic content, and marketing that connects with the right audience.

Pam is a digital marketing and client relations professional with nearly a decade of experience in B2B lead generation, brand strategy, and early-stage sales enablement. She specializes in content that connects, campaigns that convert, and client journeys that start strong.

She started her marketing journey in 2016, gaining hands-on experience in business development, campaign execution, and client acquisition. She later took on lead generation and digital asset management as a Digital Marketing and Client Executive. Today, she drives branding and marketing at Curran Daly & Associates—boosting SEO visibility, launching outbound campaigns, and supporting lead generation and client onboarding. With a sharp eye for strategy and a collaborative style, Pam helps turn first impressions into long-term partnerships.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing Management from Far Eastern University – Diliman and is passionate about using content to elevate brand image, drive recall, and support business growth. Her work spans branding, digital strategy, SEO, and client acquisition—contributing to how the firm builds presence and fosters long-term success.

Honey de los Reyes

Financial Controller

I bring discipline and dedication to finance and accounting—driving growth by transforming numbers into strategic insights, anchored in integrity and operational excellence.

Honey is a results-driven finance leader with over a decade of experience in accounting, taxation, and financial operations—spanning both professional service firms and corporate finance environments. She brings together deep technical proficiency and a commercial mindset to streamline financial systems, ensure full regulatory compliance, and support strategic growth.

As a Certified Public Accountant, Honey started her career in public practice, gaining a strong foundation in audit, tax, and regulatory advisory. She later transitioned into corporate finance, where she broadened her impact by managing end-to-end finance functions—from daily operations and payroll to high-level budgeting and forecasting.

She joined Curran Daly & Associates as Financial Controller, where she plays a critical role in financial leadership, systems transformation, and business process optimization. Beyond financial reporting, Honey partners closely with operational and executive teams to strengthen internal controls, drive cost efficiency, and support long-term planning.

Throughout her career, she has developed a strong reputation for operational excellence, collaborative leadership, and unwavering integrity. She brings both discipline and heart to her work—mentoring and empowering stakeholders with clear, actionable financial insights.

Honey holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accountancy and is a licensed CPA in the Philippines. She is passionate about continuous improvement and upholding financial excellence in a rapidly changing business environment.

 

James Kopp

Regional Director

Trusted recruitment partner for senior roles in CX, Sales, Operations, and Transformation across Southeast Asia and ANZ.

Areas of Expertise
Specialising in retained search assignments for senior and executive level leadership roles.

James Kopp began his executive search career in 1996 with de Jager Executive Search in Sydney, specializing in Automotive and Technology markets.

He later held leadership roles at Interim Technology, Spherion, and Korn Ferry Futurestep, before establishing Curran & Associates Melbourne in 2005.

For over 20 years, James has been Director of Executive Search at Curran & Associates, focusing on IT, Sales, Operations, and CX senior appointments across Australia and Asia.

He recently joined sister company Curran Daly & Associates to support executive search across the APAC region.

Previously, James spent 15 years at Toyota Motor Corporation Australia, leading regional and national divisions, including Lexus and Customer Relations. He holds qualifications in business and human resources and is a certified EQ-i 2.0 and EQ 360 practitioner.

 

Cess Rañola

General Manager, Recruitment

Passionate advocate of Human Resources with more than a decade of bringing people and opportunities together.
Areas of Expertise
  • Executive Search in FMCG,
  • Renewable Energy,
  • Industrial Manufacturing,
  • Infrastructure,
  • Semiconductor,
  • Real Estate & Construction,
  • 3PLs and Hospitality

Princess “Cess” Rañola has been bringing people and opportunities together for more than a decade as a Talent Acquisition Leader and Strategist for both internal and external firms, including Fortune 500 and local conglomerate companies. Throughout her career, she has skillfully combined her business sense, strong people skills, business growth, and strategic approach that impacts all of her stakeholders.


She joined Curran Daly as one of its transformation leaders in 2023, responsible for overseeing the recruitment operations in the Philippines—all while performing senior management and executive-level assignments in a variety of industries. Cess has a strong reputation and a good eye for finding the right candidates for every role— with a successful track record recruiting top talents from entry-level positions to C-suite executive leadership roles in a wide range of industries, including but not limited to Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), Renewable Energy, Industrial Manufacturing, Infrastructure, Semiconductor, Real Estate & Construction, 3PLs, and Hospitality. She also advised start-ups and non-engineering companies with notable key leadership placements in the BPO, IT, Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) industries.


Cess holds MBA credits from Singapore Business School, and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from De La Salle University-Lipa. She is a Certified DDI Behavioral, a Certified Targeted Selection® Recruiter, and a Certified Social Sourcing Recruiter (CSSR).

Margaret Agustin

PRACTICE LEAD

Talent matchmaking success through strategic sourcing approach and dependable client and candidate partnership.

Meg brings 19 years of total experience in talent acquisition, including 11 years in executive search with Curran Daly and Associates. She currently serves as Practice Lead for the BPO and Shared Services Tower, where she leads a specialized recruitment team delivering end-to-end hiring solutions for companies across the sector.

Her practice partners with BPO and Shared Services companies of all shapes and sizes—from established market leaders to start-ups, as well as organizations scaling rapidly or launching new teams in the Philippines for the first time. Meg and her team support both niche volume hiring and senior leadership searches across all major job families, with deep expertise in Finance, Operations, and Human Resources.

Meg has extensive experience managing retained search and project-based assignments, with a strong track record of successfully closing leadership roles from manager level through to C-suite. She is particularly effective in reviving aging or difficult-to-fill roles, leveraging her extensive market network and long-standing relationships to unlock talent that is not readily accessible through traditional channels.

Her key strengths lie in relationship-driven recruitment—building trusted partnerships with both clients and candidates to ensure alignment beyond skills alone, and consistently delivering the right long-term fit for complex and business-critical hires.

Paula Piala

PRACTICE LEAD

Areas of Expertise
  • Sales and Marketing (Mid to C-Suite level)
  • FMCG (Food and Non-Food), Retail (Luxury, Fast Fashion, Automotive), Healthcare (Ethical Pharma, Consumer Healthcare, Lifesciences, Medical Devices, Healthcare Services)
Paula is a seasoned recruitment professional with seven years of experience, bringing a wealth of expertise in technical recruitment, client management, and strategic hiring practices across multiple industries.
  Her career began after university when she joined a global financial technology company as an internal technical recruiter, gaining a deep understanding of the nuances of technical recruitment. Seeking broader exposure, Paula joined a global recruitment consulting firm, where she spent five years growing her career. There, she became a Consultant for the Sales and Marketing team, specializing in recruitment within the FMCG, retail, professional services, and healthcare sectors.
  Throughout her career, Paula has consistently demonstrated her ability to excel in client and account management, business development, and strategic recruitment planning. She has successfully placed high-caliber candidates in a range of roles across local and global FMCG companies, fast-fashion retailers, ethical and consumer healthcare organizations, and the financial services industry.
  Paula is also a passionate advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (ED&I). She believes in creating equal opportunities for everyone, regardless of gender, age, or nationality, fostering inclusive work environments. For her, recruitment is not just a profession but a platform for building long-term, meaningful relationships that drive success for both candidates and clients.
  Her dedication, industry expertise, and commitment to ED&I make Paula a trusted partner for any organization looking to find and nurture top talent.

Fab Javier

PRACTICE LEAD

Areas of Expertise
  • Technical Roles (developers – CTO level)
  • Commercial (finance, sales, accounting)
  • Industry expertise: IT/technical, start-up, banking, fintech & insurance
Fab has more than 7 years of experience in recruitment, including 2 years in a leadership role. She is skilled at aligning technical talent with business goals across various industries, including IT, BFSI, FMCG, and global markets.
  She began her career as a technical recruiter at an IT consulting company. After 2 years, she moved to an HK-based recruitment firm, followed by 2 years at a local recruitment firm. She then returned to an IT consulting firm before joining Curran Daly as a Practice Lead. Fab has a proven track record of recruiting top talent for both technical and non-technical roles, including IT Business Analysts, Solutions Architects, Developers (Java, iOS, Android, etc.), IT Project Managers, and Solutions Designers. She also has experience recruiting for executive positions such as CTO and CISO.
  With her extensive experience in recruitment, Fab is confident that she can deliver results while ensuring good relationships with her clients and candidates.

Aya Manzon

SENIOR CONSULTANT

Areas of Expertise
  • Technical Hiring (Engineering, Construction, & Infrastructure)
  • Technology Hiring (IT Managers, Cloud/Infra/Development)
  • Support Functions (Sales, HR, Accounting & Finance)

Aya is a skilled HR and Recruitment professional with over 7 years of experience, beginning her career in HR Administration before discovering her passion for Recruitment. She started with Compensation & Benefits and Payroll but transitioned to Recruitment, where she has excelled for the past 6 years.
Her recruitment expertise spans PH Executive Search across industries such as Engineering, Construction, Infrastructure, Fintech, Shared Services, BPO, Logistics, Start-ups, Technology, Industrial Manufacturing, and Healthcare. She has successfully placed talent in diverse functions—including Engineering, IT/Technology, Finance & Accounting, HR, and Sales & Marketing—covering roles from management to C-level executives.
She is highly proficient in Full Cycle Recruitment, Account Management, and Business Development, with a proven ability to deliver exceptional results. Aya’s additional skills include Process Improvement, Recruitment Marketing, Talent Mapping, Niche and Volume Hiring, and Negotiations.
Passionate about fostering meaningful connections, Aya understands the importance of aligning organizational culture and values with candidate skills and career goals. Her approach ensures long-term success for both clients and candidates, focusing on building strong relationships that drive growth and achieve mutual goals.

Karen Magat

PRACTICE LEAD

Bringing world-class talents to every organization by glorifying his name through my lifelong mission of providing jobs for EveryJUAN.
  • Areas of Expertise
  • Leadership to Rank and File Hiring and Volume Hiring
  • Commercial (Finance and Accounting, Sales, Marketing, Human Resources, Business Development, Operations)
    Supply Chain and Logistics
  • Technical Engineering for Manufacturing and Industrial
  • Industry Expertise/Exposure: Fast Moving Consumer Goods, Manufacturing, Industrial, Semiconductor, QSR, Hospitality, Retail, Life Science, Supply Chain and Logistics and Start-Ups
Karen brings with her a decade of experience in the Human Resources and Recruitment field, she took a leap of faith when she started an HR role for a manufacturing company, after working for 2 years in the Hospitality Industry and eventually began her recruitment journey in a local manpower firm, catering to clients across various service-oriented industries and gaining exposure to both volume and mass hiring.
  After her tenure in the local manpower industry, she transitioned to become a full-time HR Practitioner and showcasing her skills by taking impactful roles, focusing on Talent Acquisition, Employee Engagement, Talent Management, and Employee Relations. This enabled her to develop into an effective communicator and a trusted business partner with the service-oriented companies she worked with.
  In 2021, Karen reunited with her ‘first love’ (Recruitment) by joining one of the country’s largest executive search firms as a Senior Recruiter. She was part of the top-notch recruitment team, supporting clients from diverse industries and fostering strong, harmonious professional relationships. As a recruitment business partner, she consistently provided the best talents suitable for both our internal and external stakeholders’ organizations. Karen steadily progressed to the role of Executive Search Manager, consistently exceeding her targets, and successfully filling roles across different industries.
  Leveraging her extensive HR experience, Karen is also passionate about leading learning and development, employee engagement, values formation, and corporate social responsibility projects. She is now part of CDA’s core leadership team and pioneered the Consumer Goods, Hospitality, Retail, Life Sciences, and 3PL tower.

Margarita Morelos

PRACTICE LEAD

Empowering Careers and Businesses with Top Talent, Connecting People to Opportunities for Growth and Success.
Margarita brings over a decade of expertise in IT and corporate recruitment. Her career journey reflects a steadfast commitment to fostering a collaborative and equitable work environment, with a strong focus on consistent results.
  Margarita Morelos has a proven track record of recruiting top talent across a diverse range of industries, successfully placing candidates in roles from associates to C-suite executives. Her expertise is particularly strong in the Information Technology (IT) sector, where she has filled key positions such as CIO, CTO, and VP of Data Analytics, as well as roles in software development and system architecture.
  Additionally, Margarita has achieved significant placements in both local and international companies, ranging from start-ups to large conglomerates, as well as within the banking and financial services sector, recruiting key leadership roles. She has also been successful in placing corporate leaders, including CFOs, HR heads, and general managers, in various industries such as renewable energy, industrial manufacturing, and real estate.
  Her strategic approach to sourcing, along with her extensive industry network, enables her to meet the unique recruitment needs of each client, ensuring successful placements and fostering lasting partnerships.

Leigh Teo

Associate Director, Executive Search

Helping organizations find their next stars through data-driven insights and human-centered strategies. Let’s connect and redefine talent acquisition together.
Areas of Expertise
  • Sales and Marketing (Management, Operations, Research and Development)
  • Legal Practice (Corporate/Commercial Law, Regulatory and Compliance, Contract Management, Taxation)
Leigh is an industry expert with more than 11 years of successful experience in full life cycle experience in recruitment covering in-house and recruitment firm set up for volume, entry, and executive-level positions. She has proven ability to foster relationships for industries like Consumer, Life Science, Technology, Industrial, and Business Process Outsourcing opportunities.
  Leigh began her career in recruiting at a top Business Process Outsourcing Company in Cebu, Philippines as Recruitment Officer for 5 years. In 2013, she moved to Manila to join Curran Daly and Associates, initially as a Recruitment Consultant before being promoted to Senior Consultant in a role where she was responsible for middle management and senior-level assignments for roles across Southeast Asia. Leigh rejoined Curran Daly in 2021 after spending some time with a Singapore-based executive search firm dedicated to supporting Asia Pacific requisitions.
  Leigh knows that people hire people, not resumes. Companies are not just looking for a set of qualifications that match a job description. She is most fulfilled when helping people to grow professionally. Her vision and ability to nurture relationships lead to long-term solutions and success.

Kevin Fitzgerald

Director, Executive Search

My clients and my candidates are one and the same, I strive to deliver quality candidates to my clients and a quality service to my candidates.
Areas of Expertise
  • Senior and Executive Operations
  • Finance
  • Project Management
Kevin spent more than 20 years working in procurement and project/finance management, predominantly in an international development environment. His career has taken him all over the world, enjoying both short and long-term working assignments in a variety of countries, from Angola to Uzbekistan, taking in the likes of Bolivia, Egypt, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, and Zambia along the way.
  He arrived in the Philippines in 2008, initially managing Japanese government-funded development projects around the country, before joining Curran Daly as a Senior Management Consultant in 2015.
  Kevin became a Director of the company in 2017 from which point he managed Senior Management and Executive level assignments across various industries notably in the areas of Operations, Finance, and Project Management.
  Kevin has a thorough/process-driven approach to his work, leaving no rock unturned, an approach warmly received by both his clients and his candidates which has in no small part led to him building a strong network of Senior/Executive level business contacts across the region.

Geoff Curan

MANAGING DIRECTOR, AUSTRALIA

Keep fit, love my family, sport and the Italian language.

Areas of Expertise
Executive Search in Sales, Service, Analytics, and, BPO – Australia, Philippines

Geoff Curran has a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Western Australia and over twenty years experience as a specialist recruitment practitioner. During that time he has worked with organizations to secure talent at the middle and senior levels.

Geoff began his recruitment career in Perth in the early 1980s. After several years with a national management consulting firm, he joined Arthur Andersen & Co. to establish its executive recruitment division.

In 1989, Geoff moved to Sydney and at Morgan and Banks specialized in recruiting for accounting and finance. He then spent two years in London, further developing his skills in this field. He returned to Sydney in 1994 and joined Margot Davis and Company, a recruitment consultancy which specialized in marketing, advertising, and marketing communications. He subsequently became a shareholder and a director in said business.

Geoff established Curran + Associates in 1998. His approach to executive recruitment and search is founded on several basic principles: knowledge gained through specialization, being relevant to both clients and candidates, and delivering outcomes quickly and efficiently. In 2009, he started a business in the Philippines, this time focused on executive appointments to the BPO sector. In 2014, it became what is now known as Curran Daly & Associates.

Geoff Daly

Managing Director, South East Asia

Rugby and cricket tragic, scuba diver, and traveller!
With over eighteen years in senior HR roles, Geoff has enjoyed a successful HR career “assisting business leaders with solutions to their people issues.” Working across several industry sectors, Geoff has had a long career in international HR with assignments in Eastern Europe and East Africa, first having worked in China and Hong Kong back in 1996. Geoff’s strength is being able to create rapport with business leaders of all backgrounds and understanding the way to get the best performance from a multi-cultural workforce.
  Since 2007, Geoff has been providing HR consulting services into the Philippines, relocating permanently to said Southeast Asian country in early 2009. This in-country experience has given Geoff a unique understanding of Philippine culture as well as issues that impact the sourcing of outstanding people for clients.
  Geoff joined Curran Daly & Associates in 2009. Geoff holds an MBA from Melbourne Business School and a Bachelor of Business in HR. Back in Sydney, he was an active surf lifesaver, spending over ten years patrolling Coogee Beach. Geoff is also a passionate rugby and cricket tragic, and in more recent years has fashioned himself into an avid global traveler and keen scuba diver.