Case Study: Finding Hidden Talent When Traditional Recruiting Channels Fall Short

A leading U.S. insurance organization was searching for a newly created Head of ALM Strategy to help shape the future of its asset-liability management capabilities.

The role sat at the intersection of investments, actuarial, finance, treasury, and risk management, requiring a rare blend of technical expertise, strategic vision, and cross-functional leadership. The successful candidate would be responsible for advancing ALM frameworks, supporting investment strategy, influencing product innovation, and strengthening enterprise-wide financial decision-making.

Prior to engaging Acumen, the organization’s internal recruiting team had already conducted an extensive search. Three candidates had progressed toward the final stages of the process, but hiring leaders remained unconvinced they had found the right long-term fit.

Recognizing the strategic importance of the position, the hiring manager engaged Acumen to explore the broader market and uncover talent beyond the candidates already in process.

Rather than relying on active applicants or public candidate databases, Acumen leveraged its specialized actuarial, ALM, and insurance network to identify professionals with the exact blend of expertise required for the position.

The search focused on leaders with:

Within one business day, Acumen delivered three fully qualified candidates for consideration.

The speed and quality of the shortlist immediately expanded the client’s view of the market and provided access to talent that had not surfaced through traditional recruiting efforts.

One candidate quickly emerged as particularly compelling.

Unlike many senior professionals in today’s market, this individual maintained no LinkedIn presence and was not actively pursuing new opportunities. As a result, he was effectively invisible to most recruiters and internal talent acquisition teams.

Acumen was able to identify and engage him through long-standing industry relationships and active networking within its specialized insurance talent community.

The candidate brought extensive experience across:

His technical capabilities, business acumen, and leadership experience closely aligned with the vision the hiring manager had for the newly created role.

The impact was immediate.

Of the three candidates Acumen submitted, two were invited to interview. Within a matter of weeks, the client elected to move forward with an offer to Acumen’s candidate.

The successful hire provided the organization with a proven ALM leader capable of building and advancing strategic asset-liability management capabilities while serving as a key partner across the enterprise.

Perhaps most importantly, the placement demonstrated the value of accessing talent beyond traditional recruiting channels. The successful candidate was not actively searching, had no public professional profile, and would likely never have been identified without Acumen’s specialized network and market relationships.