• 52% of financial services executives have specific investment plans for blockchain implementation
  • 85% believe blockchain technology will have a genuine impact on the financial services industry by 2022
  • Trading technology (51%), programming (47%) and analytics (44%) ranked as the skills in demand for blockchain

London, 13 July 2017 – Research from leading recruitment specialist, Robert Half Financial Services, has revealed 52% of financial services leaders have implemented blockchain due to the ability to facilitate transactions combined with the speed and cost benefits. Nearly a third (30%) are planning to invest in blockchain in the future and 14% admit they should be considering investment despite having no plans for it at the moment.

As the appetite for blockchain grows, so is the demand for people with the right skills to maximise the technology. Organisations are seeking out financial services professionals with a deep understanding of the principles surrounding blockchain systems listing technology trading (51%) and programming (47%) as the skills most in demand.

Table one: Skills in demand

Skills

Skills that will become more important as a result of Blockchain

Trading technology

51%

Programming

47%

Analytics

44%

Porfolio management

43%

Trading

32%

Cryptography

29%

Database management

27%

Business development

19%

 

Overall, 85 per cent of financial services executives believe blockchain will have made a genuine impact on the financial services industry by 2022. Those that have implemented blockchain report already experiencing benefits including empowered users (54%), increased transparency (54%) and faster transactions (42%). While respondents that have not yet experimented with blockchain see the opportunity that it offers to achieve faster transactions (52%), lower transaction costs (44%) and user empowerment (42%).

‘Automation is changing the face of business, and particularly so within the skills and roles within the financial services industry,” explained Matt Weston, Director at Robert Half Financial Services. “With financial crime and compliance high on the priority lists for many senior leaders in financial services, attracting skilled specialists to support the implantation is key. To keep up with the rapidly changing skill and role development, companies who adopt a flexible recruitment strategy will be best placed to adapt their resource requirements during this change.‘

– ENDS –

Notes to editors

The annual study was developed by Robert Half UK and is conducted by an independent research firm.  The study is based on more than 100 interviews with financial services directors from companies across the UK, with the results segmented by size, sector and geographic location.

About Robert Half

Robert Half is the world’s first and largest specialised recruitment consultancy and member of the S&P 500. We have once again been named to FORTUNE’s “World’s Most Admired Companies®” list and remains the top-ranked staffing firm (2022). Founded in 1948, the company has over 300 offices worldwide providing temporary, interim and permanent recruitment solutions for accounting and finance, financial services, technology, legal and administrative professionals. Robert Half offers workplace and jobseeker resources at roberthalf.co.uk and twitter.com/roberthalfuk.