THAILAND. Despite major political unrest in 2014, the labour market in Thailand remained buoyant.

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1 THAILAND Despite major political unrest in 2014, the labour market in Thailand remained buoyant. The national currency stabilised, unemployment stayed below 1%, and the general outlook for the Thai economy remained positive. Throughout the year we saw high demand for businesssavvy English-speaking professionals among the foreign multinationals. The FMCG sector was also required to help meet the consumer needs of the country s rapidly rising middle class, driving high demand for FMCG professionals.

2 THAILAND COUNTRY OVERVIEW T hailand s economy has grown substantially over the last ten years, with price inflation and salaries increasing significantly during this period. With growth continuing in 2014, we saw strong demand in a number of areas for experienced and specialist candidates. These include digital sales and marketing professionals, HR compensation and benefits specialists, and IT project managers on the implementation side. Overall, qualified financial professionals were the top recruitment priority, especially certified public accountants (CPAs), with overseas experience and business acumen. Those with techniques and skills acquired in the FMCG sector, that could be applied to other sectors, were also popular choices among hiring managers. Candidates with international experience and strategic mindsets were also in high demand. However, a general skills shortage in Thailand saw hiring managers struggling to meet that demand a trend that is likely to continue in 2015 and beyond. In addition to the demand across compliance and accounting, specific skills requirements and candidate shortage areas are likely to include ERP implementation and project management in IT and digital marketing as well as compensation and benefits within HR. With such fierce competition for candidates, companies looking to retain key staff need to think beyond short-term retention measures such as counter-offers (analysis shows that those employees who accept counter-offers usually leave within nine months). Instead, they need to focus on providing strong career development, good work-life balance and competitive compensation and benefits packages. These considerations will be critical when hiring new professionals too. Hiring managers also need to communicate a strong sense of their company and its culture and demonstrate a company s potential for growth. Depicting a stable environment that will provide long-term employee support could go a long way to securing a candidate s signature. In 2014, the average salary increase for non-movers in Thailand was 5-7%, rising to 10-15% for high achievers, while those moving into new external roles could expect increments of 20-25%. We predict these trends to remain consistent in 2015, although specialists in high demand may be able to command increments of around 40%. Looking ahead, we also anticipate the competition for talent in Thailand will intensify, with the return to political stability driving national growth even higher. Average salary increases for non-movers were 5-7% rising to 10-15% for highachievers. Those moving into new external roles could expect rises of 2025%.

3 ACCOUNTING & FINANCE Despite a period of political instability at the beginning of the 2014, during which many companies suspended investments, the recruitment market for accounting and finance professionals remained active. Hiring was mainly for replacement roles as companies made efforts to streamline their processes, nevertheless, some new vacancies did arise through business expansion. In 2015, the restoration of political stability and the positive outlook surrounding the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) should have a positive impact on the market. The priority for businesses will then be to hire professionals with international experience who can manage increasingly complex projects and act as trusted business partners. Experience in strategic business development, financial planning and treasury will be highly regarded - candidates with strong technical, management and communication skills will be the most challenging to source. Those professionals who are also flexible, deadline-focused and business-oriented will be in highest demand. In 2015, a competitive benefits package will remain an important factor in staff retention. When it comes to hiring however, organisations will need to ensure they have a clear talent development strategy and the ability to present employees with defined career paths. Skilled finance professionals who are fluent in English are currently in short supply and high demand. As a result, they are in a strong negotiation position and companies can expect to offer premiums of at least 30% for the right candidate in KEY TRENDS The market should improve in 2015 due to a more stable political situation and the implementation of AEC. Hiring managers are searching for true business partners rather than simply back office workers. Competition for top talent will drive employers to streamline recruitment processes in Skilled finance professionals who are fluent in English are currently in short supply and high demand. 463 Robert Walters Global Salary Survey 2015

4 ACCOUNTING & FINANCE ROLE PERMANENT SALARY PER ANNUM THB ( ) Accounting Internal Auditor - Director m m Tax Director m m Tax Manager m m Internal Auditor - Manager m m Group Accountant - Consolidations 840k - 1.2m 960k - 1.4m Tax Supervisor 840k - 1.2m 840k - 1.3m Finance Chief Financial Officer m m Finance Director - MNC m m Finance Director - SME m m Financial Controller - MNC m m Commercial Manager m m Financial Controller - SME m m Corporate Finance 1.2-2m m Treasury Manager 960k - 2.0m 960k - 2.4m Senior FP&A 960k - 1.6m 1.1m - 1.8m Senior Financial Analyst 960k - 1.4m 960k - 1.6m Cost Controller 800k - 1.8m 800k - 1.8m Finance Manager 800k - 1.4m 960k - 2.4m Credit Controller 750k - 1.3m 750k - 1.3m Treasury Analyst k k Accounting Manager k 960k - 1.7m FP&A 590k - 1m 600k - 1.1m Financial Analyst k k NB: Figures are basic salaries exclusive of benefits/bonuses unless otherwise specified. Robert Walters Global Salary Survey

5 BANKING & FINANCIAL SERVICES Political unrest had a significant impact on recruitment in the first half of 2014, especially for asset managers and foreign investors waiting for positive signals from the government. One result of the unrest was increased demand for senior professionals who could help to stabilise business and revenue streams. During the second part of the year, however, companies returned to hiring middle management candidates with strong backgrounds in relationship management and credit analysis. Throughout the year, demand for compliance specialists remained steady. In 2015, the political situation is expected to return to normal. As mergers and acquisitions as well as internal reorganisation continue, we expect to see strong demand for candidates at every level and in every position. This is partly due to new international players, particularly in corporate banking, who are entering the market and creating more competition. As a result, we expect to see increased demand for relationship managers as companies strive to acquire market share. Perhaps the most difficult candidates to source will be compliance specialists within banks. In 2014, companies were offering premiums of up to 70% to secure these candidates, yet still faced matching counteroffers from current employers. Senior operations specialists, especially in the securities industry, will also be difficult to source as senior professionals begin to retire. This will create a skills gap that middle management currently have insufficient experience to fill. On average, salaries increased by 25% in 2014, with some niche candidates receiving increases between 40-70%. However, these instances were rare. Nevertheless, as competition grows, we expect that this trend will continue in KEY TRENDS As the political situation stabilises, foreign investment will rise and competition for top candidates will grow. Compliance managers have seen salary rises of up to 70%, with companies willing to counter-offer to retain top talent. As salaries rise, companies will be actively developing staff retention programmes. High demand is expected across all levels in 2015 due to a number of mergers, acquisitions and internal reorganisations taking place. Average salaries increased by close to 25% in 2014, with some niche candidates receiving higher increases. 465 Robert Walters Global Salary Survey 2015

6 BANKING & FINANCIAL SERVICES ROLE PERMANENT SALARY PER ANNUM THB ( ) 1-4 YRS' EXP 4-8 YRS' EXP 8+ YRS' EXP Front Office Banking Cash/Treasury Sales 960k - 1.1m 960k - 1.2m 1.1-2m m m m+ Private Equity 950k - 1.2m 950k - 1.2m m m m m+ Trade Sales 880k - 1.2m 880k - 1.2m m m m m+ Corporate Banking k k m m m m+ Equity Capital Markets 770k - 1.3m 770k - 1.2m m m m m+ Debt Capital Markets 770k - 1.3m 770k - 1.2m m m m m+ Investment Banking 660k - 1.2m 480k - 1.2m m m m m+ Commercial Banking k k 990k - 1.8m 900k - 1.8m m m+ Private Banking 650k - 1.0m 650k - 1.0m m m m m+ Priority Banking 605k - 1.1m 605k - 1.0m 990k - 1.5m m m m+ Credit Analyst k k k 720k - 1.0m m m+ Banking Operations Market Operations k k 700k - 1.2m 760k - 1.4m 1.2-3m m+ Treasury Settlements k k 750k - 1.8m 750k - 1.8m m m+ Cash Management k k 800k - 1.7m 800k - 1.6m m m+ Trade Support k k 748k - 1.2m 748k - 1.2m m m+ Corporate Governance Compliance 770k - 1.6m 770k - 1.6m m m m m+ Market Risk 720k - 1.2m 720k - 1.2m m m m m+ Operational Risk 700k - 1.3m 660k - 1.2m m m m m+ Credit Risk 700k - 1.2m 700k - 1.2m m m m m+ Internal Audit k k m m m m+ Financial Accounting Business Analysis k k 946k - 2.0m 946k - 2.0m m m+ Finance Operations k k 950k - 1.8m 950k - 1.8m m m+ Accountant k k k k 960k - 1.8m+ 960k - 1.8m+ NB: Figures are basic salaries exclusive of benefits/bonuses unless otherwise specified. Robert Walters Global Salary Survey

7 HUMAN RESOURCES The recruitment market for HR was active in Hiring managers sought candidates who not only had good business acumen but who could also resolve people management issues and guide the business on matters of talent development. We anticipate a continuation of these trends in The market should remain active as demand grows, especially for business partners, compensation and benefits specialists, as well as organisation development professionals. In particular, we expect hiring managers to focus on candidates with overall HR knowledge and experience, who can act as internal consultants to the leadership team. HR specialists in compensation and benefits will be the most challenging to source. These specialists currently command some of the highest salaries and organisations need to be prepared to pay a premium to secure them. Strong English skills will continue to be in short supply - some companies were not fully aware of the shortage here and missed out on otherwise strong candidates. With the cost of hiring new candidates currently so high, retention strategies will be very important in To secure in-demand skill sets we advise employers to focus on candidates who can be trained and developed for senior roles, rather than concentrating only on experienced candidates. In 2014, HR professionals who moved jobs were able to secure significant salary increases. As a result, companies raised salaries for existing employees. In 2015, we expect salaries to rise by 15-30%. KEY TRENDS In 2015, there will be very high demand for HR professionals with good English communication skills. As competition increases, salaries are expected to remain high. If hiring managers are unable to match the market average, they may need to look for candidates with a different skill set. We expect candidates with overall HR knowledge and experience, who can act as internal consultants to the leadership team to see more job opportunities. Compensation and benefits specialists will be the most challenging to source as there is high demand for their skills. 467 Robert Walters Global Salary Survey 2015

8 HUMAN RESOURCES ROLE PERMANENT SALARY PER ANNUM THB ( ) 3-6 YRS' EXP 6-12 YRS' EXP 12+ YRS' EXPERIENCE Commerce & Industry Organisational Development 720k - 1.1m 800k - 1.2m m m m m Compensation & Benefits 700k - 1.0m 800k - 1.2m m m m m Employee Relations k k 900k - 1.5m 900k - 1.5m m m Business Partner k k m m m m HR Generalist k k m m m m Training & Development k k m m m m HRIS k k m m m m HR Operation Service (Shared Services) k k 800k - 1.3m 900k -1.3m m m Recruitment k k 750k - 1.2m 750k - 1.2m m m Mobility k k k k 900k - 1.6m 900k - 1.6m Payroll k k k k m m Banking & Financial Services Organisational Development 800k - 1.5m 800k - 1.5m m m m m HRIS 720k - 1.0m 720k - 1.0m m m m m Training & Development k k 950k - 1.9m m m m Employee Relations k k 900k - 1.5m 900k - 1.5m m m HR Operation Service (Shared Services) k 720k - 1.0m 900k - 1.5m m m m Compensation & Benefits 600k - 1.0m 800k - 1.2m m m m m Business Partner 600k - 1.0m k m m m m HR Generalist 600k - 1.0m 660k - 1.0m m m m m Recruitment k k 800k - 1.7m 800k - 1.7m m m Payroll k k 720k - 1.2m 720k - 1.2m m m Mobility k k 680k - 1.0m 680k - 1.0m m m NB: Figures are basic salaries exclusive of benefits/bonuses unless otherwise specified. Figures vary depending on whether the incumbent is holding a regional/global role. Robert Walters Global Salary Survey

9 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY There was a continued scarcity of candidates for most key IT skill sets in 2014, including software developers and project managers involved in delivery and implementation of ERP solutions. We also saw a notable increase in demand across e-commerce and a need for experienced developers in this area. Key trends seen in 2014 included further scarcity of ERP professionals for permanent positions. Many moved to freelance and contract positions to improve flexibility, pay and project choice. There was also an increase in the number of employers making counter-offers to employees offered new positions. Not only were salaries matched but promises of career development were included as part of the incentive to stay. Competition for IT skills will intensify in 2015 as the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) opens its borders. Then, the most difficult positions to fill will be specialist positions in niche areas such as cloud computing, gaming, ERP, data centre and project sales. However, we may start to see some skill shortages alleviated by IT professionals coming into the market from neighbouring countries. To secure in-demand professionals, hiring managers should operate a smooth recruitment process, offering direct feedback to candidates. Once hired, staff should be given a clear career path with explicit direction and goals, as well as the chance to work with a variety of projects and clients. From 2013 to 2014, salaries across IT increased higher than the country average of 7%. Indeed, those joining new companies received offers 20-30% higher than the previous year, with peaks of 40-50% for those with skills in high demand. We expect this trend to continue in KEY TRENDS Bilingual IT professionals will continue to be in demand. The most difficult roles to fill will be specialist roles in niche areas such as cloud computing, gaming, ERP, data center and project sales. There will be a rise in the number of candidates looking for temporary contract or freelance work as AEC opens up borders. Those joining new companies received offers 20-30% higher in 2014, with peaks of 40-50% for those with skills in high demand. 469 Robert Walters Global Salary Survey 2015

10 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ROLE PERMANENT SALARY PER ANNUM THB ( ) IT Systems IT Director m m IT Program Manager m m Project Manager m m Solution Architect m m Development Manager m m Business Analyst Manager m m Software Developer m 780k - 1.4m C++ S/W Engineer 900k - 1.7m m Test Manager 850k - 1.2m m Application Support Analyst 800k - 1.3m 840k - 1.3m IT Business Analyst 750k - 1.3m 780k - 1.3m.Net/C# S/W Engineer 750k - 1.3m 840k - 1.3m Java/J2EE S/W Engineer 750k - 1.1m 840k - 1.2m ERP/Business Application Project Manager m m Consultant - Functional m m Consultant - Technical m 850k - 1.6m Infrastructure Service Delivery Manager m m Project Manager m m Infrastructure Manager m m Infrastructure Team Leader 850k - 1.2m m Database Administrator 750k - 1.6m 840k -1.5m Server Administrator 700k - 1.0m 700k - 1.0m Desktop Support Analyst k 700k - 1.0m IT Security, Risk & Control IT Auditor m 1.2m - 1.8m IT Security Analyst 850k - 1.3m 900k - 1.4m NB: Figures are basic salaries exclusive of benefits/bonuses unless otherwise specified. Robert Walters Global Salary Survey

11 SALES & MARKETING CONSUMER & B2B Despite the political situation in 2014, demand across sales and marketing recruitment remained high, with talented professionals moving between industries. Nevertheless, the shortage of quality candidates is still an issue for companies wishing to hire sales and marketing professionals to help drive their business forward. As organisations begin to prepare for borders opening up, in anticipation that trade will become more fluid under the ASEAN Economic Community, many companies sought to expand their teams - searching for candidates with regional experience in, for example, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Professionals who are willing to relocate to neighbouring countries are also in demand. Candidates with FMCG experience will continue to be highly sought-after as they have a reputation for being well-trained, with strong analytical skills, commercial acumen, and the ability to think strategically. The talent shortage is expected to persist in 2015 so we advise companies to be flexible in the key skill sets they are searching for, or alternatively, consider junior candidates and invest in developing and training them for senior roles. Retention strategies will also be key in We advise companies to focus on providing clear opportunities for career progression as well as good work-life balance. Salaries in 2014 rose on average by 20% and we expect this trend to stay largely the same in However, we anticipate that for indemand candidates, such as FMCG experts, higher salaries will be paid. KEY TRENDS Professionals with regional experience and the flexibility to relocate to other ASEAN countries will be in demand. As the political situation settles, more companies will move away from replacement hiring, focusing on hiring for growth. Candidates with FMCG experience will be highly sought-after. The shortage of quality candidates is still an issue for companies wishing to hire sales and marketing professionals. 471 Robert Walters Global Salary Survey 2015

12 SALES & MARKETING CONSUMER & B2B ROLE PERMANENT SALARY PER ANNUM THB ( ) Sales Sales Director m m Channel Manager m m Sales Manager m m Business Development Manager m m Marketing Marketing Director m m Public Relations Director 1.5-2m m Marketing Research Director m m Brand Manager m m Senior MarComms Manager m m Marketing Manager m m Trade Marketing Manager 950k - 1.5m 950k - 1.5m MarComms Manager 950k - 1.3m 950k - 1.3m Public Relations Manager 850k - 1.5m 850k - 1.5m Marketing Research Manager 850k - 1.1m 850k - 1.1m Direct Marketing Manager 850k - 1.0m 850k - 1.0m Visual Merchandising Manager k 700k - 950m Assistant Brand Manager k k Management GM/MD m m Country Manager m m Sales & Marketing Director m m Senior Commercial Manager m m Sales & Marketing Manager m m NB: Figures are basic salaries exclusive of benefits & bonuses unless otherwise specified. Robert Walters Global Salary Survey