Six Degrees rebrands with human-led hiring message

Six Degrees Executive has rebranded around a human-led approach to recruitment, sharpening its stance against the growing use of automation and artificial intelligence in hiring.

The updated branding includes a revised website, a new colour palette and the tagline "Expertly human". The refresh is intended to bring the company's public identity into line with how its consultants already work with clients and candidates.

The move comes as recruitment firms across the market adopt more automated systems for candidate matching and screening. Six Degrees argues that senior hiring decisions still depend heavily on judgement about leadership style, cultural fit and long-term organisational impact.

Chief Executive Officer Suzie McInerney said the branding work was not a change in strategy, but a clearer expression of the company's existing approach.

"What's always mattered at Six Degrees is showing up for every connection we make. Markets shift, industries evolve, but our focus on building deep relationships that last, putting integrity into action and delivering long-term impact for all our stakeholders hasn't changed," McInerney said.

She said the company's edge lay in the experience of its own staff rather than software-led hiring processes.

"This next chapter is about carrying that brand promise forward with greater clarity, leveraging our truest source of competitive advantage, having the best people with deep tenure to consult organisations and leaders to feel confident with every hiring decision," she said.

Track record

Over 22 years, the firm has placed more than 12,000 candidates across 2,300 companies, spanning sectors including fast-moving consumer goods, retail, industrial, services and government.

It operates in permanent recruitment, contracting, executive search and talent consulting. Its remit spans board and C-suite appointments, as well as senior leadership, functional management and specialist roles.

That emphasis on experienced consultants is central to the rebrand. Six Degrees says its consultants average more than 10 years' tenure, which it describes as unusual in a recruitment market often marked by high staff turnover.

Long-serving consultants, it argues, build relationships that can extend across a candidate's career, with some clients first engaging the firm years earlier as job seekers. The founders also remain actively involved in the business.

Human focus

The rebrand is also intended to sharpen how the company presents itself online. According to the business, the updated digital platform is designed to help clients better understand its specialist practice areas and connect directly with consultants covering their sector.

For candidates, the changes are meant to reflect a more relationship-led approach from first contact, rather than one driven chiefly by automated filtering. The company's message is that senior recruitment relies on direct advice, sector knowledge and sustained contact over time.

Six Degrees describes its internal values as relationships first, integrity in action and expertise that delivers. It also characterises its market approach as sincere, competent, polished and approachable, with consultants expected to give direct advice to clients during the hiring process.

That position contrasts with a broader shift towards recruitment technology. Automated tools are increasingly used by employers and agencies to sort applications, identify matches and reduce time spent on early-stage selection. Supporters argue they can improve speed and scale, particularly in high-volume hiring.

Six Degrees contends those benefits are less decisive in executive recruitment, where appointments can shape business direction and culture for years. In that part of the market, it argues, the judgement of experienced recruiters remains difficult to replace with software alone.

Brand message

The visual changes are intended to reinforce that argument. The refreshed identity uses graphic elements drawn from the existing brandmark and aims to look modern without losing the company's established character.

Behind the design work, the company has set out four themes to support its credibility: its people, its expertise, its relationships and its resilience. Those ideas are meant to capture both the longevity of the business and the role of consultants with deep knowledge of specialist sectors.

The rebrand serves a commercial purpose as well as a visual one. It gives Six Degrees a clearer way to position itself in a market where technology is becoming more prominent, while maintaining that senior hiring decisions still depend on human judgement, trusted relationships and sector experience.

Across its 22-year history, the company has continued to guide leadership hiring through experienced consultants with deep sector knowledge rather than automated processes.