In today’s APAC financial market, attracting the right talent is harder than ever. Hedge funds, trading firms, and crypto companies are competing for a limited pool of highly skilled professionals, and simply posting job ads is no longer enough.
Many of the best candidates aren’t even applying. They’re already embedded in top-performing teams, not actively job-hunting, and only move when the right opportunity comes their way.
That’s where working with a specialist recruiter makes all the difference. Unlike generalist agencies, financial recruitment specialists know the market inside out and can connect firms with talent that others can’t reach.
Financial services are increasingly global. When firms struggle to fill niche roles locally, specialist recruiters can tap into international networks.
For example, a trading firm in Hong Kong searching for a systems engineer might not find the right expertise regionally. But with established connections in North America, Australia, or Europe, a specialist recruiter can identify qualified candidates open to relocating — and guide them through the entire process.
This global reach helps firms avoid delays and secure talent quickly, even for hard-to-fill positions.
Specialist recruiters don’t just know job titles - they understand the technical and commercial nuances that make each role unique.
Take quant developers, for example. Their responsibilities can differ widely depending on whether they sit in a prop trading pod, a hedge fund, or a fintech. Recruiters who know these differences can match candidates more accurately and avoid costly mismatches.
They’re also familiar with regional hiring environments in Singapore, Hong Kong, London, and New York. This knowledge ensures better alignment on compensation, expectations, and speed of hire.
Hiring the right person is about more than reviewing CVs. Specialist recruiters act as strategic advisors, helping firms shape hiring plans and anticipate challenges.
They can provide guidance on:
Which locations to target for specific skill sets
Compensation benchmarks across regions
Team structures for scaling efficiently
How to prioritise critical hires when building new desks
Because recruiters speak daily with both candidates and hiring managers, they’re often the first to spot market shifts and hiring trends, which is insight firms can use to gain an edge.
The most successful hires in finance rarely come from job boards. They come from relationships built over time.
Specialist recruiters invest in understanding candidate motivations, goals, and timing. When the right opportunity arises, they’re able to make introductions that feel organic and trusted - not transactional.
This relationship-driven model leads to better hires, higher retention, and a stronger employer brand.
Recruitment isn’t just about filling roles - it’s also about how candidates experience the process.
Specialist recruiters take the time to:
Understand career goals
Give honest feedback
Provide guidance on technical tests and interviews
Support salary and offer negotiations
This creates a smoother, more transparent process, which not only benefits candidates but also strengthens the reputation of the hiring firm.
At Tribus, we’ve built our consultancy around this specialist approach. Each of our recruiters works in clearly defined markets such as engineering, quant, infrastructure, and crypto.
With strong networks across APAC, Europe, and North America, we help hedge funds, trading firms, and fintechs secure top talent in highly competitive markets.
Our growing team combines global reach with deep local expertise - from Joe and Frazer’s European and US networks to Ollie’s extensive experience in APAC. Together, we’re supporting some of the world’s most ambitious financial firms in building high-performing teams.
If you’re hiring in 2025 and want to see how a specialist model can support your growth, we’d be happy to connect.
Greg Moore is the Founder of Tribus, a specialist recruitment consultancy for the financial markets. With a focus on hedge funds, trading firms, and fintech, Greg helps firms across APAC and beyond access global talent and build teams that thrive in competitive environments.
Looking for a new role in the healthcare sector? Well, the timing couldn’t be better! According to the federal government's projections, the deman...
Did you know that every single minute, LinkedIn helps six people secure new job opportunities? The power of LinkedIn in today's job market is unde...
The demand for allied health professionals is rising rapidly across Australia, with fields like physiotherapy, speech pathology, and occupational t...