At Deloitte Belgium, recruitment is not a downstream service—it’s a strategic capability. In conversation with Avature Founder and CEO Dimitri Boylan, Marteen Verleyen explains how talent acquisition has evolved into a trusted advisory function, closely aligned with business priorities. The discussion explores how technology, data and continuous dialogue enable recruiting to operate as a strategic advisor in a fast-moving, skills-driven market.
5 key takeaways from Deloitte Belgium’s HR innovator on recruiting as a strategic advisor
- Recruiting as a strategic advisor depends on deep alignment with business needs, not transactional hiring requests.
- Feedback-driven insights and hiring manager enablement underpin continuous improvement across stakeholder experiences.
- Market insight empowers recruiters to challenge assumptions, shaping hiring plans that reflect reality rather than wish lists.
- Data and CRM capabilities support long-term talent relationships, even when immediate demand shifts.
- A measured approach to AI strengthens trust, balancing innovation with responsibility and data privacy.
From Order-Taker to Trusted Advisor
For Verleyen, the defining shift at Deloitte Belgium has been moving recruiters out of an operational mindset and into a consultative role. Rather than simply executing requisitions, recruiters actively advise the business on what’s feasible in the market: whether certain profiles exist, how long hiring might realistically take and when alternative skill sets could better serve the underlying need. This is recruiting as a strategic advisor in practice: grounded in market intelligence, shaped by data and delivered through ongoing conversation.
That advisory role is reinforced through experience design. Candidate feedback loops, hiring manager training and continuous process optimization ensure recruiting remains credible and responsive. Importantly, alignment doesn’t stop at hiring. Verleyen emphasizes that talent management, rewards and development must reinforce the same story recruiters tell candidates. Consistency across the talent journey builds trust—both externally and internally—and strengthens recruiting’s voice at the strategic table.
Looking ahead, Deloitte Belgium’s recruiters are increasingly equipped with data from internal systems, external market insights and CRM-driven talent pools. This allows them to anticipate needs, resurface relevant talent and adapt as business priorities change. In a consultancy where strategy evolves quickly, recruiting’s ability to stay aligned and advise rather than react has become a competitive advantage.
We don’t consider our recruiters to be just operational recruiters. They’re really trusted advisers to our business.”
Marteen Verleyen
Systems and Analytics Manager, Deloitte Belgium
Listen to the full episode to hear Marteen Verleyen and Dimitri Boylan discuss how recruiting can operate as a strategic advisor and drive closer alignment between talent and business strategy.
