Top jobs getting difficult to fill

In the past, international companies offset local managerial shortages by bringing in Taiwan- and Hong Kong-born executives, hiring Chinese-born graduates returning from international universities or sending out expatriates, the Financial Times reported, adding that these managers can lack an instinct for local markets.

Cash-strapped global companies are also starting to balk at the cost of sending out expatriates, the newspaper said.

For the report, released on Tuesday, AESC analyzed 142 responses from AESC executive search consultants around the world.

Africa dislodged Brazil in the report as the second most likely region to experience a second-half executive-talent shortage, 34.2 percent to 21.9 percent. Next on the list was Latin America, at 19.3 percent, followed by Southeast Asia (18.4 percent), India (18.4 percent), and the United States (16.7 percent).

The sectors expected to experience the greatest demand for senior executive talent in the second half of the year are healthcare/life sciences, energy/natural resources and manufacturing, according to the report.

Search consultants in the Americas have the most positive outlook for the search industry going into the second half of this year, the report said.

Felix said optimism among AESC member companies is at a two-year high and indicates "an upward trend".

He added: "It is clear that the American economy is on the move again, and with more encouraging indicators from parts of Europe and the developing world, it is likely that organizations will ramp up their senior recruiting efforts."