Garth Saville, Founder & Director, The EA Agency | The CEO Magazine

For Garth Saville, CEO of The EA Agency, people have always been a source of fascination – one that has evolved into a successful career and earned him the nickname ‘the EA whisperer’.

“I can usually tell within a few minutes of meeting someone what makes them tick,” he tells The CEO Magazine.

There is an essential sales component to the business model, but Saville stresses that the dollar signs are not what gets him out of bed.

“The relationships are – building them, looking after them and still being in touch with people 10 or 20 years down the track,” he says.

The nature of his work is deeply meaningful given the intensity of the relationship between a CEO and their executive assistant (EA) – to the extent that Saville describes it as the “ultimate matchmaking”.

“An EA often spends more time with their CEO than anyone else in the business does, sometimes more than the CEO’s own family,” he points out. “There has to be chemistry and there has to be respect. If either one is missing, everyone knows it pretty quickly.”

When it comes to what makes a good EA, Saville is well versed. It’s about more than doing what they are asked to do.

“The exceptional ones know what’s needed before anyone asks, sometimes before the CEO has even worked it out,” he explains.

“It all comes down to judgment. They can read a room in seconds and know when to step in and when to fade into the background. They’re discreet, calm when everything’s on fire, and brave enough to say ‘I don’t think that’s a good idea’ when their CEO is about to walk into a wall.

“They think like their executive without ever trying to be the executive.”

Vital recognition

Despite the importance of an EA’s role within an organization, their work is often overlooked – an injustice Saville is determined to address. The problem is that a great EA often makes their work look effortless.

“When an EA is really good, you never see the work,” he says. “Nobody notices the fire that never started or the crisis that got sorted before anyone knew about it. It all just happens and that’s exactly why it gets taken for granted.”

That’s why, beyond recruitment, Saville prioritizes providing a space for EAs to develop and grow in a way that their workplaces may not allow.

“My EA events have become the hottest ticket in town, a room full of the country’s best EAs connecting, sharing ideas and learning from each other,” he reveals. “The energy is fantastic.”

He has also started the EA Mentors Club, a trusted space where experienced EAs can swap ideas, vent in confidence and mentor the next generation coming through.

“This profession deserves a spotlight and I’m more than happy to hold it,” he says.

The right fit

When it comes to putting a CEO and an EA together, there is no one-size-fits-all approach, according to Saville.

“Some execs want to be managed, some want to be challenged and some just want everything to quietly work,” he points out.

“The same brilliant EA can be perfect for one leader and completely wrong for another.”

That’s where he comes in. His talent lies in reading between the lines. While a CV can tell him where someone has been, it doesn’t reveal a person’s true capabilities.

“How do they talk about their old bosses? What made them proud and what drove them mad? And when I throw them a question they didn’t see coming, do they freeze, fluster or lean in?” he says.

“My job is to ask the questions nobody else asks, on both sides. That includes asking the client, ‘What are you actually like to work for?’ Chemistry isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s the whole job.”

Built on trust

Saville’s own direct style is an important part of the equation, delivering substance in place of corporate jargon.

“What you see is what you get,” he declares. “That attracts people who value honesty over polish.”

This approach saves time all around. Not only do The EA Agency’s clients know exactly where they stand, but candidates can also relax and show their true selves.

“Recruitment is serious,” he says.

Having the right people in place is a pillar of any organization’s success, with the EA a particularly crucial role. That’s why, if a role isn’t right for someone, Saville will say so, even if it costs him a placement.

“People remember that. They also know I get the best roles in the market, supporting some of the most influential leaders in the country,” he says. “Am I selective about who I represent? Absolutely. That’s why I’ve lasted this long.”

Some of the EAs Saville placed early in their careers now run CEO offices, and a few are the ones now calling him to hire or simply refer a friend or ask for advice.

“None of that happens if every conversation is about the next deal,” he says. “Trust takes years to build and it’s the only thing this business really runs on. I’m recruitment without the bulls***.”

At the end of the day, people’s careers and livelihoods are on the line – a responsibility Saville takes incredibly seriously, while also weaving in an element of fun.

“It doesn’t have to be stiff and I genuinely love what I do. People can feel that,” he says. “When styles, pace and personalities click, that’s where the magic happens. Getting that match right still gives me a buzz after all these years.”