Financial services recruitment around the world was broadly robust last year - albeit with some exceptions linked to the UK's Brexit vote.

A worldwide survey of hiring trends by Robert Walters, the professional recruitment firm, showed high demand for people skilled in compliance, risk and legal areas of financial services, reflecting the continuing upsurge in regulatory activity in recent years. More generally, and across all sectors, 2016 was a strong year for hiring, despite regional issues such as the UK's Brexit vote and the impact on its financial sector.

Many countries experienced a shortage of candidates in areas such as compliance, the firm said in an annual survey of trends across sectors including banking and wider financial services.

"Hiring managers looking to secure top talent in 2017 are advised to shorten recruitment processes, and offer competitive salaries, flexible working and career development opportunities," it said in its recent report. The salary survey is drawn from Robert Walters' coverage of 27 countries across the globe.

More broadly and across all sectors, the report said many markets logged a rise in hiring activity last year, with economies able to shrug off uncertainties around the UK vote to leave the European Union in June and the election cycle in the US.

In Southeast Asia, for example, Robert Walters said recruitment was strong. "There was further pressure on already limited talent pools, particularly in Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines, with countries focusing on tempting overseas professionals back home," it said.

"Salaries continued to rise with some sectors offering average increases of 25-30 per cent for those moving companies. Japan too continued to face significant talent shortages as unemployment declined and demand outstripped supply, leading to a sustained lack of specialists across many sectors and increasing pressure on salaries. As the globalisation of both foreign-affiliated and Japanese companies progressed, bilingual professionals were in highest demand," it noted.

The report said financial services in the UK went through a difficult period amid the Brexit vote, and there are uncertainties over what the country's departure from the EU will bring. Non-finance sector hiring was less affected by Brexit, it said.

Turning to the US, the report said: "Across the US hiring managers were cautious in the first part of the year but overall recruitment levels remained buoyant. There was growing appetite for digital media and technology skills as well as rising demand for accountants with compliance and regulatory backgrounds."