Training first as a generalist, she made a tour of the firm's different groups before joining the energy and natural resources groups nine months ago.

Ms. Schramm of the human resources group said young people do not see their job as their identity.

The Parks Department formed the natural resources group 20 years ago to acquire and restore parkland.

Libreville, in fact, was ranked fourth among the world's most most expensive cities in a survey last year by a corporate resources group.

That group, up 2.8 percent, and the natural resources group, which barely broke even, up 0.1 percent, were the only two to show gains.

At the Bar: A South African legal resources group shifts gears.

Douglas Reynolds has joined the natural resources group as a managing director working with oil and natural gas companies.

That said, what is the best way for investors to tap into the natural resources group?

I have since been reassigned into the human resources group, with a variety of assignments.

Mr. Sperling said the firm planned to build up its strategic resources group even further by hiring other industry veterans.