SI 100 Europe - 2017, British -

Paul Venables is group finance director of Hays plc. As a USA-qualified chartered accountant, he started his career as a senior manager at Deloitte & Touche’s US practice. This was followed by a 13-year career at Exel plc, where he held a number of senior finance and operational roles, including deputy group finance director; he was also a member of the executive board of Exel plc and chairman of its acquisitions and project review board. Following the acquisition of Exel plc by Deutsche Post, Venables worked in its DHL Logistics division before joining Hays plc. Until July 2015, Venables was senior independent nonexecutive director of Wincanton plc.

SI 100 Europe - 2017, British -

Gary Elden, CEO of SThree, was awarded by the queen in 2016 with an Officer for the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in recognition of his services to diversity in business. A year earlier he won the prestigious Black British Business Person of the Year award.

Elden has been CEO of SThree since January 2013, after serving as its deputy CEO since May 2012. Before that, Elden was SThree’s chief strategy officer. He has held a number of senior positions, including that of founding managing director of Huxley Associates. As chief strategy officer, he was responsible for the expansion of the group’s international operations and non-ICT disciplines. Elden joined SThree’s IT recruitment brand, Computer Futures, as a recruitment consultant in 1990.

SI 100 Europe - 2017, British -

Phil Cooper’s experience includes 20 years in the human capital and workforce management industry spanning markets all over the globe. In his current role as VP, operations, EMEA for Allegis Global Solutions, Cooper is responsible for delivering solutions for global clients that integrate multiple technology partners and suppliers, while also managing programs and client implementations. In May 2017, Cooper led the expansion of AGS operations to Birmingham, England, creating more than 100 new jobs in the city. Cooper is passionate about affecting those around him, whether it’s acting as the company’s EMEA executive sponsor for diversity and inclusion, leading senior leader customer roundtable discussions or helping clients solve their talent acquisition challenges.

SI 100 Europe - 2017, British -

Phil Sheridan is senior managing director, UK, Middle East and South America, with Robert Half International. Sheridan trained with Ernst & Young before he joined Robert Half in 1996, where he focused on accounting and finance recruitment, progressing to regional director in 2000 and managing director in 2005. His background in finance has been instrumental in developing and executing strategy, helping the business successfully navigate the challenges of recent years.

SI 100 Europe - 2017, British -

Andrew Preston joined de Poel healthcare in 2013 as managing director and was responsible for a period of significant growth, which led to his appointment in 2015 as group managing director. Following a September 2016 management buyout, which he led, Preston became CEO and is currently delivering record revenue and double-digit EBITDA growth for the UKbased firm. Preston has worked in healthcare and the wider public sector for almost 20 years after starting his career in the National Health Service. An experienced business leader with a global health background — including the sale of his own clinical service business to global service provider Serco Group plc — Preston has experience in growth and development of FTSE 100 companies, PLCs, private equity-backed and private organisations.