SI 100 Europe - 2021, British -

Albert Ellis is CEO of Staffline, which supplies approximately 40,000 staff per day to around 450 client sites across industries such as agriculture, supermarkets, drinks, driving, food processing, logistics and manufacturing. With extensive experience in developing successful growth strategies, Ellis joined the group as the non-executive director and attained his current position in October 2020. He previously served as CEO of recruitment firm Harvey Nash Group before its sale in 2018 and has held senior finance roles at Hays plc. Ellis is a popular speaker at news programmes and is a trustee and advisor to Asia House.

Staffing 100 Europe | 2021

SI 100 Europe - 2017, British -

Carmen Watson joined Pertemps in 1976 as a secretary and by 1983 progressed to the boardroom as commercial director. From 1983 to 2000, Watson was responsible for the formation of a corporate business team and turnover grew tenfold to £323 million from £32 million. In 2000, Watson was named managing director and then became chairperson in 2012. A long-term supporter of diversity in the workplace, she is one of the foremost speakers on the value of women in the boardroom.

SI 100 Europe - 2018, British -

Farida Gibbs founded Gibbs Hybrid in 2005 as a privately held, globally certified woman-owned and ethnic minority-owned business. The company has achieved a CAGR of 29% year on year and US$100 million in revenue providing talent management services, programme technology solutions and outsourcing. Gibbs supports the “Women of the Future” Ambassadors Programme, sits on the advisory board for Mosaic Princes Trust and is a member of the WBE Council. Gibbs’ other recognitions include: E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year, Brummell 30 Inspirational City of London Women Entrepreneurs and Business Woman of the Year.

SI 100 Europe - 2018, British -

Early in his career, Alan Savage worked his way through the engineering ranks as a mechanical technician. Then, following a stint as a sales and marketing consultant, he formed Orion Group in 1987 to provide personnel to the booming engineering sector. Based in Inverness, Orion Group employs more than 400 staff worldwide and manages more than 4,000 contractors annually throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. The award-winning group now operates across a number of industry sectors: oil and gas, nuclear, rail, office and commercial, renewables, IT, mining, construction, and the sciences. Savage is a former chairman of Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club.

SI 100 Europe - 2018, British -

As chief commercial officer of Alexander Mann Solutions, Matthew Rodger is responsible for the performance of the Advanced Workforce Solutions division containing AMS’s most complex outsourcing arrangements. He is also accountable for the commercialisation of all products, services and partnerships and for corporate M&A activity. Rodger joined AMS in 2001 as sales director and has held a number of roles including COO APAC and managing director, contingent workforce solutions. He was recognised by the Association of Professional Staffing Companies for Outstanding Contribution in 2012 for championing APSCode, the RPO and MSP code of conduct. His 27-year staffing sector career started with an IT recruitment business where he became the UK sales director.

SI 100 Europe - 2019, British -

Nigel Heap is regional managing director at Hays, responsible for the UK, Ireland, EMEA and Australia/New Zealand businesses. He joined Hays UK in 1988 as a trainee consultant. By 1997, he was managing director of Hays Australia, and subsequently expanded operations to New Zealand, Hong Kong, China, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia. Heap became managing director of Asia Pacific in 2006 and has been UK & Ireland managing director and chairman of the Asia Pacific business since 2012. In 2017, he assumed responsibility for 11 countries in Europe and the Middle East as well as the UK. In July 2018, Heap appointed a new managing director for Hays’ UK and Ireland business, but he retains responsibility for that region as well as EMEA and Australia/New Zealand businesses on the Hays management board.

SI 100 Europe - 2014, British -

Nick Cox became Hays’ managing director for Continental Europe and Rest of the World (CERoW), in 2006, reporting directly to the CEO. As one of Hay’s three operating divisions, CERoW comprises 22 countries out of 32 in the Group. Cox joined Hays in 1983 working in the accountancy and finance/banking division as a recruitment consultant, progressing to regional director and then U.K. director. He was made managing director (U.K. and Europe) for Hays Information Technology in 1997. He was promoted to Hays U.K. board director in 2003, responsible for seven specialisms,including HR, sales and marketing and contact centres.

SI 100 Europe - 2022, British -

As group finance officer of Hays plc since 2006, Paul Venables helped transform the company into the £6.59 billion global specialist recruiter it is today: With four divisions and 253 offices in 32 countries, Hays is the sixth-largest staffing firm in the world, according to SIA. A chartered accountant, Venables started his career at Deloitte & Touche, followed by a 13-year career at Exel plc, where he held several senior finance and operational roles, including deputy group finance director and executive board member. Venables retired from Hays in September and currently is a non-executive director and audit committee chair of Manchester Airports Group.

Staffing 100 Europe | 2022

SI 100 Europe - 2020, British -

Staffing 100 Europe | 2020

As COO of NES Global Talent since 2008, Simon Coton has been a key part of the executive team, delivering the sale to private equity funds advised by AEA Investors in 2012, securing a number of refinancing deals, and making seven strategic and value-adding acquisitions. During his tenure, NES expanded its operations to 66 physical locations around the globe, expanded its sector focus, and grew its turnover to more than $1.8 billion. Most recently, he helped facilitate the September 2020 merger with technical recruitment firm Fircroft to form NES Fircroft, of which he remains COO. He first joined NES in 1995 as a recruiter.

SI 100 Europe - 2020, British -

Staffing 100 Europe | 2020

Elite Leaders Chairman John O’Sullivan has worked in senior leadership roles within some of the top global recruitment firms in the market. In 1996 he founded Best International Group, based in London, which grew to £130 million in revenue in 18 months and was then sold to Spring Group in 2003. He now serves as non-executive director, strategic advisor and chairman for various recruitment firms. He specialises in achieving rapid and sustainable growth, both organic and by acquisition. In 2008, O’Sullivan bought the Elite Leaders Group, a peer-to-peer learning and personal development forum for the owners and directors of independent recruitment companies.