David Kelly is a passionate talent acquisition leader with extensive experience in driving global recruitment strategies across industries such as Sports, Health, Food, Financial Services, Digital and Technology scopes and Consumer Goods. As the Director of Talent Acquisition at GMG, he focuses on building diverse, high-performing teams and aligning hiring efforts with business growth.
David’s career includes impactful roles at organizations like Etihad Airways, Dubai Tourism, and Bank of America Merrill Lynch, where he helped attract top talent and foster organizational success. With a degree in Sports and Exercise Science from the University of Essex and Chartered MCIPD accreditation, David combines strategic insight with a genuine passion for people, creating meaningful connections and delivering exceptional candidate experiences.
Outside of work, David is a keen sportsman with a big passion for skiing and golf.
What’s a recent professional achievement of yours that you are proud of?
Restructured the Talent function for the British Council and GMG to support the business objectives to drive direct revenue and create positive experiences for our customers.
What is your prediction for the future of the TA industry?
Technology has taken over and once the AI and automation evolution is complete, the focus will be more on assessment and establishing quality, skilled talent that add the most value.
What projects are you planning on working on in 2026?
Talent assessment, employer branding, blended workforce and further Automation