Matt Buckland has spent more than 20 years leading Talent Acquisition and People teams across technology, energy, engineering, and financial services. His career has taken him from scaling trading desks in London to building future energy teams in the Middle East. With experience spanning start-ups, scale-ups, and global consultancies, he brings a rare perspective on how to hire, retain, and inspire people across a wide variety of organisational contexts.
What’s a recent professional achievement of yours that you are proud of?
At GHD Matt increased the number of offers made by 150% with a reduced team and raise direct recruitment to be 80% of source of hire.
What is your prediction for the future of the TA industry?
AI will dominate the transactional layer. Screening CVs, scheduling interviews, parsing skills, and even generating tailored outreach will become increasingly automated. For candidates, this will mean faster responses and fewer bottlenecks, but also the risk of a more sterile experience if left unchecked.
The human recruiter’s role will move up the value chain. Rather than being measured by speed or volume alone, recruiters will be valued for judgement, influence, and the ability to shape meaningful candidate and stakeholder experiences. Building trust, telling a compelling employer story, and offering guidance in moments of uncertainty are things technology cannot easily replicate.
What projects are you planning on working on in 2026?
Getting back into employment! Moving and acclimatising to the Middle East