Rachel is an accomplished talent acquisition professional with 18 years of experience connecting talent with opportunities across the UK and Middle East markets. Throughout her career, she has developed expertise across diverse sectors including PR, Finance, HR, Construction, Design, and Infrastructure, giving her a unique perspective on what drives success for both teams and individuals.
Known for her personalised approach , Rachel specialises in leading senior-level recruitment with a focus on creating meaningful matches that transform careers. She views each recruitment challenge as an opportunity to enhance the business while advancing individual career paths, a mindset that has consistently delivered results across different industries and cultures.
Her extensive experience spanning nearly two decades has established her as a trusted partner in talent acquisition, with particular strength in navigating the complexities of both UK and Middle East markets. Rachel commitment to understanding the unique needs of her team, combined with her cross-sector expertise, enables her to identify and secure exceptional talent that drives growth in the business and individual success.
What’s a recent professional achievement of yours that you are proud of?
Being selected to join the newly formed Global AI Council at Jacobs has been a recent professional achievement I’m genuinely proud of. It’s recognition of the work I’ve put into staying ahead of AI developments in talent acquisition, from transitioning our approaches with tools like Copilot and participating in LinkedIn AI Hiring Assistant testing, to actively implementing these technologies in practical ways that improve our recruitment outcomes. What makes it particularly meaningful is the opportunity it gives me to contribute to shaping how Jacobs approaches AI innovation in TA globally, not just in my region. I’m excited about being part of conversations that will influence our strategic direction and help position Jacobs at the forefront of talent acquisition technology. It also aligns perfectly with my commitment to continuous learning and bringing industry insights back to practical application, which has been a consistent focus throughout my career development.
What is your prediction for the future of the TA industry?
AI is going to fundamentally change talent acquisition by automating candidate sourcing, screening, and initial assessments. This frees us up to focus on building relationships with hiring managers, evaluating cultural fit, and understanding technical requirements properly. We’ll see faster hiring cycles, better candidate matching through predictive analytics, and reduced bias through data-driven decisions.
For the TA industry as a whole, we’re moving toward a future where AI handles the volume work like processing applications, identifying skills matches, and conducting initial assessments. This means TA professionals need to evolve from process administrators to strategic talent advisors who understand business needs deeply and focus on the human elements AI can’t replicate: cultural assessment, stakeholder consultation, and workforce planning.
The challenge isn’t whether AI will transform TA, it’s how quickly we adapt to use it effectively. It’s not about replacing the human element, it’s about using AI to handle the heavy lifting so we can focus on what actually matters: proper stakeholder consultation, building trust, and making the right matches between talent and opportunity. The TA professionals who thrive will be those who combine technology adoption with strong relationship-building and strategic thinking capabilities.
What projects are you planning on working on in 2026?
In 2026, I’m focused on several key projects. Being part of the Global AI Council development means I’ll be contributing to ensuring compliance and establishing best practices for AI adoption across Jacobs’ TA function globally. I’m particularly interested in translating AI innovation into practical applications that improve recruitment outcomes.
The roll out of LinkedIn Hiring Assistant and enhancing hiring manager collaboration with TA is something I’m keen to support, especially given the training and knowledge transfer work we’ve been doing around LinkedIn optimisation and automation. I see real opportunity to help teams leverage these tools effectively.
Talent attraction strategy continues to be a priority, particularly around building systematic approaches that can be scaled and shared across regions.
Nationalisation remains a clear focus, especially Saudisation where we’ve made progress but recognise there’s more work to be done. I’m also keen for the team to explore broader GCC nationals sourcing as a way to complement our nationalisation objectives and build stronger regional talent pipelines.