Alex is an accomplished talent acquisition professional with a career spanning APAC, Europe, and the Americas. She has a proven track record of building and leading lean, high-performing TA teams that deliver measurable commercial impact.
Specialising in start-up and scale-up environments within technology-driven businesses, Alex thrives on creating structure, discipline and strategic focus. Her leadership enables recruitment functions to evolve into embedded, trusted, and respected partners to their hiring communities, driving sustainable growth and long-term business success.
What’s a recent professional achievement of yours that you are proud of?
My recruitment team consists of just two people (me and one other), responsible for managing all hiring across the bank (excluding C-suite roles). Despite our lean structure, we’ve filled 168 vacancies so far this year – 100% through direct sourcing, without the use of recruitment agencies. This has delivered an estimated £1 million in savings on agency fees alone.
We’ve also maintained a strong gender balance among new hires, with 45% female and 55% male – a noteworthy achievement in the banking sector. Additionally, we’ve consistently exceeded our time-to-offer target, achieving an average of 30 days, well below the bank’s goal of 40 days.
These results have been driven by implementing an effective TA tech stack, automating key processes, and building deep trust with hiring managers and internal partners – particularly with finance, one of our strongest advocates.
What is your prediction for the future of the TA industry?
I don’t expect the economic landscape to improve dramatically over the next year, which means Talent Acquisition teams will need to continue educating hiring communities about the realities candidates are facing in today’s market.
The conversation around AI in recruitment will persist, but I believe it will begin to stabilise. We’ll increasingly leverage AI to streamline processes and enhance candidate interactions, but ultimately, it’s the human element and our ability to build relationships, assess potential, and influence outcomes, that will remain critical to our success.
Looking ahead, we’ll also need to rethink how we attract and develop emerging talent. As AI reshapes certain roles, it will be vital to design meaningful career pathways that ensure younger professionals can grow, adapt, and thrive in an evolving world of work.
What projects are you planning on working on in 2026?
Implementation of Workday across People Tech Systems
Lead the end-to-end implementation of Workday, ensuring seamless integration across all People technology systems. Partner with cross-functional teams to streamline data flows, enhance reporting accuracy, and improve the overall employee and hiring manager experience. Deliver a scalable platform that supports efficient recruitment, onboarding, and talent management processes.
Job Grading and Revaluation Across the Bank
Oversee a comprehensive review and revaluation of all job roles across the bank to ensure internal equity, market competitiveness, and compliance with regulatory requirements. Collaborate with senior leadership and finance to introduce a clear, transparent job grading framework that supports career progression and fair compensation practices.
Building Out Tandem’s Early Careers Offering
Design and launch Tandem’s first Early Careers program, establishing pathways for graduates, interns, and entry-level talent. Develop partnerships with universities and industry bodies, create structured development plans, and embedded mentorship opportunities to support long-term talent growth and retention.
Maintaining a 100% Direct Fill Rate During Scale-Up
Sustain a 100% direct hiring model during a high-growth phase for the bank, filling all roles without the use of external agencies. This approach generates significant cost savings, strengthening the employer brand, and deepening trust between the TA function and business leaders.
Enhancing Employer Brand Across Indeed and Glassdoor
Drive a targeted employer branding initiative focused on improving the bank’s visibility and reputation on key platforms such as Indeed and Glassdoor. Collaborate with Marketing and Communications to refresh content, amplify employee voices, and respond proactively to feedback, hopefully resulting in improved engagement and perception among both candidates and current employees.
Reimagining the Employee Referral Scheme
Redesign the bank’s referral program to increase participation, improve candidate quality, and strengthen internal advocacy. Introduce a more transparent and engaging process with enhanced recognition for referrers, leading to higher-quality hires and improved time-to-hire metrics.