John began his career in retail before moving into sales and then business operations. His entrepreneurial spirit later led him to start his own property refurbishment business — a venture he loved and poured his heart into. Although, life threw him a curveball when unforeseen circumstances brought that chapter to an end, it ultimately set him on the path to discovering his true passion.
Almost 20 years ago, John found his calling in recruitment — and he’s never looked back. He genuinely loves what he does for a living. His enthusiasm for the talent acquisition world extends far beyond the day-to-day; John regularly attends TA events, meet-ups, and conferences, believing that learning never truly stops.
Over the years, John has seen the world of talent acquisition evolve beyond recognition — and that’s exactly what excites him. He’s driven by continuous improvement, marginal gains, and innovation, all of which form the foundation of his approach to Talent Acquisition and leadership.
What’s a recent professional achievement of yours that you are proud of?
Last summer the Global TA Team at YouGov was cut from 21 heads to 10 as a result of redundancies across the business following a profit warning.
I inherited the team as the most senior person remaining. Some highlights include:
1. Delivery: increasing monthly hires from 35 per month to 58 per month with 50% less heads
2. Costs: (a) Reduced cost per hire from average of £4,960 to £2,150. (b) Achieved savings (after all TA costs) £3.77M
3. Employer Brand & EVP: Created and launched an EB & EVP Playbook
What is your prediction for the future of the TA industry?
Two key predictions:
1. Senior Leaders in companies will start increasing their knowledge and appreciation of the scope of TA
2. The above may in part be triggered by the need to embrace the use of AI with compliance, governance & risk.
The global economy will play a part in dictating the resources TA functions will have in 2026.
What projects are you planning on working on in 2026?
After securing my next TA Leadership role, I will be using the ‘TA Menu’ I created to assess and identify which projects will be prioritised aligned with business needs.