I have always seen my role as being about far more than identifying and appointing the best talent. A significant part of what I do is advise — bringing market intelligence, industry knowledge and a genuine understanding of the specific roles, businesses and people within the sector.
KHA has been hugely successful over the years however I made a very deliberate decision to keep the business small and bespoke. I am an extremely values-driven individual and protecting the reputation and relationships we have built has always been more important to me than becoming a large organisation.
We have never headhunted from a client's business. Maintaining principles like this becomes increasingly difficult with a large team, particularly in such a tight-knit industry and one which has contracted significantly.
Over the years, individuals have frequently told me that they will speak to us but they won’t engage with other search firms. I believe that comes down to the long-term relationships we have built and the way we conduct ourselves — with trust and transparency.
I have a genuine passion for both the housing industry and the people within it. Many of the individuals I work with today are people I have known for a significant part of their careers, and I thrive on the challenge of matching the right people with the right business, culture and opportunity.
We have extensive experience appointing Board-level professionals for both established PLCs and SMEs, but one of the areas we particularly enjoy is helping businesses build something new — whether that is launching a new region, establishing a new division, moving into a new tenure or diversifying into a new area of the market.
Ultimately, my approach has always been very simple: know the market, know the people and do things the right way. After more than 20 years, I still genuinely love what I do — and take enormous pride in the businesses and careers we have helped shape along the way.
