For a no obligation confidential consultation, get in touch.
p. 0508 4 TALENT (482 536)
Kevin Chappell - Principal Director
0295-974739
kevin@talentnow.co.nz
Prior to setting up talentnow! I spent nearly fifteen years as Managing Director of a high profile and respected group of recruitment companies, Executive Taskforce, which had a strong market presence. I sold the company in 2006 and under this new ownership, the company went into liquidation in 2009.
I spent many years with recruitment organisations in Australia and New Zealand, a total of more than 30 years industry experience. In the mid-1980's, I saw a gap in the market and pioneered the concept of professional contracting (then called executive leasing) in New Zealand and led a strong market change to adopt a new way of staffing organisations with flexible resource.
I think "outside of the square" - it is one of today's requirements to be successful - and through this type of thinking, introduced new services such as recruitment on a time and materials basis and other innovations that have now become mainstream in the recruitment sector. I utilised radio as a medium to promote my previous company very successfully. People still remember years later some of the stories and the message.
In an industry usually plagued by high turnover, I was able to establish relationships that endure today - John for one. I also recognised that there are two "customers" - clients and candidates - and introduced general registration of candidates well in advance of what is now standard industry practice.
I established talentnow! in recognition of the increasing skill shortage in New Zealand's fast growth regional areas (and because I couldn't operate in Auckland post sale), with the view of developing it into a fully fledged national recruitment business with North and South Island representation. We have achieved this and introduced a new philosophy to recruitment - fair value supported by highly experienced and "aligned thinking" Associates. This has been instrumental in our success in securing a place on the All-of-Government panel.
I'm very proud to have some of New Zealand's most experienced recruitment professionals to work alongside.
John Keesing - Consulting Associate
021-649920
john@talentnow.co.nz
I entered the recruitment industry in 1997 with a specialist professional contracting firm established by Kevin. I'm a qualified Accountant with a Diploma in Business (Finance).
On being accepted into the Institute of Chartered Accountants of New Zealand I joined KPMG in London for a two-year stint doing auditing work mixed with the compulsory overseas experience. Accepting a senior accounting role for Ford Motor Company in Bermuda, I had responsibility for the co-ordination of a major part of Ford's worldwide insurance coverage. After several years I joined an independent management company on the island and managed the insurance, reinsurance, and treasury functions of several large captive companies for large US corporations - including a pool of Fortune 500 companies with difficult to insure casualty risks.
Returning to New Zealand I enjoyed a 10-year period with major New Zealand office equipment companies Fuji Xerox and Blue Star Group. My roles included National Administration Manager at Fuji Xerox with special responsibility for the finance company. I was then approached by the owners of Blue Star Group and became General Manager of the Groups finance company - a position I held until early 1997 when I joined the recruitment industry.
My focus is on providing relationship based solutions to the recruitment process and to seek to ensure lasting outcomes for both clients and candidates. I am a specialist in the recruitment of both permanent staff and professional contracting talent in the areas of HR, finance and administration, logistics, sales and marketing, project and general management. And I believe I'm effective in the range of positions from support staff to GM/CEO.
Murray Ramsay - Consulting Associate
027 4849493
murray.ramsay@talentnow.co.nz
I commenced in IT Recruitment in 1985 when I joined Wilson & White Associates Ltd. In 1987 with two others, we formed Qube Associates and I was a co-owner and Director through until 2005.
During my time with Qube, I specialised in Operations, Technical, Functional Consultants as well as Development, and also recruited for the Administration and Financial functions. I was also responsible for the marketing and selling in the IT Recruitment industry here in New Zealand, as well as overseas in South Africa, Britain and Australia. I formed Ramsay & Associates in 2006 specialising in IT Recruitment and have had associations with two Auckland based Companies.
Like the other Murray, I'm a Southerner, and was born and bred in Southland, attending Southland Boys High School and continuing my education at Lincoln University in the 1960's attaining an Agricultural Diploma in Wool Management. I played cricket for 43 years and was a playing member of the Howick Pakuranga Cricket Club for 16 years, one of the largest clubs in Auckland.
My belief is that recruitment has to offer clients fair value and highly competent service as we source and secure your most valuable asset - your people.
Neville Aitchison - Consulting Associate
021-816713
neville@talentnow.co.nz
I've had nearly thirty years experience in recruitment and it's exciting to throw my hat in with a group of experienced industry professionals delivering quality solutions with integrity and cost effectiveness. I'm big on ethical approaches and like to bring a strong relationship approach to assignments with clients and candidates.
I've accepted instructions in all areas of recruitment, in recent years primarily focused in the areas of local government and infrastructure - and a category called "other"! I've spent time as an elected member in local government and that first sparked my interest. That and the fact that the roles are so varied and interesting. Which means working hard to find the best people. "Best" meaning those outstanding people who fit the requirements of the role and the culture of the organisation.
I spent six years as the Recruitment Manager for J.Wattie Canneries, then came to Auckland as Sales Manager for the New Zealand Business School, promoting human resources consulting and staff training. They grew rapidly to thirty staff and 12,000 enrolments annually. My Management Consulting career began with Price Waterhouse in 1986, developing a strong interest in recruitment, organisational development and human resources management.
I like people, sports, reading, and fundraising for charities. My home has been Auckland for over twenty five years but I'm still a Canterbury lad at heart. I grew up there, went to school and university and learned the lasting value of friendships.
I have worked with and learned from some of the best people in the business. I'll be delighted to put my services, and those of the team at talentnow! at your disposal, making sure you win from day one.
Murray Carter - Consulting Associate
029-2007821
murray@talentnow.co.nz
Welcome to the Mainland! It's great to be part of a company blazing a new trail in cost effective and value for money recruitment. I reckon we must be the most experienced "young" recruitment company in New Zealand!
Speaking of experience, I've spent ten years in HR, recruiting great people for great companies in Auckland, Dunedin and Christchurch.
In Auckland I was National Sales Manager for the largest recruitment company on the planet managing a sales budget of $45m culminating in the total staffing for the Americas Cup 2000. It was also a privilege to serve for four years on the Board of the Sales and Marketing Institute.
In the 80's I completed a post graduate Diploma in Business Administration at the University of Canterbury and spent four years as a Business Consultant working with the owners of small to medium sized businesses advising on succession planning - developing exit strategies from the business. This has given me real insights into the challenges of business ownership and the critical importance of having the right people in the right positions on your "bus" as Jim Collins calls it in his highly recommended book on business management; "From Good to Great".
And for all you wonderful Southern people, I'm one of you! Brought up in St Clair, Dunedin and an Old Boy of Kings High School...
In talking to business owners and senior managers one thing is plain, the second decade of the 21st Century will be radically different to the first. "Productivity", "Cost Effectiveness" (read that as "Value for Money"), and "Accountability" are words that I hear used frequently. The same goes for us in the way we work with our clients and candidates. Lean, value add, and very results driven you could say...
We are getting more and more clients and candidates contacting us via Skype and are finding it a great way to meet "face-to-face". It's just one of the ways we connect across the country in a way to deliver outstanding service to both clients and candidates.
Mike Baker - Consulting Associate
027-2297777
mike.baker@talentnow.co.nz
Based in Wellingotn, I have over 35 years' experience within the IT industry, primarily in application development. Since the early 1990's I have specialised in providing recruitment services across all sectors of IT and Electronics.
The inevitability of redundancy saw me move into recruitment in the early 1990's specialising in the recruitment activities within the IT sector primarily in NZ. This involved sourcing candidates from both NZ and off shore for a wide variety of public and private sector clients. I started my first consultancy from scratch and built it up successfully over the next few years. I subsequently moved into a couple of other established agencies. More recently, with a business partner, I was running my own franchise-model recruitment agency that allowed people of a like mind to get into this business without the hassles of start-up.
I enjoy working with clients at a personal level to deliver solutions that allow them to progress with confidence. I have an attitude of "do it once, do it right" and I believe in building a strong relationship with clients to forge an enduring partnership. I am philosophically aligned with the talentnow! business model both from an operational perspective, as well as client interaction.
Kingsley Gainsford - Consulting Associate
027-4719442
kingsley.gainsford@talentnow.co.nz
I've done it all! From straight recruitment through to career management and outplacement, and this has given me a unique insight into all areas of talent management.
In my previous career experience, I spent the last 20 years in facilitation, training, recruitment and career development consulting, working with organisations and staff through change, restructure, outplacement, and redundancy. I hold a Graduate Certificate in Career Development and in this "sphere" specialising in change, outplacement services and career consulting, all which sits comfortably alongside recruitment.
During four of these 20 years, I was in a management role with a significant multi-national and set up and ran a very successful part of this company's business and in fact the business model was then "duplicated" throughout Australasia in their other business operations. In the late 1990's, I made a decision to "exit" the corporate world and become self-employed, and offered my services on a "contract consulting" basis and have continued on that basis ever since. This approach has complemented my other business interests which include running a successful Dance School with my wife.
I am totally committed to the concept that talentnow! offers in the market as this is how I have operated for many years within my own business.
In my "spare" time, I am a former New Zealand National and International Dance Champion and I am a Fellow and Examiner, Coach, International Adjudicator and NZ Championship Organiser in Dancesport.
Inge Chappell - Director Marketing & Technology
029-5622511
inge@talentnow.co.nz
I began my career in the recruitment industry in 1996, working as a Marketing Consultant to Morgan & Banks.
After gaining my degree in marketing and international business, I extended my experience in the professional services sector working in the non-for-profit, telecommunications and travel sectors as a Marketing Services Specialist before joining Kevin in his group of recruitment companies, where I held the position of Marketing Manager and subsequenty Marketing Director.
Today, I'm responsible for the Marketing and Technology side of the Talent Group business and have helped develop some of the cutting edge technology we have utilised in the talentnow! business model. And alongside this, I am also establishing myself as a Glass Artist in my spare time.
Brian Magill - Alliance Partner, Wellington
021-2601706
brian.magill@peoplesearch.co.nz
Brian has operated under the PeopleSearch brand in Wellington since 1996 and is highly respected by both clients and candidates in this market. He has had a long association with Principal Director, Kevin Chappell, through both talentnow! and his previous company, Executive Taskforce.
Brian subscribes to the same values as the talentnow! team - huge experience, top value service! Apart from that, Brian brings exceptional experience in the recruitment sector - some 30 years plus - so possesses strong networks and an acute understanding of the recruitment market in Wellington.
He has recruited for a diverse range of positions including Chief Executives, Chief Financial Officers, General Managers, Marketing and Sales Managers, International Business Managers, Project Managers, all types of Senior Accountant roles, Human Resources Managers, Advisors, HRIS professionals and all disciplines within the Information Technology areas. Brian is a Member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors, a Fellow of the Human Resources Institute, an Associate of the Institute of Management, and an Associate of the New Zealand Computer Society.
We are delighted to welcome Brian as part of our national network and look forward to his valued contribution to both Wellington and other national clients.
Isobel Crichton - Consulting Associate
027-2265556
isobel.crichton@talentnow.co.nz
I am a Consulting Associate in Christchurch focusing on the All-of-Government contract and am excited by the opportunity that this presents.
Recognising that people are one of the key contributing factors to successful business performance and growth, I am committed to achieving organisational goals through the quality selection, retention and development of people.
I have over fifteen years' experience as an HR Consultant, including four years in London. I have recruited a number of Chief Executive senior executives and other professionals within the Corporate and Government Sector. I graduated from Canterbury University with a Degree in Psychology, Political Science and Sociology and also undertook a one year Business Diploma course.
I have a strong alliance to the business philosophy of talentnow! I believe in developing true partnerships and am committed to improving the behaviours and business performance of both individuals and organisations whilst providing a fair value approach to the services I provide. I am also in the position to provide additional HR effectiveness consultancy services through Crichton Consulting.
Richard Gladwell - Consulting Associate
021-301030
richard.gladwell@talentnow.co.nz
I am a Consulting Associate in the Auckland Region. My specialisation is in IT and I have "joined forces" with Kevin and his team to strengthen this all important category.
I have in excess of 25 years' experience in IT contracting and recruitment, working for both multi-national and NZ owned companies. For ten years I worked for a large NZ owned software development and support company running a large contracting team. InfoTech Consulting has a number of long-standing relationships with major Auckland based corporate and consulting companies.
I support the talentnow! philosophy of offering a high value low cost business model that demystifies the unnecessary complications that the rest of our sector seems to subscribe to, and can offer a high level of experience that only my extensive experience can bring.
Rowan Larsen - Consulting Associate - AoG Specialist
021-02463490
rowan.larsen@talentnow.co.nz
I am very pleased to have joined talentnow! as a Consulting Associate providing specialist recruitment and related services support for the Government sector within the specified terms of the All-of-Government agreement.
I studied law at Auckland University taking an OE study break with my wife prior to my final year. Upon return, and discovering the beginning of our family was on its way, necessity prompted me to embark on a different career path.
I established a business in the garment industry supplying casual wear to well-known NZ retail chains as well as producing promotional item such as sports bags for both major breweries and Fay Richwhite's Americas Cup Challenge. The company operated successfully for 12 years until overseas competition forced a restructure and sale of the business.
With a specific plan to re-enter the corporate world, I joined Morgan and Banks in 1997. Progressing from being the organisation's top consultant I went on to spearhead an Australasian Account Management Project as part of the rebranded TMP Worldwide in 2003-4. I spent the last 5 years of my 12 years in total at Hudson Global Resources (as it was eventually rebranded a second time) as the manager of the Accounting and Finance Contracting team.
Upon leaving Hudson in 2009 I established my own HR support services consultancy which was engaged to assist with the Auckland Council transition project and which I still manage outside of my specialist role at talentnow!
Sylvia Casella - Consulting Associate
021-992892
sylvia.casella@talentnow.co.nz
I have known Kevin for some 20 years now as a business acquaintance and I have always been impressed with his professional abilities. My experience in the recruitment industry commenced in both permanent and contract placements.
I started my own consultancy and then joined the then Coopers & Lybrand which became PwC. I was very involved in executive and management recruitment. I was asked to lead the HR consulting practice within PwC and at that time I led two very significant central government change projects within Education and with the Defence Forces. I have also recruited within local government at senior level and I have worked with senior executives to establish leadership capability frameworks, KPI reviews as well as executive remuneration and relative HR initiatives. I have also attended numerous council meetings in my consulting capacity.
I am a very experienced senior recruiter and I have placed many senior managers and executives who I still keep in contact with and many who today, hold top roles within the marketplace.
I have also held the positions of General Manager People and Performance and Organisational Development Director within Education and Health.
I am happy to support Kevin in recruitment for the All-of-Government contract.
I can provide consultancy services through Casella Consulting to Agencies who require assistance with HR/OD and change management projects.
Helen Burns - Consulting Associate UK
I'm based in London and provide a unique opportunity for talentnow! clients to connect with the largest relevant talent pool in the world! And I know this business, having been in it predominantly for the last 23 years.
I started my career as a Temporaries Consultant for a leading private New Zealand business. After a break to travel, and trying a couple of other sectors, I returned to the recruitment industry in 1993 in the role of Major Accounts Manager for a major international, working with preferred supplier and key clients, prior to being promoted to Auckland Branch Manager.
Following this role, I met Kevin Chappell, joining Executive Taskforce as a Professional Contracting Consultant, before moving to the sister company, The Recruiters as General Manager, specialising in executive level permanent work.
Personal circumstances took me to Wellington, where I joined New Zealand's largest independent Finance and Accounting specialist recruitment company, in a variety of roles, culminating in running a branch for them.
For the past 10 years I have owned New Zealand's largest specialist business placing recruitment professionals into both agency and corporate HR teams. The business was successfully licenced out 3 years ago and recently sold to the licence holder.
In 2011, I moved to London, to undertake a Masters in Acting at East 15 Acting School. Recently I followed a dream and qualified as an actor, and alongside this sporadic work, I am now working as a specialist executive recruiter on a project by project basis.
Neil Dorset - Consulting Associate
021-367738
neil.dorset@talentnow.co.nz
From accounting to IT, sales and marketing, and company management, I've covered the broad spectrum, and this has set the foundation for my now ten years in recruitment.
Having started as an Accountant and Assistant Auditor, I was attracted to the IT environment in 1980, and have progressed through sales and marketing roles with Systems Integrators, setting up a company in the late 1980's specialising in Networking and Communications.
This company was subsequently absorbed into a major reseller where I was Sales Manager for a period of 7 years. Following this period I was Northern Regional GM for the largest reseller of Commercial software for Microsoft, with specialisation in Licensing Programs, during which time I set up and managed the Corporate division of the company until they decided to relocate this region's operations to Sydney.
Since then I have been involved as General Manager of 2 start-up development companies, designing their go-to-market strategies and international distribution models and re-aligning their product suite to reflect better business outcomes.
For the past 11 years I have been a Director and co-owner of a company specialising in facilitating business through people (beyond recruitment into areas such as venture funding, strategic planning, consultancy and channel strategies), primarily within the ICT environment, but not exclusively. During this time I have sourced exceptional talent for our clients from Executive through to ICT and Administration personnel.
Having been aligned with the ICT market for over 30 years has enabled me to build a significant network of key people to ensure that talent is highlighted including those not actively looking, ensuring the best possible placement.
I am happy to be a member of the team at talentnow! and support the AoG opportunity and look forward to assisting you with your requirements.
