REC News Updates

‘JOB DONE AT REC’ – MD MOVES ON

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation has today announced the pending departure of its Managing Director, Gareth Osborne. After three successful years at the helm, Gareth leaves the REC a financially secure organisation having grown membership by 51% and turnover by 49% during his tenure. The REC has achieved a substantial turnaround under his stewardship, underlined by the recent winning of two prestigious awards at the CBI’s Trade Association Forum and the glowing testament to its successes by Employment Relations Minister, Jim Fitzpatrick MP, at its One-in-a-Million event in June.

Richard Barfield, Chairman of REC said: ‘It has been a tremendous three years and REC has grown from strength to strength. REC is now one of the largest trade associations in the country, reflecting the importance to the UK economy of the £24 billion turnover recruitment industry.”

Gareth Osborne said, “I have had a fantastic time growing and leading the REC and shaping the strategic future of the recruitment industry. I have been hugely impressed by the energy and entrepreneurialism of many of the owner/operators in membership and have loved meeting and working with them over the 3 years. There are still massive issues ahead for the industry and none more important than the need to regain margins and protect against the threat from external vendors. Still, it is the right time for me to move on and I wish the industry and REC every success in the future. I leave REC with the resources to achieve great things and a membership eager to support it.”

The REC will be managed in the interim by Marcia Roberts, the Deputy Chief Executive, as the Board conducts a recruitment process to find Gareth’s successor.

End

For more information, contact the REC Press Office, 0845 3700655 or Alison Henderson, Press Manager, the REC, 020 7009 2157.

Photographs of Gareth Osborne are available on request.

NOTES TO EDITORS:
Gareth Osborne joined REC as its Managing Director in January 2003. During that time he has brought to bear his strong and focused strategic business skills to lead a swift and impressive recovery of the business; including the establishment of a robust financial position, with annual surpluses throughout his term, and impressive reserves. He fashioned a membership offering that has resulted in growth of over 50%, an increase in turnover by 49% and the creation of a talented executive management team, many of whom are capable of succeeding him in the post.

Gareth also created a much higher profile for REC, winning the respect of Members, Government and external influencers alike, creating a relevant and professional image for the industry and an award winning trade association; CBI Trade Association Awards (2004/5/6). He substantially enhanced the package of services and benefits for Members and developed a regional sub-structure to ensure a solid delivery of the REC messages across the UK. Under his stewardship many businesses that had previously abandoned REC membership returned to participate in the new enlightened regime, including blue chip leaders. He founded a number of other profitable subsidiary companies offering arms’ length services to Members. He represented REC in Europe on the Board of our European lobbying body, CIETT, and spoke at both national and international conferences for industry and government.

He worked tirelessly to enhance the professionalism of the industry and its trade body. He intelligently used REC surpluses to structure and launch the first ever degree in recruitment practice, pioneered the creation and establishment of an industry research unit (rapidly gaining national acclaim for its ground breaking work) and introduced a self-regulated auditing protocol to overcome criticism of weaknesses in the industry.

He also relocated REC to a new prestigious head office in 2006.

Gareth has been a dynamic, creative and innovative leader at REC. He leaves the business with an impressive strategy for the future and the resources to achieve its goals.

www.rec.uk.com, 07.04.06

To send us your comments on this article contact us >

E-mail: administrator@recruitmenttimes.co.uk