Morgan McKinley, a global talent services expert, has appointed Chris Lawton as UK Senior Managing Director. He joins with nearly two decades of recruitment leadership experience and will lead the UK business, with a focus on client relationships, people development and developing Morgan McKinley's workforce solutions offering.
Lawton spent 18 years at Robert Half, where he moved through a series of senior leadership roles across the UK and Europe, running large teams spanning Finance, Technology, Risk, Compliance, Legal and Business Support. Most recently, Lawton took on the role of VP, working with senior leadership across Europe to shape the businesses permanent recruitment strategy.
Chris Lawton, UK Managing Director, Morgan McKinley, commented: “I’m really excited to be joining Morgan McKinley at such a strong point in its UK growth journey. I saw a highly reputable international business with a strong brand and great client relationships. I was impressed by the ambition of the leadership team and the opportunity to build on what’s already working well.
“My first priority is to listen and understand the business properly: our people, our clients, what we do exceptionally well and where the biggest opportunities exist. From there, we'll focus on strengthening our core recruitment businesses, developing deeper and more strategic client relationships, moving further up the value chain and using technology and AI intelligently to improve productivity. Growth isn't simply about doing more - it's about being clear on where we can genuinely differentiate ourselves.”
Kurt Schreurs, Chief Revenue Officer at Org Group (parent of Morgan McKinley), said: “Chris brings extensive recruitment leadership experience and a strong track record of building teams and client relationships. His appointment strengthens our UK leadership team and brings valuable experience as we continue to grow the business and develop our workforce solutions offering.”
Lawton began his career in Bristol, spending six years focused on Finance & Accounting in the South West before moving to London and taking on broader leadership responsibilities. Throughout his career, he has focused on developing high-performing teams and delivering sustainable growth.
His appointment comes as Morgan McKinley continues to develop its recruitment and workforce solutions capabilities in the UK, supporting organisations with permanent recruitment, contract recruitment, executive search and wider talent solutions.
