Mike Ruddock joins Acorn

Former Welsh Grand Slam rugby coach Mike Ruddock has begun a new career in business by joining Acorn, Walesí foremost recruitment and training specialist and one of leading agencies in the UK.

Mike joins as Acornís new Commercial Development Manager, where he will play a key role in helping the company achieve its ambition of increasing annual turnover from 40m to more than 100m in the next three years.

Matt Southall, Acornís Managing Director and founder, said, ìTo have secured Mikeís services is great news for our company. He brings particular skills and abilities as well as enormous respect earned during his days as one of the worldís top rugby coaches.

ìMike joins Acorn at a very exciting time for the business. We have set ourselves an ambitious growth target, which weíll meet by growing the current business as well as seeking investment opportunities.î

Mikeís role will involve him working closely with Acornís business development team as well as working with its training and learning division in developing the leadership and management programmes that Acorn delivers on behalf of many of its clients.

A hard-working back-row player, his playing career at Blaina, Tredegar and Swansea was cut short by an industrial accident that saw him turn to coaching at an early age.
He began his coaching career at Blaina and had spells at Cross Keys and Irish club Bective Rangers before finding success in charge at Swansea.

He built a team that beat the world champion Wallabies in 1992 and won league titles in 1992 and 1994. After claiming the Welsh Cup in 1995 and acting as Alex Evansí assistant at the World Cup, Mike headed for a new challenge in Ireland, taking over at Leinster in 1997. With Leinster he won the Inter-provincial Cup in 1997 and had spells coaching with Ireland and Ireland A.

After a spell as Ebbw Vale and Wales A coach, he was handed the top Wales job two years ago and set about building the team that won the 2005 Grand Slam.

Mike said, ìAcorn has been one of the outstanding business successes in Wales during the last decade, during which time they have also contributed an enormous amount to Welsh sport.

ìIt is a very strong and successful business, which is enjoying success across the UK and I look forward to becoming involved in many aspects of the business, both in helping develop new opportunities and helping to provide a service to existing clients.î

For temporary, contract and permanent recruitment and the provision of quality independent training across a range of sectors, Acorn is the outstanding leader in Wales.

Established in 1992, Acorn has branches throughout South Wales, Wrexham, Bristol, Runcorn, Manchester and Edinburgh. It enjoyed a 38.5m turnover in 2004/05, and employs more than 230 staff.

From its Head Offices at Celtic Springs just outside Newport, many of Acornís specialist divisions such as Acorn Perms, European Services, Contract Management, Construction, Technical & Engineering, Rail and Education Services operate, and also the highly regarded Learning & Development Division.