Stark Brooksí rewards rising stars

Executive recruitment firm Stark Brooks, ranked within the top ten regional firms, has appointed two of its top talent to head up the Manchester and Yorkshire operations, following its most successful year to date and the announcement of its future growth plans.

The achievements of REC/Yorkshire Post Recruitment Manager of the Year 2007 Mark Gardiner since his initial appointment in 2005 have been widely recognised across the region. Having re-shaped and grown the team and significantly developed its blue chip client base including clients such as Arla Foods, Wolseley Centres and GE Money, Gardiner will now take full responsibility for the strategic growth of the firm in the North East and East Midlands regions, while overseeing the media, web and PR operations across the group.


Gary Chaplin, who has operated in the north west financial recruitment market for more than 14 years, has an extensive network and is recognised for his in-depth knowledge of the sector. Since his appointment only 12 months ago, he also has significantly increased Stark Brooksí non-financial recruitment by more than 70%. Chaplin brings an excellent understanding of the internal workings of other recruitment firms and a fresh vision for his new role, which will include responsibility for the attraction, introduction and induction of new consultants, driving the growth of the firm while retaining the regionsí top talent.

Sally Toumi, managing director of Stark Brooks, said: ìWe, like all the clients we work for, recognise that recruiting and retaining the best staff is the biggest challenge for a business. The two appointments come as a result of their determination and drive and their clear vision for the future of Stark Brooks. Their complementary abilities, coupled with their commercial contributions to both the development of the business and the other consultants, makes me extremely confident in their ability to take this next step.

ìStark Brooks is 25 years old this year, and this represents a new and exciting phase of its development. Although many feel that 2008 will be a difficult year for business, we anticipate further expansion as more companies recognise the need for real expertise when recruiting. Mark and Gary will both play a key role in this growth.î