REC appoints Angela Masters as New Chair of Board

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), the representative body for the UKís private recruitment industry, has appointed Angela Masters as its new Chair of the Board.

Angela succeeds Gary Irvine, who has decided to stand down in order to concentrate on his own company, Diamond Recruitment, in Belfast after 12 years service to recruitment industry bodies.

A director of A A Recruitment in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire, which she founded in 1986 with Antoinette Poyser, Angela has worked in the recruitment industry for more than 21 years and has been involved with the successive recruitment industry bodies for the past 18 years, sitting on the IEC Council and becoming its Vice-President.

She was part of the merger process when the REC was formed and was appointed a board director. Angela then took a two year break from 2004-05 before being re-appointed to the board in 2006 and becoming Vice-Chair at Christmas that year.

On her appointment, Angela said: ìMy standpoint has always been to raise the profile of the industry and to have it recognised as a career choice with professional standards. To this end, I have worked very hard both regionally and nationally to help achieve this over the years.

ìTo hold the position of Chair is a great privilege and I am determined to devote the time and effort it takes to push forward, and build on the successes started by my predecessor, Gary Irvine.î

Angela added: ìOurs is very much a peopleís business and it is important that because of this, you are seen as someone to whom others can relate.î

She also confirmed that the REC has still to appoint a new Chief Executive Officer following a lengthy recruitment process before Christmas.

However, Angela explained: ìWith such a high profile position, we had to be absolutely sure we had the right person lined up for the job. Good recruitment, as with any similar high profile post, is about going the extra mile to find an exceptional candidate for what is an exceptional job. This search begins in earnest again this week and I am very optimistic that we will find the ideal candidate.î

She also confirmed that Helen Reynolds, who has been Acting CEO since Marcia Roberts stood down last May, has been appointed Deputy CEO from January 1st.

Of her appointment, Angela said: ìHelen has done a sterling job as Acting CEO and the Board feels she thoroughly deserves the promotion to this position. The REC is in very capable hands with an extremely strong management team, highly dedicated specialist staff and an increasing public profile. Once in position, the new CEO will be able to build on this strong and stable foundation.î