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Our Leadership

Board of Directors
Executive Leadership Team

Board of Directors
Executive Leadership Team

Michael Findlay

Non-Executive Chair

Appointed: 20 January 2025 (and as Chair 1 May 2025). Announced as interim Executive Chair in November 2025, while Hays CEO, Dirk Hahn, takes medical leave.

Committees: Nomination (Chair)

Skills, competencies and experience:

Michael is a highly accomplished business leader and a proven Non-Executive and Chair. Having spent his executive career in corporate broking and investment banking, Michael has advised many leading UK plcs on a wide range of strategic, financing and governance matters. He also brings a strong understanding of people intensive and service orientated businesses.

External appointments:

Non-Executive Chair of London Stock Exchange plc

Non-Executive Director of Jarrold Group Holdings.

Mark Dearnley

Chief Executive Officer

Appointed: 18 May 2026

Skills, Competencies and Experience: Mark joined Hays as our as Chief Digital and Technology Officer on 4 August 2025. Mark is an accomplished leader with a proven track record of delivering large-scale global digital and IT transformation in both the private and public sectors. He was previously a partner at Bain & Company and also held senior leadership roles at Inchape, Boots, Vodafone and HM Revenue & Customs. Mark brings deep expertise in enterprise IT strategy, innovation, and operational delivery, with a focus on improving customer experience, resilience, and efficiency.

External appointments: Mark is a Trustee of the Kings Trust.

James Hilton

Chief Financial Officer

Appointed: 1 October 2022

Skills, competencies and experience: James has extensive experience in finance, audit and risk management and, having worked at Hays for more than 15 years, understands the Group’s operations at all levels. James is an Economics graduate from Cambridge University, and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG. James joined Hays in 2008 from the Investment Banking division of Dresdner Kleinwort, where he specialised in Corporate Broking and M&A Advisory. Prior to his appointment to the Hays Board, James held a number of senior finance roles at Hays, including Head of Investor Relations, UK Financial Controller, European Finance Director and Group Financial Controller.

Helen Cunningham

Independent Non-Executive Director

Appointed: 1 March 2024

Committees: Nomination, Remuneration and Workforce Engagement Director

Skills, competencies and experience: Helen brings extensive HR functional expertise and has specialist knowledge in remuneration, ESG and Board and Executive succession planning. She also has global experience in leading cultural transformation and talent management, as well as M&A and Divestments programmes.

Helen is currently the Chief People Officer at Inchcape plc, where she has responsibility for People and Culture strategy, as well as Corporate Communications and Employee Engagement. Prior to joining Inchcape, Helen held numerous senior People leadership and strategy roles at Mitie Group PLC, Bureau Veritas Group and Nationwide Building Society.

External appointments: Chief People Officer at Inchcape plc.

Anthony Kirby

Independent Non-Executive Director

Appointed: 1 April 2024

Committees: Audit & Risk, Nomination and Remuneration

Skills, competencies and experience: Anthony brings extensive experience in senior operational and human resources roles across a number of sectors.

Anthony is currently Group Chief Executive at Serco Group plc, where he is responsible for a business that operates in 20 countries and is powered by over 50,000 people working across Citizen Services, Defence, Health & Facilities Management, Immigration and Transport. Prior to this, Anthony served as Chief Executive Officer for Serco UK and Europe from 2023, following his initial appointment to Serco Group plc, where he served as Chief People Officer from 2017 and Group Chief Operating Officer from 2020. Anthony also has a wealth of experience from more than 17 years at Compass Group Plc, where he held various senior leadership positions.

External appointments: Group Chief Executive, Serco Group plc.

Joe Hurd

Independent Non-Executive Director

Appointed: 1 December 2021

Committees: Nomination

Skills, competencies and experience: Joe has significant global experience in consumer-facing technology businesses. He also brings expertise as an independent public board director, advising on strategic growth, ESG, workforce engagement, innovation, governance, compensation, board recruitment and diversity.

Joe began his career in corporate and securities law with Linklaters, before establishing himself as an entrepreneur with successful start-ups Friendster and VideoEgg. Previously he served as a Non-Executive Director of GoCo Group plc (now Future plc) and as an Independent Director of SilverBox Engaged Merger Corp I. From 2009 until 2012, Joe served in the Obama Administration as a political appointee at the Department of Commerce, serving on the White House Business Council.

External appointments: Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner of Katama Group LLC. A Non-Executive Director of Trustpilot Group plc. A nominated member of Lloyd’s Council.

Susan Murray

Independent Non-Executive Director

Appointed: 12 July 2017

Committees: Nomination and Remuneration (Chair)

Skills, competencies and experience: Susan brings extensive experience in international consumer goods and services businesses. She has specialist knowledge and experience in strategy, marketing, remuneration and general management.

Susan is a former Chair of Farrow & Ball, and a former Non-Executive Director of Mitchells & Butlers plc, Compass Group plc, Pernod Ricard S.A., Imperial Tobacco plc, Enterprise Inns plc, Aberdeen Asset Management plc, SSL International plc, 2 Sisters Food Group and Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc. She is also a former Chief Executive of Littlewoods Stores Limited and former Worldwide President and Chief Executive of The Pierre Smirnoff Company, part of Diageo plc.

External appointments: Senior Independent Director of William Grant & Sons Limited.

Zarin Patel

Independent Non-Executive Director

Appointed: 1 January 2023

Committees: Audit & Risk (Chair) and Nomination

Skills, competencies and experience: Zarin brings expertise in managing transformation within complex digital-centric businesses. She also has wide-ranging experience across finance, investment and customer in both executive and non-executive roles.

Zarin spent 15 years at each of KPMG and the BBC, where she was Chief Financial Officer for nine years. From 2014 to 2016, she was the Chief Operating Officer of The Grass Roots Group plc. Previously, Zarin was a Non-Executive Director of Post Office Limited and an independent member of the Audit and Risk Committee of John Lewis Partnership plc. Zarin is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and has recent and relevant financial experience.

External appointments: Senior Independent Director and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee of Pets at Home Group plc. A Non-Executive Director at HM Treasury and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee. A trustee of National Trust and Chair of its Audit Committee.

Cheryl Millington

Senior Independent Director

Appointed: 17 June 2019

Committees: Audit & Risk and Nomination

Skills, competencies and experience: A strategic technology leader, Cheryl also brings extensive general management, data and people experience to the Board. Cheryl was Chief Digital Officer of Travis Perkins plc from 2016 to 2018, Executive Director, IT, for Waitrose from 2012 to 2016 and Chief Information and Data Officer for Asda Stores Ltd from 2009 to 2012. Prior to those positions, Cheryl held senior management roles at HBOS plc, Innogy plc and National Power plc, and began her career as a management consultant with Price Waterhouse. Cheryl has also previously served as a Non-Executive Director of National Savings and Investments, Intu Properties plc and Equiniti Group plc.

External appoinments: Non-Executive Director of Atom Bank plc and Chair of Remuneration Committee. Non-Executive Director of AXA Insurance UK plc.

David Brown

CEO, Americas

David brings extensive experience in recruitment, operational management, and leadership of businesses from small-scale start-ups to large enterprises. He has been with Hays for ten years and has 25 years of recruitment industry experience in the US. Prior to his appointment as Americas CEO in 2023, David held various senior positions at Hays US, including Head of Technology and four years as Managing Director.

Matthew Dickason

CEO, APAC

Matthew stepped into the role of Asia Pacific CEO in March 2023, bringing nearly 20 years’ experience growing and leading teams across the globe. Since joining Hays in 2005, Matthew has held various senior positions, including Group Head of Strategy and Global Head of Enterprise Solutions. He has played a huge part in expanding Hays’ outsourcing business - from closing major deals in the UK to transforming operations across Australia and Asia.

Alexander Heise

CEO, Germany and Europe

Alexander is Chief Executive Officer Germany and Europe and Chair of the Management Board of Hays AG. He is responsible for Germany as well as the regional business in Continental Europe. Alexander began his career with Hays in 2004 as a Key Account Manager. He has held various management positions within the company, including Managing Director of Hays Talent Solutions GmbH. In July 2021 he was appointed Chief Strategic Client Officer before being appointed CEO, Hays Germany and Europe in September 2023.

Tom Way

CEO, UK&I

Tom joined Hays in June 2025 from SThree. His career began in technology recruitment in London, followed by launching a recruitment life sciences and technology practice in San Francisco and later leading the European Life Sciences division. His most recent role at SThree saw Tom as Senior Managing Director, overseeing operations in the UK, France, and Belgium, and serving on the Executive Committee.

Julia Cames

Interim Chief Marketing Officer

Julia is a senior marketing and brand leader with international experience across global technology and e-commerce organisations. She joined Hays in May 2023, and has held leadership roles at HubSpot and GetYourGuide. Julia brings strong expertise in demand generation and brand strategy and is recognised for translating vision into scalable programmes that drive commercial growth and customer loyalty. A graduate of La Sorbonne, Paris, in Sciences of Information and Communication, Julia is committed to building teams that deliver impact at pace and scale.

Deborah Dorman

Chief People Officer

Deborah joined Hays in June 2024. She previously served as Director of Group HR at Sainsbury's, where she spent 16 years in a variety of people-related roles. During her time at Sainsbury's, Deborah was instrumental in leading people-centred transformation, from cultural change to organisational effectiveness, and is focused on ensuring that people strategies deliver commercial impact.

Nick Cooper

Interim General Counsel & Company Secretary

Nick qualified as a solicitor at Herbert Smith and has over 25 years' experience working with Boards and leadership teams. He has held General Counsel / Head of Legal positions across a range of different sectors including at Cable & Wireless, Johnson Matthey, Sage, JD Wetherspoon, Asda and the Football Association. In addition to his legal roles Nick served as Corporate Services Director for Cable & Wireless Communications plc and as Global Business Services Director for Johnson Matthey. He is currently a non executive director and Remco chair of AIM listed housebuilder Springfield Properties plc.

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Our Leadership

Power the world of workJoin Hays

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Power the world of work
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Annual Report
2026