Meet our global team

STAFFING SPECIALISTS WHO ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR WORLD.

​We specialise in recruiting top talent for automation, manufacturing, and advanced technology. With a global team of experts, we connect the best candidates with leading opportunities, backed by deep industry knowledge and integrity.

UK TEAM

Georgia Lanch

Managing Director

As Managing Director, Georgia brings extensive experience in people management and recruitment. She leads with a strategic approach, ensuring exceptional results for clients while fostering a supportive and dynamic team environment.

Gerard Hegney

Global Client Engagement Director

A global recruitment expert in automation and robotics engineering, Gerard has over 16 years of experience solving complex staffing challenges for niche technical roles. He partners with leading organizations, offering tailored solutions—including Contingent, Retained, RPO, MSP, Interim, and New Site launches—to ensure clients find the best talent.

Dan Charters

Client Engagement Director - Manufacturing

With over 17 years of experience in engineering and manufacturing recruitment, Dan excels at understanding client needs, navigating industry trends, and building lasting relationships. Combining traditional methods with innovative strategies, he delivers tailored solutions that adapt to evolving market demands.

Alex Pelly

Operations Director - UK

With nearly 20 years of experience in recruitment, Alex is a seasoned leader specializing in Engineering & Manufacturing. He has built divisions across the UK and excels in the full recruitment lifecycle, leveraging his deep industry knowledge to foster lasting client and candidate relationships.

Charlotte Wilson

Operations Manager - Advanced Technology

Since joining in 2018, Charlotte has specialized in the automotive and battery sector across the UK and Europe. She oversees operations, manages multi-geographical teams, and nurtures client partnerships. Passionate about process improvement, she helps clients navigate challenges and uncover growth opportunities in battery technology and future mobility solutions.

Chris Aherne

Account Director & Executive Relationship Manager

With over 20 years in financial services and Service Delivery Management, Chris transitioned into recruitment to focus on Robotics, Software, and Advanced Technology. Passionate about exceptional customer experiences, he thrives in the fast-evolving AI and tech space.

Nick Shepherd

Lead Relationship Manager - Automation

With nearly a decade of recruitment experience, Nick specialises in connecting top talent with intralogistics, warehouse distribution, and airport automation projects. As a Lead Relationship Manager at Proactive Global, he helps businesses secure the best professionals for automation, material handling, and robotics roles. By understanding industry challenges and project demands, Nick provides tailored recruitment solutions that drive success for both clients and candidates.

Nathan Woakes

Executive Relationship Manager - Automation

Having over 20 years recruitment including 10 + years within Proactive I have progressed to Executive Relationship Manager and team leader of the Staines office within the Manufacturing division. My focus is the development and growth of my customers by providing top level service, understanding my customers needs and “pain points” and consulting with them on growth plans, full lifecycle recruitment, offering market insights including benchmarking and different solutions to my customers leading to vast growth and a much more in depth service to my customers.

Andy Powell

Senior Relationship Manager - Automation

With five years in recruitment, Andy specializes in the automation, parcel distribution, and baggage sectors. He's passionate about connecting great people with the right opportunities, helping both clients and candidates achieve their goals. By understanding each business’s needs and every candidate’s aspirations, he ensures the perfect match. Whether sourcing top technical talent or guiding candidates to ideal roles, his focus is on making the recruitment process smooth, rewarding, and successful for all.

EU TEAM

Magdalena Rudzinska

Senior Manager - Automation

With over 15 years of experience, Magda excels in sales, delivery, operations, team building, and management. Her expertise spans various recruitment solutions, ensuring seamless execution and long-term success for clients and teams alike.

Isaac Griffith

Client Manager

Isaac is able to quickly adapt to the ever changing intralogistics market and portray strategic, operational and market knowledge to senior stakeholders from global businesses.

Oksana Rodionova

Lead Relationship Manager - Automation

Oksana has made an indelible mark in the recruitment industry as a dedicated team leader. Oksana is known for her exceptional people management skills and her ability to recognize and nurture the potential in her team members. Her focus is in automation and helping businesses find the best engineering talent globally.

Olha Martensiuk

Relationship Manager - Automation

Olha's success lies in her ability to navigate the intricacies of tech recruitment, identifying top-tier talent that aligns seamlessly with both technical requirements and organizational culture.

Ligia Serwinowska

Senior Relationship Manager – Advanced Technology

With over 8 years of experience in Tech/IT recruitment, Ligia specializes in Software, Hardware, AI and Robotics areas. Passionate about new technologies – she is constantly trying to help clients build the best and most valued engineering teams.

US TEAM

Cian Denvir

Vice President - North America

Cian has recruited in the US Automation market for 5 years, supporting high performing integrators achieve their long-term goals by recruiting the highest performers in the industry. In his capacity as VP for Proactive USA, he leads a team of 17 people, across 4 countries and 3 major verticals: Warehouse Automation, Airport & Baggage Handling Automation and Maintenance. He is based in Atlanta, GA at Proactive’s US HQ.

Gerard Hegney

Global Client Engagement Director

A global recruitment expert in automation and robotics engineering, Gerard has over 16 years of experience solving complex staffing challenges for niche technical roles. He partners with leading organizations, offering tailored solutions—including Contingent, Retained, RPO, MSP, Interim, and New Site launches—to ensure clients find the best talent.

Kevin Ingram

US Client Engagement Manager

With 6 years experience in recruitment, Kevin has a strong background in engineering and technical hires across both baggage handling and warehouse automation markets within the USA, UK, and Europe. He has continually delivered for some of our biggest clients, exercising his high level of industry knowledge, from senior leadership hires, to complete team solutions. Kevin is now building our Airport team in North America, whilst supporting key accounts.

Josh Todd

Senior Relationship Manager - Warehouse Automation

Across the last four years, Josh has specialised in partnering with Integrators and OEM’s globally within the Warehouse Automation space. He has successfully supported strategic executive hires as well as complete team build outs across the full project lifecycle. With a true passion for the Warehouse space, Josh now leads a team supporting key clients across North America – continuing to value and support an ever-expanding network.

Michelle Frey

Relationship Manager - Automation

Based in North America in the Austin, Texas region, Michelle works with some of the largest online retailers and manufacturers in the United States. Specifically, she and her team find placement for engineering professionals including maintenance engineers, robotics technicians, controls engineers, as well as various management roles. Delivering a positive candidate experience and creating strategic partnerships with our clients are two constant focus points in Michelle's role as Relationship Manager.

Tron Thornton

Delivery Manager - Maintenance Engineering

Tron Thornton is a results-driven recruitment leader with seven years in automation and robotics. At Proactive Global, he builds lasting client relationships, mentors high-performing teams, and was named Ngage Talent’s Best Account Manager of the Year (2022). A proud Iraq War veteran, his leadership is shaped by resilience and a mission-driven mindset.

Carla Perez

Relationship Manager - Warehouse Automation

Focused on the USA market within the warehouse automation industry, Carla specializes in supporting the growth of key accounts. As a Relationship Manager, her role is to ensure that clients access the top talent in the market, empowering their next phase of expansion.

APAC TEAM

Ian Eker

Director - APAC

Ian Eker oversees our APAC operations from our Melbourne office, which he helped establish in 2020. With nearly three decades in technical recruitment, Ian excels in strategic sourcing, recruitment strategy, process optimization, leadership, and training. His dedication centers on delivering exceptional service and ensuring customer satisfaction remains paramount.

Lee Luu

Senior Recruitment Consultant – Sales & Business Development

Lee is a dynamic Sales Recruitment Consultant and Talent Advisor, connecting top talent with Australia’s leading industrial automation and robotics companies. With expertise in warehouse automation, manufacturing, and supply chain solutions, plus a strong background in sales and product management, Lee excels at building high-performance teams from the ground up.

Robbie D’Agostino

Lead Consultant - Project Support and Maintenance

With over 10 years in sales and 5 years in recruitment, Robbie specializes in placing top talent in Maintenance & Service roles across APAC. He focuses on connecting the right people with opportunities at top companies and growing SMEs. His dedication to asking tough questions ensures candidates find roles that align with their skills, ambitions, and values. Beyond placements, he prioritizes building lasting relationships based on trust and understanding, benefiting clients, candidates, and colleagues alike.

Tarek Zahraman

Consultant - Project Support and Maintenance

With 8+ years as an Automation Specialist, Tarek excels in connecting skilled installation and maintenance professionals with leading companies in Victoria, South Australia, and New Zealand. Specializing in automated warehousing, intralogistics, and more, his focus is on deep, culture-fit matches that foster long-term career growth.

SA TEAM

Brett Walburgh

Relationship Manager - Automation EU

Brett is a seasoned contract recruitment professional with over a decade of sales experience across Europe. Passionate about building lasting relationships, he specializes in connecting top talent with the right opportunities. With a deep understanding of both client and candidate needs, Brett ensures successful placements that drive growth and success for all parties involved.

IND TEAM

Rushil Kaur

Assistant Manager - Talent Acquisition

Rushil leads talent delivery operations for our UK manufacturing division, bringing 8+ years of global recruitment expertise to our engineering and manufacturing clients.

Archit Sharma

Team Manager

Archit brings nine years of recruitment experience across multiple domains. Since joining Proactive in 2021, he has led the offshore delivery team, collaborating closely with onshore Relationship Managers.

OUR CLIENT TESTIMONIALS

“Proactive have always provided NOTE Windsor Ltd with a responsive and fast service, especially for our temporary staffing requirements. They visit our site regularly so they can work well with us in an ever-changing environment. When recruiting for temporary staff they provide candidates quickly and are always available on the end of the phone.”

Sam, Note Windsor

“Leidos Energy, Infrastructure, & Automation has had the opportunity to work with Proactive over the past 3 years. They have been a true partner in helping us identify quality resources to fill our temporary and temp-to-perm positions. They have taken the time to understand our work, customers, and managers’ needs as if they were their own. Proactive’s focus on finding the right person for the job, coupled with diligence in following up to ensure they meet our needs and are happy in their roles, has been invaluable.”

Sheryl Hollarn, Leidos Automation

“The Proactive Global team were a great help in aiding our company growth. They spent time to work out our staffing needs, so we have a higher success rate. We also appreciate the weekly on-site catch-up visits with them to discuss how the recruits are doing and what requirements we have going forwards… I would definitely recommend Proactive Global.”

Lee Donovan, Legrand

“As our partnership with Proactive has evolved, our mutual understanding has deepened, leading to increasingly effective collaboration. They achieve remarkable results, navigating any minor communication challenges with ease. Thoughtful gestures, like delightful treats, enhance our interactions and foster a warm and inviting atmosphere.”.

Krzysztof Fraczek, Spacestor

“Proactive consistently demonstrate professionalism, efficiency, and an exceptional level of dedication. They have always maintained close and clear communication, ensuring that our requirements are understood and met promptly. Their quick turnaround times and ability to deliver the right solutions in staffing have been invaluable to our operations.”

Murat Yuksel, West London Waste

“We’ve had the pleasure of working with Proactive on multiple occasions, and their professionalism, adaptability, and dedication are truly commendable. Whether it’s stepping in at short notice or seamlessly integrating with our team, they consistently exceed expectations. Their ability to quickly grasp the requirements of each role and deliver with excellence has been invaluable. I wholeheartedly recommend their services to anyone seeking reliable and skilled support. They’ve been an essential part of our success!”

Steve Hagger, Powerflex

“It’s the first time we used an agency when recruiting staff for our business and Proactive Global have been super helpful, efficient and professional. They made sure we only saw candidates that would really fit the role. They even came onsite to better understand our business needs. I would highly recommend any employer looking for staff to contact Proactive Global. We will definitely be coming back to them next time we are recruiting.”

Marika Andersson, Lomart

“Having worked with Proactive Global for a couple of years now we have always found them to be incredibly professional, focused, and knowledgeable in the business areas we specialise in. They have taken the time to understand our niche business and our industry-specific issues and have done a great job supporting us. They always go the extra mile to deliver and don’t make you feel like you are just another request in the pile. We can count on them to fill our vacancies! If finding the right type of person to join your business is important to you, and if you are looking for a long-term partner to help with your growth, I would strongly recommend working with Proactive Global.”

Michelle Sehra, Elite Interfaces