We understand how critical this process is to your future - what's really at stake. This is
why Barbara Houghton's recruitment consultants typically have a background in banking and
finance. It's our in-depth knowledge of the industry that helps inform the comprehensive way
we assess candidates and governs the recommendations we make to our clients. Fundamentally,
recruitment all comes down to relationships; finding reliable people you're able to work
with that are rewarding, approachable and knowledgeable. People you can trust - perhaps even
like. Successful matchmaking therefore demands a profound blend of skills and insight. Our
track record in the City, our regular appearance on many preferred supplier lists and our
ever-increasing database of 20,000-plus candidates, gives you an idea of our own consultants'
matchmaking qualifications.
So allow us to introduce you to them. These are some of the highly experienced
senior people you'll be working with to help you make the very best of your opportunities.
John Baker
General Manager / Associate Director
I have several corporate duties at Barbara Houghton, but being any less committed to clients
and candidates is not in my thinking and outlook. My particular career path does mean that I
am in a great position to handle both responsibilities. Initially spending two years in the
insurance and professional accountancy industries, a career change in 1987 took me to a
London-based financial recruitment company as a trainee consultant. During my twelve years
there, I progressed to managing two offices as well as the recruitment teams, whilst still
managing significant candidate and client relationships. Barbara Houghton approached me
personally for the role of General Manager at Barbara Houghton Associates in 1998. Even
then, the Company's reputation was already impressive. Closing such a memorable chapter in
my life took a great deal of thought, but I did, joining in January 1999. Since then, things
have got better still. I'm proud of the fact that we've been able to sustain and even build
on our reputation since I started here. Plus, I still thoroughly enjoy coming in to work
each day, finding someone a job, or pleasantly surprising a client with a level of service
they weren't expecting. I've always looked upon the responsibility that both clients and
candidates give me as a major one and I'm driven by a need to make sure that our clients and
candidates continue to see this in me as well as the group.
Myles Barnabas
Associate Director
1990 - leading Asian bank; seems like such a long time ago now, but it's when and where my
career in international banking first started. Four years later, I joined a prestigious
Japanese bank, beginning in their back office. But within a year I'd been promoted to the
trading floor and traded Money Markets FX and Futures. However, by 2000, the markets clearly
weren't what we were used to. Things were tough and I was looking around, keeping my options
open. Curiously, recruitment consultants kept asking me if I'd considered a job in their
field. As a successful Dealer, I was used to talking to corporate clients all the time. And
coming from banking, I knew that business well and would therefore have a good idea what
clients were looking for and know where best to place candidates. I began thinking seriously
about a career in recruitment and I was soon introduced to an eye-opening vacancy. Most
people I knew had heard of Barbara Houghton. I had, too. Which made me think that Barbara
Houghton Associates would be a great place to build a successful recruitment career. So I was
beaming when I got offered a position, as without any direct experience of recruitment, few
would have rated my chances too highly of landing the job. Even so, getting a job's one
thing; keeping it's another. Which is why I really appreciate the experience I'd gained
earlier on in my career. It's because we have such strong first-hand knowledge of the
industry, the service we offer candidates and clients can not only be efficient; it can be
incisive. As a result, our hit rates are very, very high. And for me, there's nothing like
the feeling you get after making the right call - getting it spot on - in this job. Because I
know we've helped make a profound difference to the people involved.
Richard Michaels
Associate Director
The early stages of my career were spent in the International Banking and Fund Management sectors
working for two of the City’s most prominent names. I enjoyed the dynamics of the financial
sector and the cross section of people it brought me into contact with. I gained experience in
the sectors of Private Clients, Fixed Interest Operations & Fund Management. From an early age,
I always had natural ability to communicate and empathize with people, from those starting out
on their career paths to heads of businesses and entrepreneurs whether they were from inside or
outside of the financial sector. I have taken the experience I gained over many years in the
Recruitment Sector and applied the same principles such as, speaking to people as I would expect
to be spoken to, treating everybody as an individual with their own individual needs, to listening
and consulting. These are some of the key factors that make a good Recruitment Consultant. I
initially worked for an eleven year period with a privately managed contingency recruitment firm,
joining as a trainee consultant, rising to become the Manager of Banking Operations, then after
being approached, joined a subsidiary of a corporate branded firm where I worked for four years as
Manager of Contingency Banking Operations, then 18 months within a colligate recruitment firm which
was a hybrid of both contingency and search business. My current role at Barbara Houghton Associates
affords me the opportunity to bring all the elements of my experience of working in a truly
consultative environment with a group of very experienced like minded individuals, which is why our
name has been synonymous with the best in banking recruitment since 1988.
Lisa Bass
Temporary Division Manager
Coincidentally, Barbara Houghton Associates placed me in my first Banking role at a City
based Japanese bank back in 1991. After gaining 18 months experience I then moved on to work
within the Private Banking sector, which is where most of my ten years of experience was
spent. I gained experience in a number of areas, such as treasury, loans, credit, trade
finance and relationship management which I really enjoyed. Like the other recruitment
consultants at Barbara Houghton I really thrive on the high levels of people contact and
teamwork in our job. So when a trainee consultant opening came up at Barbara Houghton
Temporaries, I went for it, as it promised the best of both worlds - fuelling my interest in
the world of banking and making a more obvious difference to people's lives. I started here
in October 2000 and inside five years, I started managing the temporaries desk. I've been
able to add specialist experience in other areas too, such as global custody, derivatives,
equities, accounts and fixed income. It's the demanding / fast paced pressure of the
temporary desk that I especially like. Some people aren't cut out for it but I really enjoy
it. Whether it's meeting gaps in resources, or servicing unusual staffing demands, the
challenges we face in our division are ones I'm always ready to rise to. Also I can
personally relate to the more friendly style of doing business here at Barbara Houghton;
making people feel comfortable, keeping your word, not making promises you can't keep, and
serving people, not targets. That sits well with me as I get a real buzz when clients and
candidates come back. This usually means they like the results and our way of doing business
brings them.
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