A founding director of JacksonStone & Partners, David specialises in the executive search and placement of chief executives, general managers, and directors completing assignments across all market sectors. This includes working directly with the New Zealand Parliament and State Services Commission. He also serves as Asia–Pacific director for the CFR Global Executive Search alliance, of which JacksonStone & Partners is a member.

With over 20 years in the industry, David has completed assignments across all sectors and disciplines, working with both professional contractors and permanent candidates. Having a strong interest in the social and community sectors, he has also held various positions outside of the recruitment industry. These include an employment liaison and management role in the not-for-profit sector, as well as 13 years in the New Zealand Police.

David’s versatility stems from his ability to engage and collaborate with clients and candidates to as much as possible understand their needs and drivers. With a warm and accessible manner, he works alongside clients managing a high-touch, high-quality process that assists client to deliver on strategic goals by sourcing appropriate candidates for the position.

David is also currently on an advisory group for a local Wellington Charity and a sponsor of youth sports and a national youth theatre company.

Areas of specialisation: Directorships, chief executives, general management.
Years in the industry: 22

A founding director of JacksonStone & Partners, Lindsay specialises in the recruitment of general management and senior positions across the public, private and NGO sectors, as well as governance positions. She also project-manages change recruitment processes and the establishment of new organisations. Along with change and general management, her expertise includes the coordination of JacksonStone’s recruitment teams and ensuring that clients benefit from a single point of contact with the company.

Having managed a large number of change projects, along with countless executive placements, Lindsay is a leader in the industry and is often asked to undertake public speaking engagements on employment trends.

With three decades’ experience in the recruitment industry, Lindsay is a seasoned problem-solver with a solid understanding of processes. She is respected for her ability to reduce risks for clients and keep large projects focused, with effective handling of multiple candidate applications, and is quick to respond to any project queries arising. Having Lindsay project-manage a transformation/change assignment adds significant value to the process, and her input is instrumental in ensuring the recruitment team delivers an excellence experience to clients and candidates alike.

Areas of specialisation: General management
Years in the industry: 30

A founding director of JacksonStone & Partners and executive chairman, Richard collaborates with his fellow directors in the strategic management of the company. He also works with the principal consultants to undertake executive search and recruitment, delivering leaders of exceptional experience and knowledge to a wide range of clients. Over the years, he has helped to train many new consultants; now, with a strong professional network, he is available to the team for advice and support, or for help in sourcing and placing candidates.

Richard has previously been president of the Wellington Employers’ Chamber of Commerce, chair of UNICEF New Zealand, and a council member of Business New Zealand. He is currently chair of Life Flight Trust and a director of Commerce Building Limited. After more than 30 years in recruitment leadership, he has a resumé that speaks for itself: clients who have trusted him for decades keep returning for the consistent, reliable service JacksonStone is renowned for.

Known for his professionalism, credibility and long-term relationships, Richard has a passion for people and for seeing organisations thrive. ‘In my years,’ he explains, ‘I have met a plethora of extraordinary people and have been privileged to work alongside them, learning how they operate and seeing what they excel in. I can then find roles for them that are a perfect fit.’

Areas of specialisation: Chief executive, senior management, board appointments
Years in the industry: 34

A founding director of JacksonStone & Partners, Annabel works with communications directors and managers to help them appoint new staff, and also helps CEOs and boards appoint new leaders for their organisations.

Her mission is to assist hiring managers in placing quality staff who will help their organisations thrive. Skilled at assessing people against key role criteria, she recommends a high-calibre list of candidates who are best aligned to her client’s strategic goals.

Annabel is often sought out by clients to advise on role scopes, team structures and market trends. Candidates she has placed in the past regularly seek her advice on their careers, giving her access to a nationwide network of communications and leadership professionals.

Coming from a successful career in senior communications roles spanning the private and public sectors, Annabel joined the search and recruitment industry in 2005. Now with over 13 years’ experience in her field, she is known for her excellent judgement and people skills. These help her tailor precise solutions to clients’ needs, and her tenacity ensures that even the most challenging assignments have positive outcomes.

Areas of specialisation: Executive search, CEOs and general managers, communications and fundraising. 
Years in the industry: 13

Andrew Watson of JacksonStone Consulting is a founding Director of JacksonStone & Partners. Andrew provides a wide spectrum of professional consulting and contracting resources to clients involving advising and supporting senior leadership teams through to operational line management. Assignments have supported public sector initiatives such as the set-up of new regulatory entities, the implementation of complex social services policy initiatives, business transformation programmes and large capital infrastructural investment projects.

Andrew’s experience began in internal auditing, marketing and project management before joining the professional services sector. Two decades on, he has an in-depth knowledge of the consulting market, having personally facilitated more than a thousand assignments at all levels in sectors that include finance, human resources, communications, legal, marketing and policy.

Focused on a high-quality client and candidate experience, Andrew is known for his consistency and efficiency, and a transparent and consultative approach. His warm, personable style has led to many long-term, successful relationships with both contractors and clients, where he ensures both parties’ needs and wants are met for high-quality placements and partnerships.

Areas of specialisation: Professional contracting in all corporate disciplines including programme, project and change roles
Years in the industry: 20

Principal consultant Basil Varouhas recruits across a full range of corporate positions within both the public and private sectors. These include programme and project management; business, process and policy analysis; change/transition management; communications; and HR / organisational development. Many of Basil’s clients require interim cover (e.g. for a staff secondment or parental leave) with a specialist skill set, on either an open-ended or a fixed-term basis.

Having launched his recruitment consultant career in Australia with one of the world’s largest recruiting firms, Basil returned to New Zealand in 1999 and has now worked in the industry for over 20 years. During this time he has completed a number of New Zealand public sector change transformation projects.

Highly experienced, consultative and thorough in his approach, Basil has a gift for engaging candidates easily to draw out their key skill sets and standout qualities. He loves ‘the journey of matching people capability with organisational need’, and he is known for ensuring clients have the pick of candidates to guide them to an informed selection.

Areas of specialisation: Professional contracting
Years in the industry: 22

Brent works closely with public and private sector clients to appoint team managers and senior leaders to CEO level. He joined JacksonStone & Partners in 2017 following a 17-year career in the information and communications technologies (ICT) sector, working within large corporate organisations such as Microsoft as well as boutique local consultancies.

His track record gives him an excellent understanding of contemporary enterprise technology and the pace of change that organisations, both large and small, face today. He combines this with JacksonStone’s best-practice approach to researching and recruiting to propose the best possible pool of candidates to match the unique needs of the client. He meets with clients and candidates regularly, so he always has a strong selection of candidates with deep sector experience who are ready for short-term or long-term contracts as needs arise.

Brent’s in-depth industry experience makes him insightful, practical and solutions-focused. Always up to date with industry trends, he offers high value when matching ICT capability with organisational goals. He is driven to find the right people, sourcing senior-level candidates who are professional, trustworthy and experts in their given field.

Areas of specialisation: ICT, sales
Years in the industry: 2 years

Ginny has extensive experience in appointing management, executive and governance roles in New Zealand and the UK. With a professional background in the law, she moved into executive search and recruitment in 2001, where, for 11 years, she was a senior consultant and then manager of a specialist financial recruitment firm in London. She returned to New Zealand in 2011 to continue her executive search and recruitment career, for a range of clients – from large corporate organisations to small, privately owned enterprises.

Ginny’s core strength is market and candidate research. She is excellent at finding and identifying high-calibre candidates for our clients, using traditional avenues and a range of cutting-edge technology and tools that allow her to foster relationships with professionals worldwide.

Areas of specialisation: Chief executive, senior management, banking and finance, governance appointments
Years in the industry: 18

Heather specialises in leading assignments for the recruitment of communications professionals, including both generalists and specialists (e.g. internal, media, stakeholder engagement, corporate, fundraising, digital and channels). She covers both private and public sectors, and has worked on a number of senior appointments in government agencies.

Heather took up recruitment when she joined JacksonStone in 2014 after several years as a communications specialist at Munro Church Communications. Prior to that she had spent 15-years in journalism as a Radio New Zealand reporter, producer of Kim Hill’s Nine to Noon programme, and researcher for TVNZ. She has built up deep personal experience of what it takes to be a high-performing communications professional.

Heather’s engaging and friendly approach puts people at ease and encourages open and honest conversations. She works closely with clients to understand their specific needs from the outset, and to build trust and an enduring relationship. Her insights into the wide range of communications roles and capabilities means she provides sound, informed advice through the full recruiting cycle, helping clients find and appoint high-calibre candidates.

Areas of specialisation: Communications, fundraising
Years in the industry: 5

Helen’s diverse portfolio includes senior appointments for professional membership and regulatory bodies, policy recruitment within the public sector, and academic recruitment within the tertiary sector. She works closely with clients to find candidates who will help their organisations grow and achieve their strategic goals.

After completing her bachelor of arts degree, Helen worked in educational bookselling before moving into educational publishing, commissioning many New Zealand academic textbooks that are still in use today. This strong educational focus in her career has given her a sound understanding of the structure and function of tertiary institutions and their relationship with local, national and international communities.

Mindful of the importance of first-rate service and quality, Helen is known for her consistency, attention to detail, and focus on the human side of the process. As she puts it, careful listening and good communication are key, along with flexibility, empathy, and an excellent understanding of a client’s individual and organisational goals.

Areas of specialisation: Public sector, not-for-profit, creative industries, tertiary/ITP education
Years in the industry: 8

John works primarily with boards and senior management in both the private and public sectors. Part of the Commercial Operations team, John specialises in commercial markets and the primary sector, and in operations management where he looks after procurement, logistics, infrastructure, engineering, construction, facilities, property and sales and marketing assignments.

After first serving in the New Zealand Police, and later working with electricity operator M-Co, John began his search and recruitment career in 2004 with ANZ Bank, leading national recruitment across a number of its key business groups. Moving to Australia, he took directorships in search, recruitment and strategic consulting firms, focusing on banking and financial services. He joined JacksonStone in 2016, following his return to New Zealand.

This long experience has given John a nuanced understanding of the challenges in hiring at leadership level in contemporary business. An avowed ‘people person’, he is known for his personal and empathetic touch with candidates, his ability to build long-term relationships (exemplified by repeat business over the years with many clients), and his thorough commitment to delivering an end-to-end search or recruitment service.

Areas of specialisation: Executive search, financial services, commercial markets, operations management (diverse areas)
Years in the industry: 15

John specialises in leading assignments for the recruitment of senior strategic and communications professionals for both the private and public sectors.

John has recently joined JacksonStone & Partners after 20 years of providing strategic and communications counsel to a range of public and private sector clients, including board chairs, chief executives and senior management. Prior to that, he spent 12 years in print journalism and journalism education. His media experience, along with two decades of providing strategic advice to organisations, often during times of crisis or change, means he has built up deep personal experience of what it takes to deliver high-quality, professional strategic counsel.

John’s engaging approach puts people at ease and encourages open and honest conversations with candidates. He works closely with clients to understand their specific needs, and to build trust and an enduring relationship. His experience provides insights that will help clients find and appoint high-calibre candidates.

Areas of specialisation: Senior strategic and communications professionals
Years in the industry: John has recently started in recruitment consultancy

Liz specialises in the area of human resources, helping a wide range of clients to build their HR teams. Her expertise covers the fields of talent management, organisational development and leadership, employment and industrial relations, health and safety, learning and development, and remuneration.

Before joining JacksonStone & Partners, Liz spent 12 years managing HR in a progressive agricultural organisation, providing thought leadership and tactical design, and delivering and overseeing initiatives across multiple global locations. Her experience spans diverse industries in the public and private sectors, including professional services and not-for-profit businesses. She is a member of HRINZ.

Liz is strong on respect, honesty, integrity and team spirit. She maintains the view that an organisation’s staff are its strongest asset, and her natural affinity with people means she is quick to understand the needs of both client and candidate. Her insights into the range of contemporary HR functions brings great value to her clients, and she can be relied on for sound, informed advice through the full recruiting cycle, from searches and evaluation to interviewing.

Areas of specialisation: Human Resources
Years in the industry: 11

Mary’s clients include hiring managers at all levels across the public, private and NGO sectors. She places professional contractors into a broad spectrum of disciplines including communications, stakeholder engagement, marketing, business analysis, public policy, project and programme management, change management, planning and human resources. Her speciality is hourly rate and fixed-term contracts of up to 12 months’ duration.

Mary has more than two decades’ experience in recruitment. Her approach was deeply informed early on by a very useful sabbatical spent within the HR management team of one of New Zealand’s largest employers. This experience led her to focus strongly on relationship management throughout the recruitment process: collaborating with clients and candidates to achieve shared goals and rewarding positions, and proposing contractors who add a huge amount of value even on short-term assignments.

She is well regarded for her professionalism and honesty, working efficiently and effectively to facilitate the recruitment process; as one satisfied client explained, she ‘provided exceptional and responsive assistance in every interaction’ and was ‘clear, honest and supportive’ to prioritise the candidate’s fit to the role.

Area of specialisation: Contracting
Years in the industry: 20

Nicola works with CFOs, Executive Leaders and other senior hiring managers to find and assess high-calibre candidates for both the public and private sectors. A specialist in finance and accounting and broader corporate recruitment, she is a trusted advisor to clients, providing market insights and helping to align recruitment strategy to organisational goals.

After well over 20 years in the industry, she has developed a strong network of finance and accounting professionals across New Zealand. Many have been both client and candidate, valuing her uncompromisingly high standards of delivery and total commitment to delivering the best outcome.

A good listener and trusted advisor, Nicola is known for her ability to connect with candidates and understand their work style and goals. Her caring and genuine interest in helping candidates and clients, and her sound judgement of character help her define a selection of the best possible candidates for a role. Her passion is to connect people to positions where both they and the client organisation thrive and succeed.

Areas of specialisation: Finance, accounting, corporate services
Years in the industry: 23 years

A specialist in both education and Māori recruitment, Russell supports councils, boards and senior leaders in appointing talented new individuals, drawing on his experience in teaching and leadership along with his broad networks and contacts in the education sector and te ao Māori.

With a passion for tupuranga mahi Māori (raising Māori employment), Russell has come to specialise in kohikohi ana i ngā mahi a te Māori (finding talent for Māori-focused roles). Involved in numerous Māori asset trusts at governance level, he also has experience as the pan-tribal representative on two standing orders committees for the Kāpiti Coast District Council, and is a board member for Zealandia. Russell’s whakapapa links are to Te Ātiawa ki Whakarongotai, Ngāti Toa Rangatira and Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga.

An MBA graduate who worked for several years as a teacher, Russell also has an extensive history in recruiting for the education sector, and has built up vast nationwide networks. He supports councils, boards and education leaders in appointing senior staff, particularly in tertiary areas, such as universities, institutes of technology and polytechnics, wānanga, industry training organisations and private training establishments, and more broadly for the Ministry of Education.

Russell’s career path has included leadership roles in finance, manufacturing, distribution and marketing. He has solid experience in governance with council committees, asset holding companies, council-controlled organisations and economic development organisations. A former hiring manager himself, he knows how vital it is to find the right people. He aims to save time and find solutions for clients, in a style that is deliberate, structured, honest and caring, and which respects their organisational values and priorities.

Areas of specialisation: Executive search, chief executive and senior management, senior Māori employment
Years in the industry: 18 years

Simon provides an end-to-end search process to appoint chief executives, senior leaders and managers in the public sector and local government. He is also part of the team at JacksonStone that recruits government chief executives for the State Services Commission. Simon has made a number of parliamentary appointments, working closely with the Speaker of the House and officers of the Parliamentary Select Committee. Other areas of speciality include strategy, policy and legal.

With two decades in the industry, Simon is well connected in both central and local government. Given that he recruits for key roles and advises senior leaders, he is privy to politically sensitive information, but he is known for his scrupulous confidentiality.

He is an excellent and honest reader of people, which brings confidence and credibility to his work. Along with his networking skills, Simon has a mature understanding of the machinery of local and central government, which helps him achieve the best possible outcome for client and candidate. Appointing high-calibre people into critical roles gives him a sense of contributing in a very real way to New Zealand society.

Areas of specialisation: Senior government roles, strategy, policy, legal
Years in the industry: 20

Simon works with senior leaders, including chief executives and boards, across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. His assignments have been directed to senior leadership roles – such as general management, programme directors and business heads – in a range of sectors including health, science and research, as well as commercial entities. His focus is on rebuilding relevancy, market position, service delivery and customer-centricity.

Prior to joining JacksonStone, Simon spent many years in high-profile commercial organisations, including AMP Capital Investors. With his experience in senior leadership roles, including governance and strategic/business development, he is well placed to genuinely appreciate and realise the best for his clients.

Simon’s capacity for strategic and client-centric thinking is supported by his market insight and an astute understanding of commercial imperatives across several sectors. His natural inquisitiveness and sound judgement enable him to quickly build trust with a client and assess the nuances of their assignment. He takes pleasure in delivering effective and constructive results, the success of which can be measured by frequent repeat business.

Areas of specialisation: Chief executive, senior management, operational and business services, governance appointments
Years in the industry: 5

Tim specialises in recruiting contract finance roles within SMEs and large organisations in both the public and private sectors. These roles range from transactional finance through to CFO level.

Tim has been recruiting finance roles in Wellington and London for the past eight years, and was named Goodman Masson Manager of the Year in London for two years running (2017–18). His background gives him not only a mature understanding of the current local market, but also a strong network of contacts who have qualified in accounting in Wellington before moving to London. When these contacts return home, Tim looks to assist them in meeting their next challenge.

Tim strives to build long-standing relationships with clients and candidates, and through careful and detailed interviewing gains a solid understanding the person behind the CV. Specialising in a sector where timing is typically critical, he delivers a thorough, streamlined and time-efficient service to clients who need to hire short-term contract finance specialists.

Areas of specialisation: Contracting, finance
Years in the industry: 8

Tracy specialises in placing professional contractors in the finance, accounting, and planning and performance fields across the public, private and NGO sectors. She ensures her clients are kept fully up to date on the current market environment, so they can make informed candidate choices aligned to their organisation’s strategic plans.

Tracy has over 20 years’ professional experience in the accounting and finance sectors both in New Zealand and overseas, having worked in a range of commercial enterprises and professional chartered accounting practices, and in her own business. Her background gives her a rare depth of understanding of the contracting market and of the machinery of government and public-sector recruiting in the accounting market. She has been specialising in the field of finance contracting recruitment since 2005.

Approachable and highly professional, Tracy has strong business acumen and customer focus with a contemporary understanding of financial operations. Working in a fluid environment where speed and accuracy are of the essence, she is known for her ability to quickly ‘connect the dots’, interpret a client’s needs, and determine the skill set and team fit required.

Areas of specialisation: Accounting, finance
Years in the industry: 13

Anna assists in the recruitment of high-calibre communications and marketing professionals, from entry to mid-level, for permanent roles. This includes finding and vetting individuals who specialise in specific niches – such as internal communications, media, stakeholder engagement, corporate and digital – and also general practitioners.

Her responsibilities include identifying the best candidates for the role; identifying the best roles for candidates; searching for suitable candidates; interviewing and assessing applicants for shortlists; negotiating contracts; and helping applicants prepare for interviews.

Anna holds a bachelor of commerce degree from Victoria University of Wellington with a double major in management, human resources and industrial relations. She joined the JacksonStone team in 2016 in an administration role and became a consultant in 2019. Today, she works closely with senior colleagues Heather Church, Annabel McCallum and John King to deliver service excellence for candidates and clients alike.

Areas of specialisation: Communications and marketing
Years in the industry: 2

MaryAnn is our Company Accountant, keeping the books in order.

As Company Accountant, MaryAnn manages the financial systems on behalf of JacksonStone & Partners. Her meticulous attention to detail is critical to the business and her professionalism and sharp wit is highly valued by her colleagues.

Tanya is our reporting guru and 2IC to MaryAnn

Tanya works closely with MaryAnn as our Finance Assistant. She provides reporting through to a number of our clients and also works with Christian in supporting the businesses IT infrastructure, as well as working day to day with our contractors on timesheets.

Working first in our finance and accounting consulting team gave Tanya the bug for numbers, and she now provides valuable assistance to MaryAnn, particularly around helping support our contractors and contracting clients.

Christian is our marketer and IT manager.

Christian plays a key role in developing and implementing our marketing and communications plan – a role he carries out with passion. Ensuring our consultants are highlighted as expert recruitment and search specialists in their given sectors is his key focus.

In addition to looking after our marketing supplier relationships, Christian also manages the bulk of our IT requirements and sporadically works directly with the Directors on ad-hoc projects related to the business’ ongoing needs.

Areas of specialisation: Marketing, IT Support, Executive search

Lorna leads the administration for our busy Commercial Operations team and is our Administration Team Leader.

Having worked in the recruitment industry on and off for the last twenty years, Lorna ensures our Commercial Operations team runs in an efficient, well-organised manner. Organised and dependable, Lorna leads our Administration Team and is always available to help out a team member.

Lorna also manages any external and internal events and takes on a number of ad-hoc assignments.

Aiden leads administration for our bustling contracting team.

Aiden works to make sure our leading contracting team can focus on sourcing excellent people for a wide variety of positions. Detail-oriented and results-driven, Aiden makes sure our processes remain robust and professional. He is also a valuable point of contact for our contractors and clients, providing them with exceptional customer service.

With his sharp-eye for detail and good-hearted nature, Aiden is a great asset to JacksonStone & Partners.

Jamie leads the administration for our HR/ Policy team.

As well as his work with the HR/ Policy team, Jamie also works closely with our Director David Hollander on managing the administration of State Services Commission appointments. Jamie is proficient, attentive and a valuable asset to his team.

Jamie is always first to volunteer for any ad hoc projects and help out his colleagues when their workload is too high.

Jed leads the administration for our Communications team.

Jed is diligent in all of his work and ensures our Communications team are supported in everything they do. He is thorough, detailed, efficient and committed to client and candidate management. Jed is always across everything that is happening in his team and happy to help wherever possible.

Jed also manages the administration of any multiple-role assignments JacksonStone & Partners is awarded, such as change programs and re-structures.

Jess leads the administration for our Accounting and Finance team.

Jess is an energetic asset to her busy team of consultants, she works on both contracting and permanent placements and is a key point of contact for our clients and candidates. Jess always goes above and beyond in her daily responsibilities; recently taking on the role of maintenance administrator.

With her bubbly and fun manner, Jess is a delight to have about the office and is always willing to lend a hand.

Max is our fantastic receptionist who ensures our front office operates effectively and professionally.

Getting all our Consultants to the right place, at the right time, with the right people is no mean feat – and Max accomplishes this with a positive manner and meticulous care. Beyond her management of the front-office, Max is always willing to jump in and assist with whatever is needed, and is deeply valued by her colleagues.