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changing talent acquisition

22 November 2022 — AMS, the global provider of talent acquisition outsourcing and advisory services, has appointed Julian Thomas to lead its Technology Development and Products team.

Thomas brings with him over 20 years of experience in leading technology and product teams in sectors as diverse as health technology, publishing, patent protection and visitor attractions. As a senior leader at the UK Health Security Agency (formerly NHS Test and Trace) he led a 650 strong team accountable for all digital services, supply chain and laboratory technology in support of the UK’s COVID-19 testing programme.

In the newly created role of Managing Director, Technology Development and Products at AMS, Thomas will lead the organisation’s digital product strategy and focus on building and managing technology solutions which provide real advantage to AMS’s client base.

AMS continues to build its reputation for delivering technology enabled solutions for its clients. Unleash World saw the launch of AMS Verified, an online talent technology community which aims to support talent leaders in understanding, selecting and optimising the best talent tech for their organisations.

Commenting his appointment, Julian Thomas, Managing Director, Technology Development and Products, said: “This is a very exciting time to be joining the AMS team. The talent technology sector has grown rapidly in recent years but the scope to continue to enhance workforce strategies with quality technology solutions remains high.  AMS’s deep expertise in the sector is built on the delivery of recruitment process outsourcing to some of the world’s largest companies. It leaves us in the unique position to be able to advise on and implement a wide range of in-house and external talent technology for our clients.  This is a hugely capable team and I’m looking forward to contributing to its next phase of growth.”

Mike Brown, COO of AMS said: “AMS has been investing in our own proprietary technology for a number of years and we’re already seeing the benefits of this coming to fruition. Julian brings with him considerable experience and insight which will help us to continue this technology journey. Talent technology’s importance is growing, as organisations are broadening their approach to talent pools, skills shortages and hiring. Julian shares our focus on ensuring our clients can deliver their workforce goals, in the most effective way possible.”

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16 November 2022 — Founder and Chair of the Board, Rosaleen Blair, and Melanie Barnett, Managing Director, Client Services PSR UK & Ireland, of the talent outsourcing and advisory services provider, AMS, have been named in the Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) Staffing Global Power 150, an annual list of the most influential females in the global staffing industry.

The 2022 list recognizes remarkable female leaders whose talents, achievements and passion drive their success. Reflecting on this year’s honorees, Subadhra Sriram, SIA’s editor and publisher, media products said, “These, forward-thinking women have turned challenges into springboards to success. From heading up impactful organizations to steering essential projects to fine-tuning the hybrid model, they have led with grace and empathy.”

Rosaleen Blair founded AMS in 1997 with the ambition of transforming the way blue-chip multinationals attract, engage and retain top talent. Blair has led the business through geographic and revenue growth, a management buyout, four private equity relationships and a global economic crisis. Blair is committed to creating opportunities for others and is actively involved in organizations including the Prince’s Trust, UNICEF, Modern Muse, Everywoman and the London Irish Centre.

Melanie has worked for AMS since 2013 and during her time at the business has held responsibility for the operational delivery and management of the company’s Global Contingent Workforce Solutions portfolio of over 22 global blue-chip clients. She is now responsible for the UK Central Government’s Public Sector Resourcing (PSR) Framework, which is the largest contingent workforce solution with over 20,000 workers. With a spend under management of £1.2 billion, Melanie’s team supports 120 government departments with both contingent workforce requirements and an end-to-end statement of work procurement solution.

On her inclusion on the list this year, Melanie Barnett comments: “The Global Power 150 is an amazing accolade to be nominated for, so to make the list of females who are not only leaders in their field, but also helping to drive change across the staffing industry is a real honor. I’d like to congratulate everyone that features on this year’s list. And with SIA’s research consistently showing that despite women dominating offices worldwide in the staffing arena, only a few make it to the top roles in organizations, it is vital that we recognize female role models. And by celebrating female successes, we can encourage the next generation of female leaders and highlight the career opportunities available to all, regardless of gender.”

2022 Global Power 150 At-a-Glance.

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HirePower, a leading Toronto-based provider of RPO, joins the AMS portfolio

Toronto, Canada – (2 November 2022) – AMS, the global provider of talent acquisition outsourcing and advisory services, announced today it has acquired 100% of the share capital in HirePower, a leading Canadian provider of Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO).

Founded in 1992, Toronto-based HirePower holds an established position in the Canadian market as the partner of choice for the in-country operations for many Fortune 500 companies and local mid and large-scale organizations. The acquisition represents a complementary addition to AMS’s rapidly expanding North American operations and will support the continued broadening of AMS’s client base.

With recognized experience in managing, enabling and delivering talent acquisition solutions for blue-chip clients, the acquisition gives AMS outstanding on the ground capability and a platform to create a digital and technology sourcing and hiring center of excellence in Canada, supporting North American and global clients.

Commenting on the acquisition, David Leigh, CEO of AMS, said:

“The acquisition of HirePower expands our capabilities in the rapidly growing North American market, particularly in relation to technology and digital hiring.  We have grown significantly in North America over the last few years and, prior to this acquisition had approximately 2,000 employees in the region.  The addition of HirePower’s excellent team, which has built a market leading business with an excellent reputation for service and client satisfaction, will help us continue our strong momentum.”

Meryl Rosenthal, Founder & President of HirePower said:

“I am incredibly proud of HirePower and the journey we have been on together as a team over the past 30 years.  Our success has been built on our strong commitment to our values and delighting our Clients, which has led to long-lasting partnerships with both fortune 100 and 500 organizations and emerging businesses.  It is very gratifying to see the business enter its next phase of growth with AMS, which I know shares in our values and Client focused ethos.”

Today’s announcement reflects AMS’s strong period of growth and continued commitment to the North American market. With headcount growing more than four-fold in the last 18 months, AMS has established itself as a leading provider of RPO, talent acquisition and TA Technology advisory services in North America.

AMS also continues to grow globally. The acquisition follows those of FlexAbility (India), the Up Group (Europe) and CnL Advisors (US).

OMERS, one of Canada's largest defined benefit pension funds with C$119.5 billion in net assets, is a principal investor in AMS.

The financial details of today's transaction are not disclosed.

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18 October 2022 — David Leigh, CEO and Matthew Rodger, Chief Growth & Commercial Officer of the talent outsourcing and advisory services provider, AMS, have been named in the Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) Staffing 100 Europe List, an annual list of the most influential people in the European staffing industry.

The 2022 list identifies the leaders and entrepreneurs who help shape the industry, have a positive impact on the world of work and guide their firms through the rapidly changing ecosystem. The list, compiled by SIA, includes entrepreneurs, CEOs, reformers, lawyers and businesspeople with a wide range of skills and accomplishments who hail from a multitude of staffing markets in the region.

Under David’s stewardship, AMS has emerged as a market leader in bridging the gap between technology and talent. The company is at the forefront of the digital transformation the sector has seen in recent years and as the battle for talent has intensified, this tech focus has enabled AMS to support ever more clients with their workforce requirements.

On his inclusion on the list this year, David Leigh comments: “This is a great honour, not just for me but for everyone at AMS.  Our focus on technology and digital enablement means we are well positioned to help our clients navigate the complexities of talent acquisition.  We have deep expertise in this area which is paying dividends in allowing us to deliver solutions which not only meet the immediate needs of clients but their future requirements too.  It’s a real point of difference for AMS and something I am particularly proud of.  The strong position we have built in the EMEA & US markets has enabled us to attract new clients and expand the range of services we offer to existing clients”.

Matthew’s leadership has seen AMS capitalize on its sector leading knowledge in banking and finance recruitment process outsourcing by expanding into the pharmaceutical and life sciences, renewables and digital and technology sectors.

Matthew Rodger, who has featured in the list for the last 4 years went on to add: “It’s hugely humbling to be included on this distinguished list of professionals once again. AMS has enjoyed a very successful year to date, experiencing significant growth as our global footprint continues to expand organically and in addition, we completed the acquisition of our long-term partner in India, FlexAbility, renamed to ‘FlexAbility by AMS’.  We are privileged to work with some of the biggest and most innovative companies in the world, partnering with them to deliver a diverse range of talent acquisition and advisory solutions across multiple sectors and geographies.”

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The latest whitepaper from AMS gives deep insight into the common myths around talent technology and demonstrates the benefits it brings when implemented and embedded successfully.
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06 October 2022 — AMS, the global provider of talent acquisition outsourcing and advisory services, announced today the launch of its technology whitepaper, Exploding Digital Myths in Talent Acquisition.

Delivered in five separate chapters, the whitepaper aims to debunk some of the most common myths surrounding talent technology. Through AMS’ own in-house expertise and discussions with academics and other talent professionals, the paper explores how tech-enabled tools, when implemented and used correctly can underpin workforce strategies and deliver better, faster, and more dynamic decisions.

In an increasingly technology focused world it is more important than ever to bridge the gap between technology and talent.  Inspiring and equipping talent teams with the best tools and strategies is essential in a climate where skills remain in demand and competition for talent is intense.  Embracing the right technology will help organizations to secure the best talent in the market and deliver on their business goals.

Featuring interviews and insight from third-party experts such as: Josh Bersin of The Josh Bersin Company, Florenta Teodoridis of the Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California, and Francesca Gino of Harvard Business School; the whitepaper will debunk 5 popular digital myths in talent acquisition.

As mentioned earlier, the whitepaper will focus on 5 myths and each myth will drop monthly. The myths available to read today can be found HERE.

David Leigh, CEO of AMS said: “We live in a world driven by technological transformation. New technologies have touched all industries and businesses. The talent landscape too has been propelled into the digital sphere, whether that’s automated CV sifting or conversational AI driven hiring processes. Those who fail to embrace a technology enabled approach are increasingly at risk of finding themselves unable to deliver the workforce they need, thereby putting the business goals they strive for at considerable risk.

“From how to choose and implement talent technology through to the impact of artificial intelligence and automation on wider business, this whitepaper will explode some of the misconceptions around technology and give tangible advice on how to implement tech tools within your talent acquisition function.”

23 September 2022 — Global total workforce solutions provider, AMS is named as winner in the “Excellence in Team Collaboration (Silver)” category in HR Excellence Awards 2022, Philippines.

The HR Excellence Awards is an end-to-end awards programme designed to reward and celebrate outstanding work from HR teams, with diverse categories designed to cater to HR’s entire suite of skills and responsibilities. It honours best-in-class HR teams and individuals for their spectacular work executed across the entire HR function and aims to bring together talented HR professionals as a force to champion.

The “Excellence in Team Collaboration” category considers HR teams’ exceptional achievements in areas of team morale and engagement, teamwork and cohesiveness, which has led to a direct contribution to the organisation’s business strategy. AMS people-oriented programme “Quantum LEAP” leans towards pure people engagement with transparency and a multi-disciplinary Change Management intervention that focuses on the following:

  • Changing employee perception,
  • Improving management and leadership team capabilities, producing a consultative culture for employees, creating solutions from the ground up, and
  • Enhancing employee engagement to increase team performance.

Chet Calupitan, Head of Centre, Philippines at AMS, commented, “We are honoured to be recognised as a winner in the ‘Excellence in Team Collaboration’ category in HR Excellence Awards. This recognition is a testament to our focus on employee engagement and development and will further inspire us to remain dedicated in driving strong people management and team performance at AMS Philippines.”

Roop Kaistha, Regional Managing Director APAC at AMS, said, “We are incredibly proud of AMS Philippines’ achievement as a winner in the HR Excellence Awards 2022. At AMS, we believe that people are the foundation of our success. Our business is all about talent and our own people development is a key strategic enabler for AMS. As AMS continues to grow at scale, we’ll remain committed to placing great emphasis on employee engagement and leadership development, which is critical to our future success.”

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Innovative platform combines AMS’s deep tech, advisory and operational expertise to help organizations navigate the talent tech market

Cleveland, OH – (October 12, 2022) – AMS, a global provider of talent acquisition outsourcing and advisory services, announced today the launch of AMS Verified at UNLEASH World 2022 in Paris, France, October 12 - 13, 2022.

AMS Verified is an innovative online platform where talent leaders benefit from AMS’s professional analysis of the talent technology ecosystem and AMS approved software vendors can get a pulse on different talent tech needs in the market. AMS Verified demystifies the vast number of available solutions for talent leaders. It also provides them with access to AMS’s advisory services so they can more confidently make tech decisions and benchmark their own tech stack against similar companies.

David Leigh, Chief Executive Officer, AMS

“There’s no doubt that talent acquisition leaders are under a great deal of strain as companies across the board strive to grow their businesses, yet the talent to support that growth is incredibly scarce. Technology can help bridge that gap so organizations can build strong talent pipelines, but only if it’s the right solution for each company’s unique needs. AMS Verified directly confronts these challenges, bringing together strengths from all corners of our organization, including AMS’s deep technology expertise, our credentials in the global recruitment space and the wealth of knowledge from our advisory team.”

AMS Verified is evaluating over 1,000 talent technology organizations and has created a rating system that cuts through the noise to help companies identify the right combination of tech for their needs. AMS works with talent technology vendors to get their platforms AMS Verified, opening up access to the latest market needs & trends data which allows them to improve their software and continue to build their roadmap.

AMS Verified benefits all users by:

  • Evaluating more features and functionality than other platforms to better match talent needs with vendor capabilities
  • Categorizing the tech not only by description but by the business objectives it solves in order to consider and shortlist the choices for TA leaders saving time and resources while making more informed decisions
  • Employing a search function that’s unique to the TA community and its terminology, while also allowing users to identify solutions by industry, hiring category and geography for more meaningful results

Jonathan Kestenbaum, Managing Director, Technology Strategy & Partners, AMS

“AMS Verified is light years ahead of any other platform on the market in terms of the benefits it brings to stakeholders. By expediting the TA tech review process with pre-vetted solutions, leaders can get much-needed technology in place more efficiently and effectively to meet their business objectives. At the same time, vendors can focus on addressing true market needs and pursuing the right opportunities.”

To arrange a demonstration of AMS Verified with one of our experts, either at UNLEASH 2022 or virtually, please contact AMS at: [email protected]

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26 July 2022 — AMS, (formerly Alexander Mann Solutions), a global provider of talent outsourcing and advisory services, has been recognised by HR Excellence Center (HREC), an influential HR organisation in China, as a winner in the “Preferred Recruitment Process Outsourcing Provider” category of the 2022 HREC Recruiting & Staffing Solution Provider Value Awards.

The HREC Recruiting & Staffing Solution Provider Value Awards aims to recognise outstanding HR services providers in China, and to provide a practical procurement reference for HR practitioners.

The evaluation process adheres to HREC’s consistent principle of “Fairness, Justice and Openness” and assesses HR services providers’ capabilities across Brand Awareness, Market Share and Brand Recommendation, etc.

Kensy Sy, General Manager at AMS China, commented, “Being named as a winner in the ‘Preferred Recruitment Process Outsourcing Provider’ category is a testament to the best-in-class RPO services that we deliver. AMS has always been dedicated to localising global talent solutions to the China market. With the opening of our new Wuhan office in February this year, we are confident that we’ll remain a true partner to our growing list of clients and add value to their talent acquisition processes.”

Roop Kaistha, Regional Managing Director APAC at AMS, said, “We are delighted to be recognised in this prestigious award. This honour is a demonstration of the amazing work that AMS China has been delivering to our clients. In today’s increasingly tight talent market, we remain focused on delivering cutting-edge talent outsourcing solutions to our vast array of clients and helping them achieve true workforce dexterity.”

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15 September 2022 — In response to increasing demand globally, provider of talent outsourcing and advisory services, AMS (formerly Alexander Mann Solutions), has further expanded its footprint across the EMEA region by opening a new operational centre in Belgrade.

This move will see the firm substantially increase headcount in the region in the second half of 2022, opening its ninth operational centre worldwide. Edin Veljovic, the newly appointed Serbia Country Lead and Senior Operations, has called for candidates to apply to the career opportunities, as part of the ‘Bring it’ recruitment campaign. All open vacancies can be found here.

The latest move comes after a period of exponential growth, following expansions in Barcelona, Berlin, Budapest, Dusseldorf, Zagreb, Wuhan and the Philippines this year alone, with AMS reporting a significant uptick in demand for in market talent solutions globally.

Mike Brown, Global Managing Director - Operations, AMS, commented on the news: “This is the ninth global services centre we have opened, reflecting the recent surge in demand for top talent worldwide. This exciting venture will allow us to support our growing client base and build strong communities for our staff in country. If you are keen to bring your unique vision to AMS then please do apply to one of our open vacancies. The opportunities are endless”

David Leigh, Chief Executive Officer, AMS: “I am really excited by this latest strategic expansion. At AMS, we are committed to supporting our clients and delivering the best possible service to them wherever they may be in the world. Our dedicated operational team in Belgrade, with their talent acquisition expertise, language skills and cultural understanding, will be ideally placed to support our clients and colleagues globally.”

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26 September 2022 — Global total workforce solutions provider, AMS is celebrating two award wins at the annual  TIARA Talent Solution Awards Europe 2022.

The awards recognise outstanding companies across the RPO, MSP and Talent Solutions market. In the ceremony, which took place on Friday 23rd September 2022, the judging panel made up of talent experts from a variety of industries awarded AMS:

  • The Parasol Candidate Experience in partnership with Santander
    On winning the Candidate Experience Award, the AMS team were praised by the judges for the innovative work they delivered on internal mobility, and in particular the creation of their Internal Mobility Hub. Something the judges expect to see become much more common in the years ahead.
  • Talent Solutions Provider of the Year
    Referencing the Talent Solutions Provider of the Year Award, the judges recognised the depth of expertise consistently delivered by AMS as well as their ability to bring a high degree of creativity and innovation to new client challenges.

 

In addition, AMS was also highly commended for:

  • The Best Early Career Initiative in partnership with Rolls Royce
  • The Best Use of Technology in partnership with NatWest
  • The Long-Term Partnership Award for work done in collaboration with Equinor and NatWest

David Leigh, CEO of AMS commented: “We’re incredibly honoured to have walked away with ‘The Candidate Experience Award’ and the ‘Talent Solutions Provider of the Year Award’ at this year’s TIARA Talent Solution Awards Europe. The calibre of our peers, alongside the competitive and prestigious reputation of the TIARAs, makes accolades such as these even more impressive. We thrive on innovation and the solutions we deliver are focused on best-in-class experiences for our clients. Adding these wins to our repertoire shows that our approach to delivering true workforce dexterity is certainly paying off. I’d like to congratulate every member of the shortlisted and winning teams for achieving such a fantastic acknowledgement as well as a very special congratulations to the AMS teams whose hard work and dedication made these wins possible.”

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