Meet the Hooray team

A qualified and highly experienced Recruitment professional, Richard founded Hooray in 2017 after moving back to Gloucestershire where he went to school and where his family reside. Having worked with some large corporate firms, Richard has managed large teams and is passionate about building and delivering an agency built on sound ethical principles and good business practices. Did you know that Richard used to be a DJ and regularly played the club circuit during the nineties and has graced the decks several times at the world famous Ministry of Sound?!

With 15 years of Business Development and Account Management experience, Ian has worked in the Property and Recruitment sectors extensively and brings a wealth of knowledge to Hooray. Ian manages the day to day operations at Hooray, overseeing everything from Finance to Marketing as well as looking after a portfolio of valued clients. Ian lived in Australia for 6 years and set up his own organic food business, creating a healthy muesli brand and distributing it to over 50 health food stores and cafes in Sydney.

Having been in recruitment since 2017, Dan has spent the last four years specialising in recruitment for the Healthcare + Education sectors. Covering temporary and permanent vacancies from entry through to Director level, Dan is equally successful finding niche social care specialists as he is at finding business support candidates for the increasingly busy and challenging Healthcare sector. Prior to his recruitment days, Dan had a successful career in Hospitality managing a busy Gastro Pub with a team of twenty five at the age of 22. Dan believes he has a special connection to the Queen, can you guess what it is? They share the same birthday!

Dom is part of Hooray’s ever-growing Healthcare + Education division where he specialises in sourcing and placing candidates into their perfect role. Prior to joining Hooray in November 2021, Dom spent just under 7 years in the Travel industry where he was responsible for creating memorable travel experiences for his customers. Dom has been lucky enough to go on over 40 holidays himself, visiting over 25 different countries in the process!

Sophie joined Hooray in June 2022 and focuses purely on matching the very best talent to our wide range of clients within the Healthcare + Education sectors. Before beginning her career in recruitment, Sophie worked in retail and hospitality where she worked her way up to Team Leader level and gained strong customer service skills which are perfectly placed for her new role. From a young age, Sophie has been a keen performer and has studied in places like Milton Keynes and Bracknell. Personal highlights for Sophie are performing in Her Majesty’s Theatre in London three times, and participating in a voluntary commercial and soundtrack on Spotify for ChildLine with Kerry Ellis.

Stephen has a wealth of recruitment experience gained from a career in both agency and RPO environments. Having worked for large consultancy and financial services businesses in London and Birmingham for the previous 10 years, Stephen returned to his recruitment roots and joined Hooray in 2020 and now leads the Professional Services specialist division. Originally from London, Stephen and his family moved to the Cotswolds 6 years ago and like everyone else, they wished they’d made the leap sooner. In a former life, Stephen lived and worked in Australia undertaking work on cotton farms in Queensland amongst other temporary roles to fund further travel.

Following a background working in Insurance administration at Capita for over 4 ½ years, Alice moved into the world of recruitment in early 2020. As a valued member of Hooray’s busy Professional Services division, Alice’s exposure to Insurance and Financial Services has really helped her gain a strong insight within this sector. A fun fact about Alice is that she is considering becoming a Paloma Faith impersonator but she doesn’t think her vocal ability is quite at the required level!

Francesca is part of Hooray’s busy Professional Services division and before joining Hooray, the majority of Francesca’s professional experience has come from working in the Retail and Hospitality sectors. Growing up, Francesca was a volunteer member of Pen-y-Bont Surf Lifesaving Club for over 10 years where she competed in local, national and British competitions. She is also a very confident skier and has been going on skiing holidays for the past 17 years where she has been able to complete all levels of Ecole du Ski Français (ESF) exams.

Originally from Poland, Iga moved to London at the age of 14 and to Cheltenham at the start of 2022 (Hooray!). Prior to joining Hooray, Iga worked as a Recruitment Administrator and Apprenticeships Consultant for a recruitment agency based in London and prior to this, she gained a significant amount of hospitality experience, working her way up to an Assistant General Manager. Iga is a keen swimmer, badminton player, astrology nerd, eager piano player and an origami enthusiast!

Matt joined Hooray in March 2022, having spent 4 years studying History and Law at University. After graduating, Matt worked for a short time in the Legal industry meaning he made a great fit for our Professional Services team. He is a supporter of Manchester United and has been playing football regularly for many years, which feeds into his competitive nature. Matt enjoys music and considers himself something of an old soul, with his favourite artist being the Beatles.

With a keen interest in technological advancements and Industry 4.0, Mark leads the Tech + Engineering division where he advises clients on current market conditions and future trends/opportunities. His experience as a small business owner enables him to relate to the daily challenges of SMEs while his comprehension of corporate structure and the highly competitive recruitment landscape ensures he is well equipped to offer expert advice to large corporates within Tech & Engineering. In his previous life, Mark attended drama school and performing arts still holds a special place in his heart. Whenever he is not securing the best talent in the market for his clients, Mark can be found in his allotment or cheering on his beloved Springboks.

Emily joined Hooray in January 2022 after leaving the world of primary education. Prior to that, her professional working experience has been in retail, marketing, and hospitality. Emily really enjoys the complexities and challenges that the Tech + Engineering sector brings and supports Mark and Charlotte day to day to uncover the best talent in the market. In her spare time, Emily enjoys costuming as popular characters in aid of charity fundraising and performing as princesses at children’s birthday parties. She is also a keen photographer!

Aleshia lives and works in Milton Keynes and was brought on to expand Hooray’s reach and presence in this area. Aleshia started her career in recruitment 20 years ago and has previously worked as a Branch Manager and Recruitment Trainer. Over the years she has specialised in many areas of recruitment including Admin, HR, Banking and Finance, IT and Graduate recruitment. She has recently returned to recruitment after a career break to bring up her daughter. In her spare time, Aleshia’s loves are baking and running. She runs so that she can eat her bakes!

Tom joined Hooray in 2020 following 15 years within the hospitality and events industries. He is experienced in working closely with individuals and supporting them in finding a role to best suit their requirements and skill-set. Currently undertaking a Level 2 Certificate in Recruitment Resourcing to enhance his existing skill set, Tom not only manages the day to day running of the office whilst providing PA support to the Directors, but also supports the busy Hooray team particularly on roles which require an individually tailored search. Did you know that Tom has walked the Cotswold Way non-stop from Bath to Cheltenham?! His young family are often cheering him on at various sporting events; half and full marathons and cycling sportives.

Becca joined Team Hooray in May 2021, initially as part of a 6-month Kickstart Scheme after completing her A Levels. She previously worked in Joules as a Retail Assistant for 3 years whilst studying with the aim of developing her customer service skills. Day to day, Becca supports the whole Hooray team from managing all compliance documents for candidates and clients to answering the phone and generally helping with all things administration. Becca is an avid baker and bakes cakes, biscuits and many more delicious sweet treats!

With a first-class degree in photography and a background in branding and marketing, Prudence is a creative thinker that combines her love of photography, design, PR, and social media to create impactful and ethical marketing solutions. Her main focus has been establishing and strengthening the brands’ identity and the relationships with clients and candidates in order to best serve their needs.

Prudence loves problem solving and perseveres to find original solutions to problems. She is motivated to learn and develop new skills independently and loves a challenge. Whilst on the job, she is also working towards her level 3 Digital Marketing Diploma. Prudence is passionate about the environment and socio-political issues and in her spare time has produced work that raises awareness about global warming, plastic pollution, and the refugee crisis.