Xchangeteam - About Us - Xchangeteam Staff

Our team consists of a dedicated, talented and highly experienced set of managers, resourcing agents and support staff.

Xchangeteam blends a mix of people who have previously worked in the industry and speak your language with people who have years of resourcing experience and who understand the many ways of matching and finding talent.

As you will see from the descriptions below everyone has a belief in integrity, a personal touch, expert experience, a progressive attitude and enjoys having fun!

Emma Brierley, Founder and CEO

Emma Brierley started Xchangeteam from a bedroom in her house in 1999 accompanied by three builders and two cats! Four years as a freelance PR consultant had convinced her that there was an opportunity to establish a professional freelance resourcing agency as nothing so specialist existed. Today she has created a £6m+ company which now offers both freelance and permanent resourcing and is quite different to the standard recruitment offering.

Emma writes and speaks regularly about freelance issues, HR and recruitment trends. She is a recognised industry leader, recently publishing a book called, “Talent on Tap”, to help organisations get the best from freelancers. She was a finalist in the Ernst & Young London Entrepreneur of the Year 2006 Awards and is currently the chair of the REC Media, Marketing and Communications Sector Group which she was instrumental in founding.

Mike Berry, Managing Director

Mike joined Xchangeteam as Managing Director bringing over 22 years of successful recruitment experience with him. Working his way up from a trainee to board level within a major multinational and latterly as MD of a specialist niche recruiter, he has built and managed businesses and teams across a range of sectors in the professional services arena.

Mike has recruited at all levels in the IT, HR, Banking, Legal and Sales sectors and has worked with both public and private clients from multinational corporations to small independent establishments.

When urged to provide a personal touch he generally rolls out his Mancunian heritage, 4 children or his moment of TV fame as the winner of the original Krypton Factor many years ago.

Fred Knipe, Chief Operating Officer

Fred trained as an accountant in Ernst & Young’s corporate tax department in London and after qualifying he moved into corporate finance. He then spent eight years advising predominantly privately owned companies on disposals, finance raising and acquisitions. As well as Ernst & Young, he has worked in corporate finance for Capita Group and BDO Stoy Hayward.

Fred has built an in-house finance team and set up financial processes which mean that Xchangeteam has sophisticated timesheet/payroll systems and strong financial rigour. He also oversees IT and legal matters.

Fred is an avid Liverpool FC supporter!

Direct Dial: 020 7025 4435

PR and Communications Team

Margaret Maupin, Head of Communications & Events

Margaret "Maggie" Maupin joined Xchangeteam in January 2004, bringing eight years of experience in both consultancy and corporate public relations to her new role.

She most recently was a freelance PR consultant, where she worked with a wide range of clients in the U.S. and the U.K. Before that, she was director of public relations for a cable entertainment company.

With broad experience in the telecommunications, government affairs, charity and corporate sectors, Maggie has worked with clients such as AT&T, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, Microsoft, The Gill Foundation, CH2M Hill, Qwest Communications, and Rhythms NetConnections.

She has recently completed her MBA from Middlesex University and in her spare time likes to play the bass guitar.

Direct Dial: 020 7025 4409

Tom Little, Client Partnership Manager - PR and Communications

Tom joined Xchangeteam in December 2003. He graduated in marketing in 1997 and went straight into recruitment, where he has been ever since. He has experience of managing freelance, contingency permanent and headhunting resourcing within the public relations sector.

He has specialist knowledge within the technology, digital, corporate, financial and healthcare industries. His recruitment career has also taken him overseas where he spent six months in the U.S. working on international staffing projects for global technology companies.

Tom is a practicing northerner in his spare time, and when not at the pub does his best to be healthy.

Direct Dial: 020 7025 4448

Debby Clark, Senior Agent - PR and Communications

Debby has been an Agent since 2000.
Before joining Xchangeteam, Debby gained eight years consumer PR and event management experience working for consultancies such as Jackie Cooper PR, Freud Communications and The Rowland Company, as well as in-house organisations such as NCDL.

At Xchangeteam, Debby specialises in ethical and consumer healthcare through to general consumer and local and central government.

Outside work, her young daughter, Lulu, keeps her very busy!

Direct Dial: 020 7025 4411

Sara Duffy, Senior Agent - PR and Communications

Sara joined Xchangeteam in August 2003 having decided to move back to the big smoke after living and working in Ireland for a year and make the move into PR & Communications resourcing.

Since graduating from Brunel University in 2001, where she studied Management Studies, Sara started her career in PR having gained both consultancy and in-house PR experience. Her clients have included Apple Computers, the World Rally Championships, Network Q Rally of Great Britain, MSA Classic Car Events and National Car Rental.

In her spare time, Sara plays netball with Whitton Netball Club in Twickenham and enjoys all sorts of soft furnishings.

Direct Dial: 020 7025 4447

Anthony Kayne, Senior Agent - PR and Communications

Anthony joined Xchangeteam in August 2004 as an agent, following more than seven years PR agency experience, both in permanent and freelance roles.

Ant specialised in sports sponsorship exploitation and consumer PR for brands such as Coca-Cola, Adidas, Puma, Reebok, Holsten and Braun.

A born and bred Liverpudlian, Ant is an avid Liverpool supporter and in a previous life had a Saturday job making and selling balloon decorations for weddings, christenings and parties.

Direct Dial: 020 7025 4403

Roger Majerski , Agent - PR and Communications/Public Affairs

Roger joined Xchangeteam in 2006 after four years in local government, where he ranged across election campaigning, policy research and media relations.

He was most recently a Research Assistant with the Royal Borough of Kingston (a London Borough Council), which he left after the administration secured an unprecedented second term in the 2006 local government elections.

A member of the Young Fabians, he is also a regular at industry events including CIPR GAG, Pubaffairs and Westminster Social. In his spare time, Roger is an avid ice skater and an enthusiastic fencer.

Direct Dial: 020 7025 4414

Katja Bresman, Agent - PR and Communications

Katja Bresman joined Xchangeteam in September 2007 and brings with her a mixture of both recruitment and PR industry experience. A graduate in English and Drama, she began her PR career working agencyside in the consumer/luxury lifestyle sector where her clients included John Lewis, De Vere Hotels and Club Med.

A year ago she caught the resourcing bug and hasn’t looked back since! Her last role saw her concentrating on permanent roles within London’s top 150 PR agencies.

In her spare time, Katja plays tennis, enjoys travelling and going back to her Finnish roots, which involves practicing the language and testing her culinary skills - reindeer happens to be one of her favourites!

Direct Dial: 020 7025 4408

Katie Austin, Agent - PR and Communications

Katie is the most recent addition to the PR and Communications team having joined in January 2008. She graduated from the University of Durham, headed straight for the smoke and started work as Press Officer for the Women’s Institute. After spending two exciting years in charity PR working on a range of campaigns and events, Katie decided to turn her hand to something different and entered the world of resourcing, and hasn’t looked back!

In her spare time Katie loves cooking, shopping, socialising, planning holidays and donning her Barbour jacket and pink wellies to traipse through fields in Cambridgeshire!

Direct Dial: 020 7025 4443

Jake Surrey, Junior Agent - PR and Communications

Jake Surrey came on board in 2007 to join the PR & Communications team as Trainee Agent. Having worked in the events industry since graduating from the London School of Economics in 2004 with a degree in Philosophy, he decided to embark on a career as a mixologist.

However working while the rest of the world slept lost its appeal as he began to crave daylight! So, he is now really looking forward to embarking on his new career at Xchangeteam and making a name for himself in his chosen sector.
He is a dedicated Gooner and is feeling optimistic about the 2008/09 season...

Direct Dial: 020 7025 4439

Integrated Marketing Team

Neil Hamilton, Team Leader - Integrated Marketing

Neil started in recruitment in 1997 and went on to ride the rollercoaster of the dotcom boom and bust, where he also got involved in a start-up interactive TV development company. Neil joined Xchangeteam in November 2004; he recruits across technical positions ranging from web developers to project managers, usability consultants and technical directors, also he turns his hand to recruiting account handlers roles from junior to senior and project managers.

Directly prior to joining Xchangeteam, he was responsible for managing the development of a portal for a subsidiary of a major UK retailer.

In his own time Neil is a part time marine ecologist and has a passion for classic cars (currently owning a Mercedes 280slc).

Direct Dial: 020 7025 4428

Rebecca Heptinstall , Senior Agent - Integrated Marketing

Rebecca joined Xchangeteam in April 2007 as part of their Integrated Marketing Team. Her recruitment spans across nine years, with five of those being gained in admin/secretarial and the latter four years within marketing, communications and events within London. Her clients include public sector and charities through to media and retail, handling both freelance and permanent roles.

Although her experience is heavily within client side, as a team we also recruit extensively within agencies. The types of roles Rebecca handles are across the full marketing mix including; Product/Brand Management, CRM, Digital, Loyalty, DM, Marketing Communications and Research.

Direct Dial: 020 7025 4415

Judi Patton, Senior Agent - Integrated Marketing

Judi joined Xchangeteam in October 2007 as a Senior Agent. Judi's focus is the integrated sector and covers all levels of account handling – both freelance and permanent. With five years experience as a recruitment consultant under her belt, Judi has excellent knowledge of resourcing for sales promotion, direct marketing, experiential and TTL agencies.

Previously, Judi was Account Director at a number of top London agencies and having run experiential activity for Coca-Cola, local store marketing for Blockbuster Video, PR & Communications for the Department of Health, third party promotions and sponsorship for Lloyds TSB and loyalty programmes for Selfridges, Judi is well equipped to understand the roles clients are recruiting for and candidates are seeking! When she isn’t working, Judi is kept very busy by her young daughter.

Rodney Crouch, Senior Agent - Integrated Marketing

Rodney joined Xchangeteam in October 2007 after three and a half years working within public sector and not-for-profit recruitment. He is experienced in setting up new recruitment desks and has successfully developed markets and managed teams within the industry. Rodney is now a specialist events & marketing recruitment Senior Agent sitting within the Integrated Marketing Team here at Xchangeteam.

With extensive knowledge of all the major clients within the industry and an outstanding candidate base, Rodney is able to deliver a first class recruitment service.

Rodney is an avid socialiser but when he is not out on the town, he loves nothing more than participating in sports such as snowboarding and wakeboarding or going to watch his beloved Fulham FC.

Direct Dial: 020 7025 4412

Kate Kentish, Senior Agent - Integrated Marketing

Kate Kentish started her career as a radio journalist before moving into the advertising industry. Having worked her way up to Account Director level at Bates (now part of Ogilvy) she moved into recruitment in the mid 1990’s under the misguided impression that it might mean a slightly less frantic lifestyle!

Having spent several years running the sales promotion agency sector at a small recruitment agency called Management Match, Kate joined an ex-colleague at Pricejamieson where she spent the next five years heading up the Integrated Agency Division.

Kate lives in North London but spends as much time as possible by the seaside at her other home in South Devon where she can be found stomping along the cliffs when she’s not in the pub.

Direct Dial: 020 7025 4442

Lee Preston, Senior Agent - Integrated Marketing

Lee joined Xchangeteam in September 2008 as a Senior Agent, working in the Integrated Marketing Team. She brings three years of Recruitment experience and five years of integrated agency experience. A graduate of Lancaster University in Advertising & Marketing she headed straight for London. She secured a place on a Graduate training programme at a top ten Agency then going on to work both freelance and permanent at a range of TTL agencies working on international FMCG and Blue chip brands.

She rose to Senior Account Manager before she moved to recruitment.

In her spare time Lee tests her own patience by trying to hit a tiny wee ball into a tiny wee hole on the green. She's also turned her spare room into a silversmith workshop to pursue her new hobby of creating eccentric, statement jewellery pieces.

Direct Dial: 020 7025 4432

Emma Mayne, Agent - Integrated Marketing

Emma brings a mixture of both recruitment and marketing industry experience. After graduating from a design & branding degree she began her marketing career in publishing for both entertainment book titles and then for fine art. Her marketing experience is broad having worked on creative and strategic marketing campaigns.

Emma has now been recruiting for a year, for both agency and client-side integrated marketing roles.

In her spare time Emma is working towards a black belt in the martial art Taekwondo, she enjoys sailing, traveling to new places and is looking forward to completing her open water dive course.

Creative Team

Sarah Ellis-Jones, Senior Agent - Design/Production

Sarah joined Xchangeteam in June 2006 and has eight years experience resourcing for the advertising, design, publishing and production sectors. She has worked with a broad range of clients from high profile agencies, publishing houses, plcs, public sector, central and local government and retail organisations.

Sarah graduated in 1996 with a degree in Theatre, Media and Drama from University of Glamorgan and Welsh College of Music and Drama. She spent some time doing theatre & TV work and working in France before moving to London for 'just a couple of years' - in 1998!

In her spare time she still acts, directs and helps run a central London amateur theatre company. She is currently enjoying maternity leave with her first child.

Shirley Hart, Senior Agent - Advertising

Shirley has vast experience of the 'creative process' having progressed from a designer/art director at the beginning of her career, to creative director of a large multi-national agency. She is uniquely qualified to advise both designers and art directors on that 'next career move', having been there, done it.

In her spare time, Shirley is a patron of art galleries, the theatre and the royal ballet.

Direct Dial: 020 7025 4438

Ronnie Smith, Agent - Design

Ronnie Smith joined Xchangeteam in October 2007 as a Trainee Agent in the Creative team and is really looking forward to making his mark in this sector. He graduated with a degree in Business Economics from Kingston in June 2006 and has since worked in higher education within a design faculty, dealing with both administration and admissions.

In his spare time he likes nothing more than going to gigs, clubs and festivals alike, and is not averse to socialising with a drink or two!

Direct Dial: 020 7025 4405

Jaye Hargreaves, Agent - Creative

Jaye started recruitment in Manchester in 2005 before moving to the bright lights and big city living that is London. He specialises in recruiting creative’s both on and offline within design and advertising agencies. Over the years Jaye has developed an excellent network of contacts to help both clients and candidates find their perfect match.

When he is not career matchmaking Jaye is submerged in music production or DJing.

Media Team

Nick O'Connor, Head of Media

Nick has five years advertising sales and six years digital sales resourcing experience. Having cut his teeth at VNU, Nick joined the Economist Group in 1997 as advertising manager and then advertising director on the pan-European title, Information Strategy.
In 1999, Nick joined The Davis Company to launch their digital division.

Since 2006, Nick has been running digital across all Xchangeteam’s divisions and placing digital sales people into a wide range of roles.

Nick is currently undergoing a full redesign; from chubby, greying, barfly to young, svelte, Adonis. In between running, going to the gym and general fitness pursuits Nick can be found continuing his book - "I have visited every bar in London - A Recruitment Agent's story"

Direct Dial: 020 7025 4423

Derek Walters, Senior Agent - Media Sales

Derek Walters moved into recruitment after being talent spotted whilst registering as a candidate in 1998. Initially he worked for a start-up business in Essex, developing a commercial permanent recruitment desk from scratch. After moving to London in April 2000, he joined a graduate recruitment company for four years, specialising in media and B2B graduate vacancies.

More recently Derek has worked in senior sales and marketing roles in the publishing and digital TV industries. He joined Xchangeteam in January 2007 to focus on placing digital and traditional media sales people.

Derek enjoys live music concerts, the theatre and has recently developed a passion for the opera. Living in Central London means he can enjoy all the local area has to offer and still be within stumbling distance to return home.

Direct Dial: 020 7025 4417

Gavin Clink, Agent - Media Sales

Gavin joined the media sales team in early 2008 when he relocated back to London. He previously worked for four years for a leading independent recruitment agency in Leeds. His background is within permanent recruitment dealing with large corporate clients. Now specialising in the media industry he is keen to bring his experience to the London market.

He has recently returned from a sabbatical in South America where he completed several voluntary assignments and improved his Spanish skills! In his spare time he still enjoys to travel, international cuisine, wine & contemporary fiction.

Direct Dial: 020 7025 4420

Digital Team

Nick O'Connor, Director - Digital

In 1999, Nick joined The Davis Company to launch their digital division. Since 2006, Nick has been running digital across all Xchangeteam’s divisions and placing digital sales people into a wide range of roles.

Nick is currently undergoing a full redesign; from chubby, greying, barfly to young, svelte, Adonis. In between running, going to the gym and general fitness pursuits Nick can be found continuing his book - "I have visited every bar in London - A Recruitment Agent's story"

Neil Hamilton, Team Leader - Integrated Marketing

Sarah Ellis-Jones, Senior Agent - Design/Production

Internal Communications Team

Anthony Kayne, Senior Agent - PR and Communications

Anthony joined Xchangeteam in August 2004 as an agent, following more than seven years PR agency experience, both in permanent and freelance roles.

Deenita Pattni, Team Leader - Editorial

After a four year stint in journalism and PR, Deenita began her editorial recruitment career back in 1999 and has never looked back since. She has set up and managed teams has a proven track record in placing freelance and permanent editorial talent (Editors, Writers, Journalists, Subs and Copywriters to name a few), both on and off-line within a wide range of disciplines.

Deenita has in-depth editorial knowledge and she is so passionate about it that she has recently joined the CiB London Committee (Communicators in Business).

In addition to being a fanatical football supporter of Liverpool FC, Deenita has also qualified as a Master Practitioner of NLP and in her spare time, walks on hot coals, broken glass, and can guide anyone into a trance!

Direct Dial: 020 7025 4407

Rodney Crouch, Senior Agent - Integrated Marketing

Rodney joined Xchangeteam in October 2007 after three and a half years working within public sector and not-for-profit recruitment. He is experienced in setting up new recruitment desks and has successfully developed markets and managed teams within the industry. Rodney is now a specialist events & marketing recruitment senior agent sitting within the Integrated Marketing Team here at Xchangeteam.

Editoral Team

Deenita Pattni, Team Leader - Editorial

Barbara Stacy, Agent - Editorial

Barbara entered into the world of recruitment in 2006 after five-years at LexisNexis. Specialising in editorial recruitment, Barbara has grown and managed teams and has successfully placed freelance and permanent editorial staff including: Subs-Editors, Writers, Journalists, and content specialists (both online and offline).

Barbara is a specialist in editorial and production. She graduated from the University of London as a Psychotherapist in 2005.

In her spare time, Barbara loves to cook, as well as having a keen interest in sampling various drinking establishments (for research purposes only, of course).

Support Team

Melanie Bartle, Operations Manager

Melanie joined Xchangeteam in October 2004 after leaving her home town of Leeds for the bright lights of London.

Melanie has a strong customer-focused background based on a variety of sales support roles she has carried out over the last nine years. Her first job in London was with a design studio where she assisted a small team of architects and designers as well as controlling the general administration of the studio.

Besides her passion for silver jewellery making, in her spare time Melanie also loves visiting the many art galleries and shopping areas London has to offer!
Direct Dial: 020 7025 4413

Kim Christian, Marketing Coordinator

Kim joined Xchangeteam in May 2006.
She is very proud to have been born and raised in Harare, Zimbabwe. She then moved to Cape Town, South Africa when she was 19 where she completed Diplomas in Sports and Health Club Management and in Personal Fitness Training.

Kim has been living in London for over three years and has loved every minute of it. She loves travelling around Britain and so far counts Harrogate and Oxford among some of her favourite places to visit.

Kim is an avid cricket and tennis fan and enjoys playing both sports. She had the privilege of captaining the Zimbabwe Schools' Tennis Team when she was 18.

Direct Dial: 020 7025 4427

Fiona O'Sullivan, Team Coordinator

Fiona joined Xchangeteam in July 2008 after freelancing with us. Since graduating in 2007 from Goldsmiths University in History and Sociology, she has worked in a wide variety of organisations in administration support, from law to government agencies. Despite the lure of the freelance lifestyle, Xchangeteam managed to persuade her to go permanent!

In her spare time she loves shopping and eating out and in the future would love to visit the home of Sex and the City – New York.

Direct Dial: 020 7025 4440

Sophia Hines, Credit Control

Sophia is the Jane of all trades, three years as an accredited Assessor for Business Admin, Call Handling & Customer Service, as well as experience working as an Finance Manager/ Administrator for a range of different companies – the last one being two years with a Landscape Architectural practice, where she managed both purchase and sales ledger.

She chases all clients for payments, raises all statements, helps to sort out client queries as well as helping to organise staff events to raise moral.

In her spare time you’ll often find her creating ‘up and coming’ new designs for tiles, wallpaper and textiles and creating soft furnishings, and is currently on time out from University.

Direct Dial: 020 7025 4418

Michelle Isaac, Accounts Assistant

Michelle has six years accounting experience.

She has spent most of her career working for International Law Firms across London. Before joining Xchangeteam, she worked for a year in a recruitment company specialising in contractor payroll and sales support and hopes to bring something different to Xchangeteam.

Michelle likes to travel and enjoys anything to do with property from buying to developing. She is currently enjoying maternity leave with her first baby.

Greg Ireland, IT Manager

Greg is our second Zimbabwean addition to the team. He was born and raised in Harare and came over in February 2006 to live and work in the UK. He has a vast experience in IT support including managing and running his own IT support company in Harare.

Greg is always looking for ways to improve the performance and reliability of the IT infrastructure. He enjoys sports, beer 'n braai's and surprise surprise...... computer games.

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