Partner Article

Fresh eyes on the future: Jackson Hogg

Jackson Hogg
www.jacksonhogg.com
info@jacksonhogg.com
Photography: Lauren Peters (The Bigger Picture Agency)

Operating as the leading specialist STEM recruitment firm in the North East, Jackson Hogg is entering its next chapter of growth. Helping write its future success is new managing director Louise McReynolds, who brings great pedigree from working across multiple UK regions. Here, Louise tells N magazine what drew her to Jackson Hogg and why the company will be staying true to its values as it rolls out its expansion plans.

Louise McReynolds has spent her career helping businesses grow.

From leading recruitment teams across multiple regions to building her own networks across the engineering and manufacturing sectors, she has developed a reputation for helping people and organisations realise their potential.

And she has now taken on a new challenge.

Having joined Jackson Hogg in May, Louise has stepped into the role of managing director at the Newcastle-headquartered STEM recruitment specialist.

She takes over from Anthony Broadhead, who, after ten years as chief operating officer, is switching to a strategic advisor role, supporting Louise, and founder and chief executive Richard Hogg.

Her appointment forms part of Jackson Hogg’s plans to build on its already established market presence and strengthen its position in STEM recruitment markets across the rest of the UK and internationally.

While the business already works with clients nationally and internationally, Louise brings experience of what it takes to grow successfully at scale in the sector.

She says: “Jackson Hogg has built a fantastic reputation, and my role is really about helping us build on that. The foundations are already here.

“When you’re new to a business, you have the opportunity to look at things differently.

“I’ve spent a lot of time listening, learning and understanding what makes Jackson Hogg successful before deciding where we can improve further.

“What attracted me was the strength of the business that’s already here.

“I want to understand what’s made Jackson Hogg successful, protect the culture that people value so highly, and then help the business continue to grow from there.

“I’m looking forward to spending time with our customers in the North East and getting to know them and the wider business community.”

Louise joined Jackson Hogg from recruitment company Michael Page, where she spent 14 years after initially securing a place on the firm’s graduate scheme.

She progressed through a series of leadership roles with the firm, managing teams across multiple regions including Yorkshire, the North West and the Midlands, while developing expertise in engineering, manufacturing, procurement, supply chain, logistics, property and construction.

It was Jackson Hogg’s growing reputation in the technical industries that appealed to Louise when she began looking for a new opportunity.

The company has established itself as the North East’s best-known STEM recruitment business, supporting employers across engineering, manufacturing, life sciences, technology and other specialist sectors.

With additional offices in Teesside and Leeds, it has built a reputation for combining technical expertise with a people-first approach.

Louise says: “There were a couple of things that really mattered to me when I was deciding what to do next.

“I’ve spent most of my career working with engineering and manufacturing businesses, and I wanted to be somewhere I could continue supporting customers in sectors I’m genuinely passionate about.

“I’m passionate about engineering and manufacturing, so wanted to stay in that field where I’ve worked to build strong networks.

“Jackson Hogg really impressed me.”

The second priority was a company whose values and ethical approach matched her own.

“When you’re new to a business, you have the opportunity to look at things differently; I’ve spent a lot of time listening, learning and understanding what makes Jackson Hogg successful before deciding where we can improve further”

Louise adds: “At its heart, recruitment is all about people.

“I wanted to join a business where the culture wasn’t just something written on a wall. It was important to me that people genuinely lived those values, and I’ve seen that from day one at Jackson Hogg.

“The thing that’s stood out to me is that the culture here feels real. You see it in the way people treat each other, the way they work with customers and how much they care about doing the right thing.”

Louise points to founder Richard and his influence on the company ethos as a reason for its success.

She says: “What Richard and the team has built is incredibly impressive.

“It’s not easy to create a business with such a strong reputation in a specialist market, and a huge part of that comes down to the culture and values he’s embedded from the beginning.

“It’s quite a niche and technical field to scale a business the way he has in the timeframe he’s done it in.

“But the more time I spend with Richard, the more I realise that the culture of the business - the key to its success - all comes from him and the way he approaches working with others.”

Louise will also be supported in her new role by Anthony, who will remain part of the leadership team at Jackson Hogg.

Louise adds: “The value of having Anthony remain with the business is that I’ve got someone who knows the business inside out that I can sound ideas off.”

And that will be important as Louise continues to roll out her management approach, which focuses on supporting teams to reach their true potential.

She says: “One thing that’s always been important to me is helping people develop and progress in their careers. If the people around me are successful, the business will be successful too.”

And as managing director, she says preserving Jackson Hogg’s culture, while helping the business grow, is one of her key responsibilities.

Since joining in May, Louise has made a point of spending time with every employee across the company’s three offices.

She says: “One of the first things I wanted to understand was why people joined Jackson Hogg and why they’ve stayed. Those answers tell you a lot about what’s special about a business, and it’s something we want to preserve as we grow.

“It’s about learning what has made this business successful — we don’t want to lose that.”

And Louise says harnessing that understanding in an ever-changing recruitment industry shaped by skills shortages, evolving customer expectations and advances in technology will be crucial to the business’ future.

She adds: “My appointment is an investment by Jackson Hogg.

“I’ve been fortunate to work across a number of regions and markets during my career, and I’m looking forward to bringing that experience to Jackson Hogg as we continue growing our presence across the UK and beyond.

“There is the reality that the recruitment industry, and the markets we serve, continue to evolve.

“This isn’t about changing Jackson Hogg into something different.

“It’s about building on what already makes the business successful and making sure we’re ready for the next stage of growth.”

To find out more about Jackson Hogg and the specialist STEM recruitment services it provides, as well as its HR Partnership provision, visit the website or contact the email address at the top of this article.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by N Magazine .