Davidson’s executive team, led by general manager, Clare McCartin, has recently expanded to include several key appointments across its offices in Queensland, NSW and Victoria. The new appointments, Paula Kirwan , Ryan Webster , Lee Rochester and Rohan McMaster , bring a combined 75 years of experience in executive recruitment across both public and private sectors to the Davidson team.

Kirwan joined Davidson Executive in February as the general manager of executive & boards (Queensland). She has worked in recruitment for more than 25 years across the UK and Australia. Kirwan was with Hays Group for 23 years where she was responsible for leading and growing teams and opening new divisions and business units. Recently, she was the Queensland State Manager for Toll Group Holdings’s internal recruitment division.

Kirwan commented, “I have had a variety of roles in the recruitment sector throughout my career and I have never tired of the curiosity needed to do the job well; to work to understand a business, what they need and how they operate and then help them identify their staffing needs.

“I have recruited across various industries – most recently transport and logistics and the oil and gas sector, but previously corporate services, health and education within both the public and private sector. Throughout my career, gaining an understanding of both clients and candidates needs and matching those together is an important pathway to success.

“The success of my teams is how I measure my own success. On a personal level, my greatest achievements have been putting together the teams to deliver on big complex recruitment projects and that is how I am approaching this role.

“The corporate world is evolving as are the skills required at executive and board level roles so to build a team who can truly consult to our clients’ needs will be very rewarding and satisfying.”

Webster joined Kirwan’s team in Brisbane in February as a principal consultant, executive & boards. He has 12 years’ experience in the sector and specialises in Queensland local and state government and has been responsible for placing candidates in some of the most senior roles in the State’s public sector.

Webster said, “I find there to be a wide range of diversity in the roles I am trying to fill in this sector and I enjoy how interesting that process is.

“Davidson has a reputation for being the best in Queensland in what they do recruiting for the public sector. I should know because they have been my main competitor throughout my career. I am excited to be a part of the Davidson team as we look to continue to grow our business.

“I’m also excited to be expanding by focus on boards and our presence in that space because my previous roles have always been purely delivery mode so the opportunity to stretch my wings is very attractive to me.”

Rochester joined the team in January as an executive consultant with the NSW team. He will specialise in the fields of C-suite, not-for-profit, boards and public companies, with a primary focus on the healthcare sector.

Rochester worked in the financial services in New Zealand and the UK for nine years before moving into recruitment in that space in Australia in 1999. He shared, “At Davidson, the ethos is very much people focusing on people and I really like that.

“There is a real focus on innovation around the delivery of executive searches and HR consulting solutions with a very experienced and smart team.”

In February, McMaster accepted the role of practice lead with Davidson Executive and has joined the Melbourne team. McMaster, who has spent 18 years working in recruitment in Melbourne and London, holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Deakin University.

McMaster revealed, “The team at Davidson is full of very high performing consultants who work hard to achieve great outcomes for both clients and candidates.

“I felt they were very much aligned with my own values and I saw an opportunity to develop a new space for the business which is incredibly exciting.

“I’ve never seen a team grow like I have at Davidson. Working for a business with a crystal clear vision and purpose is very inspiring and very refreshing.”

Group general manager, executive & boards, Clare McCartin, said the team’s new appointments showed the high demand for quality recruitment and consulting services in the executive space.

She said, “This has been a growth sector for some years and the growth of Davidson’s Executive & Boards team has been commensurate with this.

“We are thrilled to have such a bright, new, energetic talent joining our accomplished and passionate team.

“Our ability to be able to place the right candidates with the right clients should be reflected in our ability to source the highest quality staff for our own team and these appointments demonstrate just that.

“Our team is well placed to continue to be the ‘go-to’ executive recruitment firm up and down the East Coast in Australia.”