Meet our team of Construction industry recruitment experts
Tom
Willis
Managing Partner
A passionate and driven leader in the Construction and Real Estate industry, with extensive experience and proven results across the UK and US markets.
Prior to founding Placed, Tom had a track record of being one of the leading Directors in placing candidates and building teams at FTSE 250 company, PageGroup, expanding the Construction business into 11 new US cities and generating millions of dollars in revenue.
Tom oversees the strategy, growth, and operations of Placed, as well as the development and mentoring of the team, and is committed to providing quality service, building long-term relationships, and creating value for clients and candidates.
Adam
Gratz
Associate Director
A Recruiting Professional with nearly 10 years of experience; Adam brings expertise from boutique and large firm recruitment environments. Before Placed, he managed highly successful teams in the Technology and Healthcare sectors. He enjoys delivering for clients, mentoring junior consultants, and leading teams to success. He’s committed to actively honing his craft for the betterment of both his clients and candidates.
Henry
Paul
Principal Consultant
Henry Paul brings 2 years of experience recruiting construction management professionals for general contractors and real estate developers building across commercial, industrial, and multifamily markets, to Placed Construction. Before his time at Placed, Henry spent 4 years recruiting, training, and developing entry-level sales associates for Vector Marketing.
Henry embodies the core mission of Placed in finding the best match for both parties, prioritizing honest work and genuine connections over business metrics.
Tom
Gilchrist
Principal Consultant
Tom has 9 + years of recruitment experience. Trained classically with FTSE 250 company - Page Group for his first 4 years in the engineering industry, Tom has since recruited in HR, Data, Software and Machine Learning, Technology transformation and C suite/leadership technology roles, and recently in the Finance leadership space.
Poonam
Nayak
Recruitment Consultant
With more than 3 years of experience as a recruiter in the US and India, Poonam now focus on recruiting for the Construction and Real Estate industry across the US, placing Project Engineers, Managers and Superintendents.
Poonam specializes in identifying, assessing and hiring talent for various roles within the construction and real estate sectors, playing a crucial role in connecting qualified candidates with positions in property development, infrastructure projects, real estate sales, and management. With an in-depth understanding of industry-specific skills, qualifications, and regulations, she excels in matching the right individuals with the right opportunities.
Sophie
Morris
Learning & Development Manager
Sophie is a dedicated learning and development professional with a rich history of contributions in this field. As the International Learning & Development Manager for Placed and Recruitment Entrepreneur, she holds a pivotal role responsible for conceiving and developing Placed’s L&D strategy.
In her prior role, Sophie led the build out of the global L&D function, creating and implementing L&D strategies across multiple offices within EMEA, APAC and collaborating closely with the US. She established consistent global solutions and partnered with key stakeholders, including board-level executives, to implement tailored learning and people initiatives. Sophie also played a significant role in selecting and implementing learning technology and ran a Leadership Development Program with 80 leaders across 4 businesses.
Her earlier experience as a Learning and Development Business Partner at Reed Talent Solutions further enriched her L&D expertise, involving training needs assessments, designing bespoke training, and mentorship. Sophie's diverse career journey reflects her profound impact on the learning and development landscape and her commitment to driving excellence in talent development.
James
Caan
Board of Directors
Often recognised outside the industry for his appearance in the BBC’s Dragon’s Den series, James Caan CBE has been in recruitment for over 30 years and invests and supports recruitment companies of all sizes across various geographies and sectors.
Alexander Mann, his first recruitment business, sold in 2013 for $350 million. His second recruitment venture, Humana International, grew to 140 offices across 30 countries. His third sale was a collection of six recruitment companies to Graphite Capital in 2014 for $150m.
James takes an active role in contributing towards the strategy of Placed, working closely with Tom Willis to support the business’ exciting growth plans and vision.
Tony
Davies
Board of Directors
Tony is Board Member for Placed and Global Investment Director for Recruitment Entrepreneur US. With over 22 years in recruitment, Tony began by founding his own company after a successful sales career at IMI and Marconi Communications.
Tony was headhunted by Belcan, where he completed a successful turnaround project with their International Staffing division, increasing NFI, headcount, and EBITDA.
He has significant international recruitment experience, having set up operations and partnerships across Europe, USA, and Asia, and executed financial and sales strategies while negotiating commercial agreements and multiple acquisition deals in the past 5 years.
Manish
Senta
Board of Directors
Manish is a seasoned professional with over 14 years of experience in the field of recruitment and talent management. He currently serves as the Managing Director of TEKWISSEN® Group, a leading workforce solutions provider and on the Board of Directors for Placed, supporting the strategic growth of the business.
Manish's core competencies include process improvement, analytical skills, customer relationship management, and leadership. He holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration and Management, a Master's in Technology with a focus on Leadership and Technology, and a Master's in Nanotechnology. Notably, he has multiple patents and has made significant contributions to publications in the field of recruitment and talent management.
Manish is not only dedicated to his professional role but is also an active member and board member of various professional and community organizations, such as The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the Global Talent Retention Initiative of Michigan. His mission is to leverage his expertise and experience to create value for his clients, his team, and the recruitment industry as a whole.
