Matt Burton
Founder/CEO
An Oxford University graduate in Classics, Matt has spent the last 25 years building and running successful recruitment businesses. Matt established MBA in 2006 as a free-thinking technology enabled RPO business, scaling it to a multi million-pound enterprise value, which was partly acquired by the Hamilton Bradshaw private equity house in 2014 and is supported by an advisory board including that is totally focussed on innovative recruitment solutions.
With a keen eye for commercial opportunities and a ‘whatever it takes’ mentality, Matt has a gift for building innovative and strategic talent solutions that drive real and profitable results. Passionately client-centric, he is the ambassador for our portfolio brand and values, and a significant thought leader. His role as chair is to drive the group growth strategy with an eye on a £10m Ebitda line by 2025
James Caan CBE
Chairman
James has been in recruitment for over 30 years, and invests in recruitment companies of all sizes across various geographies and sectors. As the Chairman, he takes up an active role in the business strategy, working closely with the leadership team.
With over 3 million followers, he was named LinkedIn’s second most influential voice in 2017. His global network, both online and offline, has assisted MBA in attracting the best talent and great clients.
Emma Thelwell
COO
Closing in on her first decade with MBA, Emma is the epitome of our DNA and as our Chief Operating Officer delivers on everything from Recruitment Delivery to Governance & Compliance, to Reporting and Client Satisfaction. An advocate of true partnership, Emma encourages feedback and personally works through challenges. She is constantly driving business and process improvement, using a mixture of statistical analysis and consistent feedback from all clients, stakeholders, consultants, and contractors.
Emma is the heart of our operations, with a strategic leadership approach and management style that is essential to the day-to-day running of the business. Emma is key to supporting our overall strategy with a results-driven method. She has a passion for transforming businesses, with a client-centric mentality and a do whatever it takes attitude. She is the heart of our operations, with a strategic leadership approach and management style that is essential to the day-to-day running of the business. she is key to supporting our overall strategy with a results-driven method. She has a passion for transforming businesses, with a client-centric mentality and a ‘no matter what’ attitude.
Andy Preston
CEO
Andy is the Founder of VIDA and MASSEY ITP, as well as taking an active role within the group on growth and business development. He graduated from Leeds University in Business
Information Management and quickly progressed his career in recruitment. A Consumer recruiter at heart, Andy has been involved in several recruitment brand start-ups in the last 20 years - all of which are still growing recruitment businesses with both UK and Global presence. Andy is a true global recruiter - transitioning to this in 2010 as the UK came out of recession, he has led growth in several sectors including Energy, Infrastructure and of course, Medtech and Biotech which VIDA is now a leading recruiter within.
James Manby
Managing Director
James studied Business Management at Newcastle University before joining the Enterprise graduate management programme where he stayed for 3 years before embarking on his recruitment career with Ellis Fairbank in 2007. Joining Penman Executive in 2008, James progressed from consultant to manager before becoming Head of the Consumer practice and part of the global leadership team. Post the merger that created CSG in 2015, James ran his own business Lime & Fire Ltd for 4 years before re-joining forces with Andy Preston as Director of Ignata Life, which transitioned to VIDA in 2021. Now accountable for the growth of VIDA and VIDA ICF directly as MD, James also supports other VIDA group brands with the goal of maximising value.
Adam Bevan
Head of Client Solutions
As our Head of Client Solutions, Adam’s role is to oversee the continuous improvement and implementation of innovative recruitment, payroll, and management solutions. This has previously included payroll system migration, the development of our Candidate Zone – MBA’s proprietary technology solution to ease onboarding and issue contracts.
With regard to technology solutions and the candidate journey, Adam also manages all user experience and operates a continual improvement strategy across MB Group with the user at the heart of the decision making. Adam has 16 years of recruitment experience with the majority spent in RPO services. Adam has worked for MBA for the last 6 years and his current role is purely focused on business efficiencies and process improvement – specifically to enhance our service and recruitment deliverables to clients.
Bobby Green
Strategy Programme Director
With 10 years of experience in recruitment covering multiple disciplines, international markets and customer-centric industries Bobby joined MB Group as our Strategy Programme Director in 2022. Her role in the business is to ensure the effective execution of key business objectives that underpin our strategic pillars across MB Group through simplification and innovation, consistent communication, pace and proper due diligence. These qualities also underpin the work Bobby does with our strategic partners as part of N.E.S.T, our innovative proposition focused on the start-up and scale-up ecosystem.
Bilal Ahmed
Head of Bergis
Leading global cleantech recruitment assignments for + 5 years. Covering all commercial, technical, and engineering appointments. Heavy focus across Europe and North America Vast experience across the smart waste technologies space, helping bring digital transformation through AI and IoT.
