Graeham Pratt

Graeham Pratt is the founder of Ashworth Recruitment Consulting. Being part of the recruitment industry for over 30 years has given Graeham unparalleled experience in all facets of the business including hands-on recruitment training, staff motivation, start-ups, strategic planning and buy-outs.

Having worked for sales and marketing companies in the UK, USA and Australia, Graeham settled in Australia and joined a major US corporation for five years as a Business Systems Sales Information Technologist.

Moving into the recruitment industry in 1978, Graeham joined a major overseas recruitment specialist organization and was subsequently made a Director of the Australian Company before he was 30 years of age. His next five years saw him, with a partner, set-up a specialist firm. This was extremely successful and grew from the two original members to over 40 employees before he sold his equity in the business.

In the early nineties he was approached to set-up the NSW business for a successful Victorian recruitment Agency, again from a start-up operation. This was also very successful and after five profitable years he sold his equity back to the founding partners.

Graeham felt a strong desire to work solely in the industry that he had known for so long. Consequently, he set up Ashworth Recruitment Consulting to train, recruit and consult.

Steve Roberts

Steve Roberts is a Director of Ashworth’s Business Consulting division. With over 25 years’ experience in the Recruitment industry, Steve works closely with a number of recruitment companies helping them overcome the challenges of the market.

Steve commenced his career in the UK when he joined a second-tier firm of Chartered Accountants before moving into commerce with a large international oil company. Migrating to Australia in the early 1980′s, Steve made a career change in 1984 by combining his business and accounting knowledge and joining a boutique Accounting recruitment company in Sydney. In 1986 he moved to Melbourne where he and a colleague opened a specialist recruitment consultancy which today has revenues in excess of $100 million.

In 1999 they sold 75% of the company’s share to a large overseas player. Working as a full-time Director, Steve continued to help grow the business until early in 2007 when he sold his remaining shares and retired from the group. At this time the company had ten offices throughout Australia and employed 260 staff.

Steve has gained broad experience in growing and corporatising a recruitment business and played an important role in structuring the sale of the company. With extensive contacts in both Australia and overseas, Steve is well placed to provide companies with strategic and operational advice.

Since working with Ashworth, Steve has developed a client portfolio in three states ranging from large multi-service Public companies through to small, niche boutiques. Steve provides many of his clients with on-going help in the following areas:

• Business planning and strategy

• Organisational change

• Training and development

• Reward and performance

• Equity and share plans

• Profit maximisation

• Acting as a mentor to the owners

• Providing on-going assistance and support

Steve has a successful track record and believes he adds genuine value to the businesses he works with. The experience he has gained in both the boom times and in previous recessions provides valuable assistance to the Recruitment industry.

Matt Penfold – Manager, NSW

After his graduation in 2001, Matt Penfold embarked on a recruitment career in the competitive London market within an international agency. Specialising in Office Support, he soon built a strong reputation based on integrity and efficiency whilst developing his skills as an accomplished recruiter. Matt relocated to Sydney in 2003 and accepted a role within a medium-sized recruitment organisation. There, he continued to build on his experience within the Office Support sphere and quickly established himself as one of the top billers nationally, whilst simultaneously adapting to the Australian market.

Following this successful period, Matt was recommended to Ashworth Recruitment & Consulting as an individual with the potential to adapt well to the highly-competitive Recruitment to Recruitment market. He assimilated effectively into the business and soon established his profile as an ethical, credible and committed recruiter with a straightforward and friendly, yet professional approach.

Matt is now charged with managing the Sydney business of Ashworth and leading it to greater future success.