We couldn’t be more excited that ORB is expanding into Scotland. Heading up this operation from his base in Edinburgh will be a new addition to our team, Alan Wallace as ORB’s regional director for Scotland. Here, Alan who is 40, tells us a little more about himself.
Hi Alan, give us the lowdown on your previous career history and experience to date?
I have worked in sales and customer facing roles my whole 20+ year career firstly in large blue-chip organisations, then moving into more boutique firms where you can make a big impact and add real value to the firm.
The past 14 years has been purely in recruitment and I’m sure I am not alone when I say this – you generally don’t pick recruitment as a career path, you just fall in by accident! I quickly noticed that my life skills, values, and personality seemed to be a perfect blend that people respond to.
Over the years I have been given great opportunities to develop and train staff, to create new teams, business units and divisions that operate across multiple offices within Scotland. My focus as I became more senior, was always to start my own firm and for the past four years I have successful done that. It truly has been a fantastic journey and I have loved all aspects of running a business. Growing and developing key partnerships with opportunities to travel and recruit across the globe across Europe, Asia, Middle East and South Africa.
With regard to my personal goals, I had a great opportunity turning 30 being offered a year’s sabbatical to fulfil a bucket list item to travel the world. I got to travel to countries I always wanted to explore as far as New Zealand, Asia with most of my time spent in Australia Flashpacking – which is backpacking for the over 30’s. It’s backpacking, but no hostels, no budget, and no shoestring. One of the best things I have ever done!
What will your role at ORB involve?
My position with ORB as their new Regional Director, initially covers all permanent recruitment with the future goal of opening our new offices in Edinburgh and building a dedicated team there.
Why do you think this is a good time for ORB to be expanding into Scotland?
Given the current climate and future growth for the UK economy, 2021 is going be a big year for a lot of businesses and more importantly, the companies that specialise in certain sectors will have the ability progress and thrive moving forward. Edinburgh is an excellent geographical location to set up our Northern base of operations, it is our nation’s capital, and has progressed to be a vibrant technology hub that has an excellent ecosystem of technology SME’s and organisations that require a high demand for quality candidates.
What are you looking forward to most about working at ORB and opening this new venture in Scotland?
To be honest, recruitment is a passion of mine, you can’t look at it any other way. After meeting Stewart and the team at ORB, it was evident that we share the same drive and values to make a successful business that candidates and clients can trust.
It is a very exciting time to be part of the ORB journey as Stewart and I as explore our new venture to create operations and the opening of our Scottish office. Our mission will be to capitalise on the success with ORB to focus on developing new and existing partnership and to raise the profile of ORB within the wider Scottish marketplace.
What do you enjoy most about working in the recruitment industry?
Now that is a question that can have multiple answer depending on the time of day!
I do believe that recruitment is one of the hardest roles in sales but also one of the most rewarding. Through my years of experience, you get to see the passive people just dipping their feet in the market and the genuine people that you can make a real difference to in getting them their dream job.
What do you like to do outside of work?
When I am not being a full time Daddy to my six-year-old daughter, you’ll find me on the golf course. Albeit I’ve not really seen a golf course in a while!
Tell us an interesting fact about yourself!
I played professional rugby and I have represented my country playing for Scotland at youth level I also volunteer as a development officer and an Ambassador for Rugby in schools across the district.