About us
Since 2009, Talents First has been serving its clients as a recruitment firm that specialises in talent acquisition.
Backed by our international experience and expertise, we identify the best candidates with one aim in mind: to further the success and contribute to the business performance of our clients through our executive search assignments (direct and mixed approach recruitment), our coaching efforts and the assessment of the profiles and skill sets sought.
Our team of consultants and experts is all the stronger for its diversity, with each team member imbued with the company’s values.
Talent Acquisition is not something that can be improvised. It demands an in-depth understanding of the labour market, of the positions to be filled, of the various market sectors and above all of each client.
Talents First’s expertise is rooted in thoroughness and creativity. We successfully help our clients to think outside the box, which in turn increases our success in finding the very best candidates for each search we undertake.
Our language skills and our multicultural background enable us to guide and support you globally.
OUR STRENGTHS
OUR STANDOUT QUALITIES
EXPERIENCE, RESPONSIVENESS AND KNOW-HOW
We are a team of seasoned consultants with a rich and diverse background coupled with an in-depth understanding of the sectors in which we operate. This understanding and diversity are where our strengths lie. It allows us to quickly grasp the environment, the challenges and the business context of our corporate clients and our candidates.
ADAPTABILITY AND FLEXIBILITY
Our approach is to consistently deliver quality, innovative and creative solutions. Faced with today’s challenges, we have transformed the traditional executive search model, making it more efficient, whilst maintaining a high level of exactness and quality in our direct approach.
PRAGMATISM AND REALISM
With our down to earth vision and understanding, we help our clients to anticipate problems and risk areas on the strength of our many years of experience. We guide our customers, offering tailored solutions, whilst taking into account market dynamics. We help our candidates to better understand their current value and the next natural step as part of a career development plan.
PROXIMITY AND AVAILABILITY
We create and maintain close relations with our clients and candidates. We actively listen to the needs and requirements of both parties to provide real-time information. A balanced and respectful relationship is the best guarantee to foster trust and is a mark of our reputation.
OUR SHARED VALUES
We are a devoted and involved team, driven by shared values of transparency, frankness but equally of excellence, sincerity, loyalty and commitment to our clients and our candidates.
OUR UNDERTAKINGS
Through our Candidate / Client Charter, we commit to a mutual relationship of trust in all our dealings and communications.
Our code of conduct
We operate with the utmost confidentiality and professionalism, in compliance with our code of conduct and always in good faith.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Since 2010, we have been members of the ‘A Compétence Egale’ association.
The purpose of the association is to unite professional recruiters and to counteract discrimination in recruitment practices throughout the professional career of candidates. The association also promotes diversity in the world of work.
TALENTS FIRST IS:
1
out of 3 recruitment campaigns
are conducted internationally
90%
of repeat business
350
Placements completed over the past 3 years
3/4
Of our assignments conducted utilising direct search methods
MEET THE TEAM
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QUALITIES
My main quality is my tenacity: I never give up!
Francine Jeanblanc
Having started my career in Human Resources with an industrial company over 20 years ago, I chose to switch to recruitment consultancy services. Over the course of these 20 years, I have developed my team management and recruitment project management skills at a national, French-German and international level.
I was so passionate about the work that in 2009, I decided to partner up with Mike Yew to set up our own company, delivering bespoke recruitment methods.
My main quality is my tenacity: I never give up! I’m also involved, ever the optimist and truthful in any situation. I take pleasure in enrolling for further training so as to continuously develop my skills to serve clients and candidates alike.
When I am not meeting the needs of our clients and candidates, I work as a volunteer for several associations to help those in need or I share my knowledge with Master’s degree students in Human Resources.
Marie Huriaux
As a business college graduate, I ended up joining the world of recruitment by accident and I never left. Having worked for several recruitment consultancy businesses, I held several positions, from Consultant, Senior Consultant to Managerial positions. I’ve racked up a wealth of experience developing human resources in the digital industry.
In 2009, I joined the Talents First team in Paris when the company was created.
I am still as passionate about the projects of my clients and the close human interaction with the candidates.
QUALITIES
I’m a go-getter, I’m loyal and committed. I continue to work hard at things until I am completely satisfied with the result, in much the same way as I do when I’m painting.
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I’m enthusiastic and passionate, I like to take on new challenges and share this energy with the people around me.
Mike Yew
After graduating in corporate finance, I started my career in recruitment in 1998 when I joined a UK-based recruitment firm.
In 2001, I seized the opportunity to set up a specialist recruitment team operating in the European industrial market. We gradually opened several branches to guide our clients seeking to recruit the right profiles on a global level, in the areas of industry, pharmaceutical, Food & Beverages and B2B.
In 2009, Francine and myself decided to start our own boutique recruitment firm specialising in Executive Search and Selection in France and at international level. Nowadays, we are proud to serve a loyal and highly diversified clientele across the globe.
I attach great importance to the aspect of cohesion within our team. Joining forces, we are able to pool our skill sets, raise our requirement level and deliver answers in response to more complex issues.
When I’m not working with my candidates and clients, I enjoy running and spending quality time with my family.
Joan Rotol
As a business college graduate, I’ve had several professional lives. Both in France and at international level, I held sales and marketing positions in the wine and spirits industry. My two passions: Wine and my horses.
Enriched by these varied experiences, I joined Talents First in 2016 and together we set up the Staffirst division. This business unit was created to meet the demand for broader generalist recruitment needs.
QUALITIES
I’m totally involved and committed, so I’m greatly invested in the way I guide my clients with their recruitment challenges.
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I’m involved, ever the optimist and truthful in all situations.
Julie Labroc
As the holder of a Master’s degree in Marketing and Business studies, I put my skills and know-how to good use to bring complex projects to fruition and to manage diverse product portfolios. I joined Talents First with one aim in mind: to accomplish all assignments with exactness in the same way I apply when baking, my great passion!
This job brings a wide level of diversity in terms of the people you meet from all kinds of professional and cultural backgrounds. I derive pleasure from enrolling for further training to continue to develop my skills to serve clients and candidates alike. Quand je ne recrute pas, je suis bénévole dans plusieurs associations pour aider ceux qui en ont besoin.
Valéry Da Graça
After graduating in economics and management, in 2008 I started working with Mike and Francine. I’ve been part of the Talents First rollercoaster since it was incorporated in 2009. Since then, I’ve diversified my tasks in my current role as Administration and Finance Manager. I make sure everything runs smoothly.
This position gives me a cross-organisational view of the company’s activities and allows me to interact with people from different backgrounds.
I infuse this tight-knit and dynamic team with a little madness and resourcefulness. When I am not at work, I spend most of my time with my wife and kids. I have also become a DIY specialist renovating old houses.
QUALITIES
I’m always looking for the best solutions to facilitate my colleagues’ work.
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I am determined to put my experience, perseverance, interpersonal skills and my customer centricity to good use to serve Talents First.
Renaud Dumontier
As a Business Management College graduate after first having undertaken English language studies, I was torn between languages and human resources.
After racking up initial experience in the field of recruitment which enabled me to discover the various industries and service sectors. I support my clients by putting in place search strategies while approaching and assessing potential candidates. I found my professional career path.
I was lucky enough to join Talents First in 2021. I’m very interested in the world of industry and technology, so this job allows me to put my perseverance, my interpersonal skills and my pursuit of customer satisfaction to good use.
Emmanuelle Guillembet
I have a master’s degree in communication (EFAP Paris) and have developed expertise in client relations (B2B, B2C) in sectors such as real estate and luxury on an international level.
I have structured a new team and actively contributed to its recruitment for 4 years.
These experiences have allowed me to recognize the importance of the human factor and cohesion within a company. Therefore, I decided to dedicate my skills and beliefs to serving Talents First consultancy.
In my free time, I enjoy expanding my knowledge through reading, learning new languages, and pursuing my passion for music.
QUALITIES
Determined and enthusiastic, I fully engage myself in the new challenges entrusted to me.
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Inquisitive, multilingual, pragmatic and taking pleasure in the job.
Alexandra Junker
After completing my Bachelor studies in international management at ZHAW Winterthur (CH) and EM Strasbourg (FR), serendipity led me to Talents First, where I was able to do an internship.
This is where my interest for the profession was awakened. After the internship, I spent a further 2 years with a Swiss consulting firm, also in recruitment, where I was able to successfully fill positions in the IT, finance, aviation, railroad, telecom, life science, and industrial sectors. In October 2022, I decided to rejoin Talents First, where I work at an international level, both in recruiting and – in the future – in diversity and inclusion consulting. The best part of my job is that I get to develop myself and interact with different people every day.
In parallel with my job, since 2020 I’ve been studying for a Master of Business Administration degree, specialising in innovation management at the FFHS (a Swiss university college that offers remote courses). I am looking forward to completing my studies by next summer. During my Master’s studies (Innovation Management), I was introduced to new technologies and concepts, which are very interesting to me and allow me to understand and fill more demanding and challenging positions in these fields.
In my free time, I devote myself to languages and music. I sing in several choirs, play the harp, and write songs.
Aron Demirovski
Over the last 27 years, I have lived around the world, in places like the UK, Slovenia, Turkey, Mozambique, and the United Arab Emirates. These global insights developed my passion for better understanding different cultures and business environments. In addition, they led me toward a career that would enable me to support individuals and corporates on their journey.
In 2019 I began my journey in the Executive Search field at a FTSE 250 company based in the Middle East, focusing on developing my expertise within the Saudi Arabian market, engaging with clients across various sectors, including family offices, insurance companies, financial services, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, construction and industrial organizations. My ability to navigate the complexities of this market, combined with my deep understanding of the needs of businesses across different sectors, has allowed me to become a trusted partner for companies looking to hire top executive talent.
I am proud to join Talents First on their continued global expansion and be part of their Middle Eastern Leadership Team.
When I’m not working I spend most of my time at the race track with my karting team or traveling abroad following my other passion for photography.
QUALITIES
I’m enthusiastic and passionate, I like to take on new challenges and share this energy with the people around me.
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I am determined to put my experience, perseverance, interpersonal skills and my customer centricity to good use to serve Talents First.
Abe Avdiyovski
After spending several years at the top end of the hospitality and leisure industry, I began my career in recruitment in 1993. Over the next 14 years I built the international division of the largest single site executive search firm in the UK. I successfully secured long term relationships with a number of global companies spanning Manufacturing, Technology, Finance, Food & Beverage, and Services. Placing position from C-Level though to middle management. In 2007 I left to set up my own Global Executive Search Firm and over the last 16 years I have continued to nurture and develop my relationships helping my clients not only to grow, but to also look at ways of keeping talent and implementing robust techniques to encourage succession planning. As a true partner to all my clients I take the time to understand the needs of the business from the top down, ensuring that my clients reach the objectives they have set for themselves and/or their shareholders.
As I begin my 30th year in Global recruitment, I am now proud also to be leading Talents First – Middle East operations.
When I’m not working with my clients and non-executive responsibilities, I enjoy spending time with my family, travelling, good food, skiing, self-development, and keeping fit and healthy.
Mireille Hahnschutz
As the holder of a master’s degree in Business Administration, my career path has taken me through a wide range of sectors, including public administration and the private sector, industry, construction, logistics, health, medtech, energy and research.
My 17 years working for the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Business Transformation, Information & Marketing department, the Competitiveness and Industrial Change Unit have given me the opportunity to lead a number of projects and achieve a number of major successes, particularly in supporting companies in their technological, digital, organisational and societal change projects.
I enjoy challenging conventional ways of thinking and habits, identifying talents and connecting talents and organisations.
With the aim of developing my career, I’ve chosen to deploy my skills and achievements for the benefit of recruitment, and to enable this unique connection between companies, candidates and their mutual requirements and aspirations.
People are the cornerstone of any organisation and the key to a company’s success!
QUALITIES
Beyond my enthusiasm and tenacious energy, I’m known for my ability to listen, analyse and anticipate finely, as well as my curiosity and creativity, all of which are dedicated to satisfying my clients.
Your challenges are our challenges!
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MEET OUR STAFFIRST DEPARTMENT
In order to meet our clients’ demands, in 2019, we set up the Staffirst department.
This team delivers straightforward solutions, with short timelines and flat rate fees.
Depending on the profile sought, Staffirst takes a different approach to recruitment, bringing adapted, swift-paced, and efficient solutions.
Timing undertakings: No more than 6 weeks before we present our first qualified candidates.
Probation period guarantee: The candidate is replaced if he/she leaves during the probation period.
Flat rate fees: Guaranteed reasonable cost of your recruitment.
Tailored service offering: Every recruitment is the result of an adapted search for the profile sought.
