About Us

The world is becoming more digital, socially connected, mobile and virtual, having profound effects on our work lives – from how we search for jobs and source talent to how we interact in the workplace and manage employees.

Ignite is re-imagining talent services, providing specialist recruitment, on-demand talent and outsourced people services designed to ignite potential in this new world.

Using deep industry expertise combined with a fresh approach called FutureNOW that uses progressive tools, technology and techniques, we uncover hidden needs, motivations and desires in order to connect candidates and clients for the lasting benefit of both.

Ignite Specialist Recruitment understands the driving forces behind industry transformation and helps candidates and clients meet the challenges of accelerated change. Using deep industry know-how, connections and passionate experts, we place permanent, part-time and contract positions in all levels of seniority in Architecture, Construction & Engineering, Business Support, HR & Legal, Information Management, IT & Digital, Life Sciences, and Sales & Marketing.

Ignite On-Demand IT Services provides the freedom for candidates and organisations to engage on a project-by-project basis – whether for a 2-hour job or a 6-month contract – using a fast and convenient process. With Ignite’s vetting process and oversight of the work, as well as on-site project completion, both talent and employers can participate in the gig economy with far less risk than if using a typical freelance marketplace.

Ignite People Services addresses the HR industry shift in management philosophies & technologies, supporting the development and implementation of initiatives designed to ensure organisations have the right skills to transform today and drive success tomorrow. Aimed at providing better talent outcomes, Ignite offers solutions for recruitment efficiency, leadership pipelines, talent cost reduction, talent mobility and more.

With around 200 employees, Ignite operates in 12 offices across Australia and China where we trade under the Lloyd Morgan brand.

About Ignite

Our Leadership Team

Garry Sladden

Garry Sladden

Chairman Read More
Garry Sladden

Garry Sladden

Chairman

Garry is a business and strategic adviser who has a diversified business background in the areas of real estate, private equity, business operations, banking and finance, and equity raising. He was General Manager Operations at Consolidated Press
Holdings for six years.

During the last three years Garry has been a director of listed companies Vision Eye Institute Limited (resigned January 2016) and Folkstone Limited. Garry is currently Chairman of Folkestone Limited, Chairman of Ashton Manufacturing Pty Limited, Chairman of FivePointFour Holdings Pty Ltd and Chairman of Star Car Wash Café Holdings Pty Ltd.

Garry is Chairman of the Board of Directors, a member of the Board Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee and a member of the Board Remuneration and Nomination Committee.

Mahendra Tharmarajah

Mahendra Tharmarajah

Chief Financial Officer Read More
Mahendra Tharmarajah

Mahendra Tharmarajah

Chief Financial Officer

Mahendra Tharmarajah is the Chief Financial Officer of the Company responsible for leading the shared services function including credit, finance, human resources, information technology and legal/commercial.

Mahendra is a transformational finance leader with over 25 years’ strategic, commercial and operational experience in building, growing and selling businesses in Australia, Asia/Pacific, UK and US across diverse sectors, in both entrepreneurial and multinational corporate environments.

He commenced his career in the accounting profession, spending 5 years with Arthur Andersen gaining experience in audit and corporate finance. After moving into commerce Mahendra spent 3 years with pay TV group Austar in various commercial finance roles and the next 9 years in head of finance roles with several fast-growing venture capital backed businesses including travel ecommerce operator Viator. At Viator Mahendra was instrumental in overseeing 200% compound annual revenue growth and expanding the business to the US and UK. In 2010 Mahendra joined the Couriers Please Group and oversaw a significant restructure, turnaround and eventual sale of that business at 12.5x EBIT in late 2014.

His core competencies include providing financial and commercial leadership, developing and executing strategy, managing change and building and growing businesses. Mahendra is a Chartered Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Economics and a Masters in Applied Finance.

Nicole Shepherd

Nicole Shepherd

General Manager, Canberra Read More
Nicole Shepherd

Nicole Shepherd

General Manager, Canberra

Nicole is a thought leader who combines deep recruitment experience with a passion for developing market-leading offerings. She heads up Ignite Canberra, driving sales and leading a team of recruitment and HR professionals.

Having spent her entire 20+-year career in the industry, Nicole worked for companies such as Andersen Contracting and Peoplebank before joining Ignite where she transformed the local business from a transactional-based recruitment agency into a full-service HR consultancy. In addition to expanding business in the commercial market, under her leadership Ignite deepened their reach into the government sector. They now provide services such as countrywide volume placements, tailored recruitment processes, and HR services to a number of federal agencies.

Nicole is dedicated to making a difference in all she does – whether by helping candidates get the right roles, helping federal agencies improve the way they work with recruiters, or helping her team get more from what they do.

She serves on the Board of the Association of Professional Staffing Companies in Australia (APSCo Australia) and is an active member of Women in Information and Communication.

Roubina Giragol

Roubina Giragol

General Manager, On Demand Read More
Roubina Giragol

Roubina Giragol

General Manager, On Demand

Roubina Giragol is the General Manager of Ignite’s On Demand contingent workforce division, providing organisations with qualified resources on a Project-by-Project basis whether for short term or long term engagements.

Roubina has been with the organisation for over 10 years and together with her loyal and robust team has successfully delivered numerous projects for the major clients of Tier 1 System Integrators such as IBM, DXC Technologies, TATA Consultancy and a plethora of Large Corporations. She is a solution focused leader who understands business needs and how to navigate complex environments to drive outcomes which successfully deliver large scale, national and ANZ outcomes for our clients.

Roubina has a consistent relationship focused approach enabling the formation of deep, long term partnerships with organisations and individuals. These relationships are supported by the senior teams she leads that provide consistent delivery and outcomes that effectively support the tactical initiatives and strategic objectives of our clients.

Roubina has qualifications in Psychology, Business, Sales Management and Marketing and combined with her background and her genuine caring personality has made her to be unwaveringly loyal and committed to the teams and Individuals that she leads and provides her with a understanding of the responsibilities and accountabilities necessary to deliver success.

Jayson Eichstadt

Jayson Eichstadt

General Manager, VIC Read More
Jayson Eichstadt

Jayson Eichstadt

General Manager, VIC

Jayson is a global Human Resources, Recruitment & Manpower Solutions Professional with over 24 years expertise in Australasia, Europe, Middle East & Africa. He has successfully led, transformed and developed some of the largest recruitment and human capital businesses in the world across multiple locations and is expressly focused on customer engagement measurement and improvement.

Jayson holds a Graduate Diploma in Strategic Leadership and previously held positions as Managing Director, General and Executive Director before joining the Ignite business in 2017.

Through implicit knowledge gained in Australasia, Africa and Europe he is a trusted advisor within the global talent, Compliance, MSP/ RPO Solutions and Business operations improvement space. Human Productivity Improvement Specialist, Advisor & Consultant.

Stephen Hockey

Stephen Hockey

General Manager, NSW Read More
Stephen Hockey

Stephen Hockey

General Manager, NSW

Stephen Hockey is an industry professional with over 29 years experience in Recruitment, Manpower Solutions, Talent Management and Executive Search across Australia, Europe and the UK. He has successfully led, transformed and developed some of the largest recruitment and human capital businesses in the world across multiple locations, disciplines and sectors.

He is passionate about adding value to Boards and Stakeholders through the provision of a high quality service and securing the best talent in the marketplace.

Stephen has an MBA from one of the UK’s top business schools and has held Managing Director posts at one of the worlds largest Recruitment Consultancies in addition to running his own search firm. He has also served as a corporate representative at the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC), the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) both in the UK and the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC) in Australia.