Team Profile

Carmen Bailey – Consulting Director

Carmen is one of the real experts in the New Zealand recruitment industry and is regularly sought after by the media to provide expert comment on contracting and industry trends.

Carmen entered the Recruitment industry in the United Kingdom in 1985. Initially specialising in Temporary placements for one of Britain’s largest recruitment companies, Carmen enjoyed spectacular success. Her branch became the second top-performer out of 96 branches from a zero base within just 12 months.

On her return to New Zealand Carmen joined Adstaff Personnel, a small boutique agency specialising in temporary and permanent placements at the support end of the market. Originally in charge of key accounts, Carmen helped grow the branch network nationally when the business was sold to a major international, Kelly Services, in 1991.

Carmen soon took overall responsibility for managing the business, initially reporting to the USA and then to Australia, and was responsible for all management, including setting budgets, recruiting staff and reporting results.

In 1993 Carmen became Auckland Operations Manager for a large International Accounting firm, but was head-hunted back into the recruitment industry two years later to work at the senior end of the market.

Anticipating growth in the Contracting field, Carmen focused on Executive Leasing from 1997 and was wooed by Diane Foreman to establish, manage and co-own Emergent & Co in 2002.

Carmen’s range of experience is vast and she is one of very few consultants to have worked successfully in all four disciplines required by the market – temporary and permanent recruitment at the support staff level, permanent and contracting at the senior end of the market.