Gi Group appoints new board member to lead on digital growth and transformation

Gi Group, an award-winning HR and recruitment specialist which has a branch in every East Midlands city, is pleased to announce the appointment of Zak Harper as Group Marketing and Communications Director and member of its UK&I Executive Board.

With over a decade of digital marketing experience specialising in technical SEO, content development, analysis and search strategy, Zak is poised to elevate Gi Group’s approach to candidate and customer acquisition and retention.

Prior to joining the company, Zak excelled in his Global Marketing Director role at Adzuna, where he was responsible for growing global traffic to 20 job search sites with a focus on testing, scaling and driving effective traffic to client roles, while always maintaining the quality of content.

On joining Gi Group, which operates 26 branches and 61 sites across the UK, Zak said: “Gi Group was a natural fit for me given its bold and ambitious approach to recruitment being more than work. I’m excited to contribute to a team that shares the same values - passion, collaboration, and innovation. The company’s forward-thinking, holistic approach is what initially attracted me to the role, and I can already see there’s so much potential to grow the brand. The new aligned digital approach we’re set to implement will continue to drive positive outcomes for both clients and candidates.”

Zak’s career has seen him develop his skillset to combine a deep understanding of technology, B2C and B2B bidding optimisations and system thinking, to drive traffic growth. He is skilled at identifying and integrating the latest technology and traffic techniques to enhance his team’s digital marketing approach at every turn.

In addition to leading marketing innovations, Zak is also excited about reporting on the successes of his team through robust analytics. He is primed to ensure Gi Group is tracking behavioural data as well as conversions in a meaningful way, to feed the business’s entire customer lifecycle from acquisition to retention.

In his new role, Zak will oversee all marketing and communications efforts, and sits on the Gi Group UK&I Executive Board, working closely with the Executive team to achieve the company’s growth objectives and cement the brand’s presence in the UK and Ireland.

Pete Taylor, Managing Director at Gi Group, commented: “We are thrilled to welcome Zak to our team. His experience and innovative mindset, particularly in relation to analytics, aggregator management and marketing automation, will play a pivotal role in driving our business growth and expanding our reach across the UK and Ireland. This is an exciting new chapter, and the whole business joins me in wishing Zak every success in his new role.”

Zak’s energetic approach to goal setting and target hitting extends beyond his professional career, with his impressive collection of sports medals, including multiple European and World Championship Obstacle Racing awards for Team GB and Ultradistance running and Adventure racing competitions.

Zak’s appointment comes at a time of significant growth for the company, having announced the successful acquisition of the European Staffing business of Kelly, a global specialist talent solutions provider at the beginning of the year.

With a branch in every major UK city, serving almost 1500 clients and a track record of working with household names, Gi Group is poised to continue its upward trajectory bolstered by Zak’s digital marketing strategy.

For more information about Gi Group in the UK, please visit: uk.gigroup.com.