Funding
Operations & systems
Mentoring
Succession & exit planning
Welcome to FOUR PILLARS GROUP
A distinct investment strategy for entrepreneurial recruiters
Four Pillars Group is dedicated to enabling talented and entrepreneurial recruitment professionals to achieve the ultimate goal of building their own successful recruitment business.
Large corporate investors typically provide high levels of infrastructure, support and strategy but it comes at a price – namely, a controlling share of your business. Small private investors typically provide funding as a minority shareholder – but without the infrastructure and strategy.
Four Pillars Group offers the best of both options – a full investment offering but as a minority shareholder in your business.
We have a robust, finely-tuned investment strategy comprised of the four pillars that we know, from our own extensive experience and success in the recruitment industry, make the difference between the 20% that succeed and the 80% that don’t.
What you'll be a part of
Why Four Pillars?
Four Pillars Group is about more than capital funding and investment.
Drawing on decades of experience in establishing and growing global recruitment brands, we work closely with our business owners to deliver a rounded package of growth support and investment that creates value at every step of the business lifecycle – from start-up to exit. Our four pillars – funding, operations, mentoring and succession – are designed to arm our business owners with the tools that are crucial to translating recruitment excellence into entrepreneurial success. Unlike mainstream investors we do not insist on a majority stake in return – so our partners get all the growth support they need, without giving up control.Join a growth community
Business owners in our portfolio also benefit from being part of a community of diverse, non-competing recruitment businesses all working towards the same common goals. It’s a proven approach that delivers real market advantage – from shared training, networking, problem solving and opportunity sharing, to economies of scale.
What’s more, our portfolio strategy combines all of the portfolio businesses into a unified growth incubator, which substantially enhances capital returns for the business owners at the point of sale.
Hear more about Four Pillars Group from our COO
Our Four Pillars
Funding
Find the funding you need to achieve your goals and create personal wealth, without giving up control.
Operations
Shortcut access to the systems and processes you need to deliver sustained, controlled growth.
Mentoring
Call on our senior team for the mentoring and personal development support you need, when you need it.
Succession
Map out your business journey with a clear, overarching goal in mind – to maximise value at exit.
Meet the leadership team...
Darren James, Chief Executive Officer
Darren is a recognised leader in the recruitment industry and has led businesses and teams of all sizes in the sector for over 25 years.
Having grown a start-up recruitment business into one of the world’s leading international professional services executive search firms, Darren knows what it takes to build successful, profitable and sustainable international recruitment businesses and is well-versed in the latest professional leadership techniques and thinking in the management field.
As CEO of Four Pillars Group, Darren’s role is to enable our portfolio partners to draw on his expertise and experience – to help the next generation of recruitment entrepreneurs achieve their personal goals and ambitions.
Ruth Martin CGMA, Chief Financial Officer
Ruth is a qualified finance professional with over 25 years’ experience and a track record of contributions leading to improved financial performance in the recruitment industry. Well respected for demonstrating good judgement and integrity, Ruth is a skilled adviser – known for her ability to guide and influence executives and shareholders by clearly communicating financial imperatives at all levels.
As Chief Finance Officer, Ruth is a key internal partner for our portfolio firms. Personable and diligent, she is dedicated to helping our business owners implement best practice, efficient processes and enhanced financial controls – and is accomplished in structuring favourable investment terms for businesses.
Gareth Chambers, Chief Operating Officer
In a recruitment career spanning over 25 years, Gareth has operated across a variety of white-collar commercial, technical and professional services recruitment markets. He has launched and scaled his own recruitment consultancy, before realising a seven-figure sum at exit.
He has amassed extensive experience in setting up new recruitment desks, divisions, offices and businesses. Now, in his role as COO of Four Pillars Group, Gareth is dedicated to applying his experience and know-how to the provision of operational advice and support to our portfolio business owners as they launch and scale their own recruitment businesses.
Gareth has lived and worked in London, Hong Kong, Singapore and Sydney, placing candidates across Australia, Singapore, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, London, Dublin, Brussels, Paris, Moscow, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Muscat, New York, Los Angeles, Channel Islands and Cayman Islands.
Laura Ovens, Chief Marketing Officer
Laura’s charter is to bring fresh, cutting-edge perspectives to the world of recruitment marketing, providing our portfolio business owners with strategic counsel around how to most effectively market their business to clients and candidates, whilst continually building equity in their own brand.
An intuitive, strategic, and business savvy marketing and communications expert, Laura has over 25 years of industry experience – having developed marketing strategies for well over 200 brands across a variety of industry sectors throughout the Asia Pacific region and North America.
Over the years, Laura has amassed a strong and varied skill base, working with a diverse group of clients and brands. Her passion and success lie in her ability to transform market, customer, business and brand insights into marketing strategies that deliver business growth.
Melissa Chadwick, Chief Human Resources Officer
Highly experienced in Human Resources and Operations, Melissa has worked across Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Middle East and the UK and is well-versed in cross-jurisdiction personnel management.
CIPD qualified and with strong expertise in reward management, employment law and psychometric assessments, Melissa’s role at Four Pillars Group is to support the growth of our portfolio businesses through effective workforce management – offering support and guidance in organisational design and planning, compensation and benefits, employee engagement, learning and development and talent planning.
With a background in recruitment, Melissa has a technical understanding of the recruitment cycle, and has played a key role in launching offices in multiple territories for an international executive search business.
ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS
If you are a driven, talented entrepreneurial recruitment professional with ambitions to launch and/or scale a recruitment business, we want to hear from you.
In the first instance, call or message us for a confidential exploratory discussion with our COO, Gareth Chambers.
Drop us a line
13.02
84 Pitt Street
Sydney
NSW 2000. Australia
+61 2 8355 7339
Confidentiality assurance: Your details will not be used for any other reason than for the purposes of your enquiry.