Reflecting on the year just gone, I’m so proud not only of how much JMA achieved as a business, but also of how much the team grew and achieved, collectively and as individuals, both professionally and personally. Below are our 2023 business and team highlights.
Business Highlights
I’m delighted to report that in 2023 our level and volume of work was higher than it’s ever been.
We were privileged to work with clients both long-standing and new, across diverse sectors and geographies.
We consistently harnessed our knowledge and expertise of consumer-facing sectors and beyond to deliver amazing, diverse slates of talent and made a string of outstanding placements.
In what remained a highly competitive talent market, we competed successfully on numerous occasions against competing offers candidates received from their current and other potential employers.
To ensure we delivered to the highest standards possible, we reviewed and upgraded all of our search delivery processes, re-set performance expectations and revamped our in-house training programmes.
To strengthen client and candidate relationships, Sarah and I made numerous trips to cities across the United States, Canada, the UK, Europe and the Middle East.
To share our expertise on market trends and let our favourite people know about developments at JMA, we created the newsletter you’re reading now – JMA Shares.
Via our charitable giving programme, JMA Cares, we donated a record sum to our superb charity partners.
We were proud to serve our first client in the charity sector, a hugely rewarding experience.
Finally, we hosted our second intern, Claire, and hired our third via the excellent 10000 Black Interns programme.
Team Highlights
Our team’s attitude and focus on our values of Quality, Trust and Care was as fantastic as ever! We rewarded their commitment and hard work by investing more in their development, and in building our culture, than ever before.
To ensure team wellbeing, we introduced a new, significantly enhanced wellbeing programme, the genesis of which came from a wellbeing project led by our 2023 intern, Claire.
To promote a spirit of togetherness, we held more off-sites and meet-ups – ranging from axe-throwing in Toronto, to lunches in London and day-long meetings on the shores of the Bosphorus – than ever before. Thank you Sarah, Igal, Hannah, Rebecca and Neslihan for organising these!
Sarah attended an inspiring inclusive leadership course with one of our key clients and sent her daughter off to college, while I took my elder son to look round universities – and my younger son to countless football matches.
Igal, now with JMA for eight and a half years, had a truly stand-out year. He got married, moved to Toronto and was promoted to lead both our team of analysts and our social media efforts. Congratulations, Igal!
Sandy had an equally memorable year. Not only was she promoted to Researcher (delivering like clockwork on her first assignments), she became an aunt for the second time – and got engaged to a former JMA team member!
Ayse was promoted and Merve, who joined us at the start of the year, looked into how JMA could harness AI.
As a result of ongoing efforts by Tina and Neslihan, our longest server at JMA with nine years’ tenure, we were delighted to welcome three, wonderfully talented new colleagues – Merve, Ismi and Polen.
The rest of the team expertly delivered for clients while navigating busy personal lives, moving house and looking after rapidly growing-up children – and a handful of kittens, in Ece’s case. Special shouts out to Anna, who knocked the ball out of the park all year, and Rebecca, who supported our entire team amazingly.
Last but not least, we continued to receive outstanding support from our non-executive advisors and board directors, the majority of whom run their own businesses.
I’d therefore like to say a huge THANK YOU to our clients, candidates and team for an outstanding year. Here’s hoping for an even better 2024!