About Irlam Associates

One goal: to fill every role

Big or small, senior, or junior, generalist or specialist, we’ll bring the best talent directly to your organisation.

Our approach combines a close understanding of business strategy with unrivalled agility, making finding the perfect candidate a smooth and effective process.

Our Mission

Here at Irlam Associates, we’re obsessed with delivering a shortlist of exceptional candidates, curated to suit the specific needs of your organisation. 

We made our name in the logistics and transport sector, cutting our teeth in a world where efficiency was second nature. 

Today, decades on, our expertise covers every step of the employment process, from proposition development all the way through to process transformation.

We're data-driven 

Finding incredible talent requires a combination of a deep understanding of your business’ unique needs with the latest data and technologies, allowing us to deliver the exceptional results your organisation’s needs.

We employ tried-and-tested selection methods to acquire great talent, operate an extensive team of sector specialists to secure a great match for each and every role.

We're disruptive

Just like the perfect candidate, we like to stand out from the crowd. 

Progress only comes about as the result of disruption, and we’re not afraid to rock the boat a little if it means becoming better at what we do.

Our entrepreneurial mindset means we are always looking for the competitive edge, a quality which helps us evolve as a company, as well as innovate our talent acquisition techniques for our clients.

We're honest


Our service always involves clear communication and transparent pricing, so commercially it can be tailored to every business, regardless of its size. 

Executive Board

Will Irlam

CEO

Aaron Bradley

Managing Director

Emma Thelwell

Chief Operating Officer

CLOSE

Will Irlam

CEO

Will is the Managing Director of Irlam Associates Group.
Will started his career running a successful family Logistics business which was acquired by Eddie Stobart in 2008. After staying on for several years in the acquiring business he saw a real gap in the market across the Logistics, Aviation and Manufacturing sector. In 2014, after months of strategic planning, Irlam Associates Group was born. The business was built with one goal in mind; to play a pivotal part in the strategic growth of its clients.

Will holds an active role in the business to ensure its development & growth opportunities are realised.

Will enjoys spending time with his family along with being a keen tennis player and trying his hand at golf.

CLOSE

Aaron Bradley

Managing Director

Aaron is the Director of Irlam Associates Group. His journey with the business started in 2015 when he was brought in as a Recruitment Consultant. Aaron’s initial involvement was supporting the development of the Aviation, Supply Chain & Logistics and Manufacturing sectors from a resourcing perspective. Transitioning through several key roles within the business, he gained a sound understanding of the commercial development and strategic responsibilities that were required.
In Q3 of 2021, Aaron was invited to the board by Will Irlam (Managing Director) due to his commitment and dedication that played a pivotal part in the hyper-growth of the business.

CLOSE

Emma Thelwell

Chief Operating Officer

Emma brings over a decade of expertise in RPO Talent Solutions to her role as COO, where she leads all aspects of recruitment delivery, governance, compliance, reporting, and client satisfaction. She is deeply committed to fostering true partnerships, valuing client feedback, and addressing challenges head-on to achieve optimal outcomes for all stakeholders.

Emma's passion for business transformation is evident in her approach, which blends statistical analysis with consistent client and team insights to drive continuous improvement across the organization. Her strategic leadership and management style ensure the smooth operation of day-to-day functions, always keeping the company's broader vision and results-focused execution aligned.

Emma’s client-centric approach and positive mindset ensure that every solution not only meets but exceeds client expectations.

Senior Leadership

Joe Makinson

Account Director – Aviation

Janvi Gandhi-Shah

Head of Aviation Recruitment

Matt Grundy

Screening Business Manager

Rob Garner

Commercial Development Manager

Tim Burrows

Account Director – Logistics & Supply Chain

Liam Caulfield

Head of RPO & Partnerships

CLOSE

Joe Makinson

Account Director – Aviation

Joe joined Irlam Associates in 2018 as a Trainee Recruitment Consultant and has recently been promoted to Aviation Operations Manager from his already promoted role of Account Manager. Since joining Irlam Associates, Joe has gone from strength to strength and is a pivotal part of the business.

Joe has experience recruiting in a variety of industries including Transport and Logistics, Automotive, Architecture and Sales and is now heavily involved in supporting our clients within the Aviation industry. Joe is exceptionally skilled at creating and building relationships with clients and candidates and understands exactly what is required when supporting a recruitment drive.

Outside of work Joe enjoys spending time relaxing with family and friends, playing golf at his local course, Mottram Hall and training in his local Gym.

CLOSE

Janvi Gandhi-Shah

Head of Aviation Recruitment

Janvi joined Irlam Associates in March 2022. She firmly believes in the company`s vision to be the best Recruitment Agency and constantly strives to add value to that goal with her dedication and commitment.

Janvi loves to create powerful and engaging relationships with candidates and clients alike.
With extensive recruitment experience spanning over 15 years and still counting…. She has turned her passion for meeting and helping people into a successful career.

On a personal front, Janvi loves to join her footy-mad husband and son to games as often as possible. They recently welcomed a beautiful puppy into their home as a proud and beautiful new addition to the family. Janvi and her husband are also active members of the local community and take pride in bringing people together through different events, festival celebrations and even occasional coffee meet up`s.

If you are an employer looking for assistance with Ground Handling recruitment or a job seeker looking for work within Aviation, Janvi is just a call / email / message away.

CLOSE

Matt Grundy

Screening Business Manager

We're excited to welcome Matt Grundy to the team, joining us as the Screening Business Manager!

With 18 years of experience in leadership and over nine years in the aviation industry, Matt brings a wealth of expertise to our team. He has a proven track record, having led the Onboarding & Vetting team for the UK's largest airport operator, where he managed significant changes, built the team from the ground up, and implemented advanced technology to handle over 6,000 aviation background checks and renewals annually. Matt is a true subject matter expert in aviation vetting, onboarding, and airside pass management.

In addition to his professional achievements, Matt enjoys running marathons, exploring the outdoors with his dog, and working on classic cars.

CLOSE

Rob Garner

Commercial Development Manager

Rob stems from an Operational Logistics background and has recently joined Irlam Associates as an Operations Development Manager. Brought in to add value and build upon new & long-lasting relationships across a strong and broad client base. Passionate about the industry, Rob held the position of Chairman for the CILT (Cheshire Group) been a Career Ready Mentor and is often seen networking/attending events and supporting many initiatives in getting people to choose logistics/supply chain as an excellent career choice.

Outside work Rob is a family man and is a proud father of two and when possible, can be found getting in a Swim/Run & Bike to maintain fitness and has been a long-standing member of Knutsford Triathlon Club. During the Spring/Summer months you can find Rob and his family down in Morfa Nefyn/Abersoch (North Wales) enjoying the beach lifestyle…

CLOSE

Tim Burrows

Account Director – Logistics & Supply Chain

Tim joined the team with a decade of recruitment experience, including 7 years focused on the Logistics and Supply Chain industry. He thrives on building strong client connections through regular communication and on-site visits, ensuring a deep understanding of their specific needs.
Tim's commitment to offering a personalised service allows him to deliver exceptional client and candidate results.

Outside of the office, Tim enjoys spending time with loved ones, exploring the outdoors through activities like hiking and paddle boarding, and discovering new destinations.

CLOSE

Liam Caulfield

Head of RPO & Partnerships

Liam brings over 8 years of expertise in RPO recruitment, having worked across a wide range of industries, including insurance, healthcare, fleet, and logistics. As Head of RPO & Partnerships at Irlam Associates, he is dedicated to elevating the department and building strong, lasting relationships with both existing and new clients.

Liam is passionate about delivering a seamless and first-class recruitment experience for clients and candidates alike. He takes pride in his ability to truly understand the unique needs of those he works with, providing tailored solutions that drive success and add value at every step of the process.

Outside of work, Liam is an avid sports enthusiast who enjoys playing golf and tennis. He also loves spending time with his second love - his cat, Arnie.

Core Business Functions

Sebastian Duffy

Service Delivery Manager

Kieron Crosthwaite

Senior Talent Business Partner

Emile Duffy

Account Manager

Alex Freedman

Account Manager

Ryan Edwards

Account Manager

Mike Clayton

Senior Recruitment Consultant – Logistics & Supply Chain

Asha Odedra

Recruitment Consultant

CLOSE

Sebastian Duffy

Service Delivery Manager

Seb joins the business with a professional sales background with experience in the finance and marketing industry. Seb is heavily involved in supporting clients within the transport & logistics industry. He possesses a fantastic ability to build and retain relationships with both clients and candidates over the phone or face to face.

Outside of work Seb enjoys relaxing by spending time with family and friends and playing football. Another of his passions is electronic music production as well as DJ’ing internationally with his brother Emile.

CLOSE

Kieron Crosthwaite

Senior Talent Business Partner

With over 7 years of experience in recruitment, Kieron is dedicated to building long-term, trusted relationships with clients. He takes pride in embedding himself within their businesses, acting not just as a recruiter but as a true talent partner. Kieron's approach is grounded in trust and transparency, always striving to provide a collaborative and seamless experience.

Kieron has worked across a wide range of sectors, including Insurance, Financial Services, Engineering and Manufacturing, and Automotive. He believes in becoming an expert in the businesses he represents, rather than being confined to a single industry. This commitment to learning about new companies and roles is a driving force in his work.

Outside of work, Kieron is a passionate Manchester United fan, an avid golfer (when the UK weather permits), and has recently developed a near addiction to playing Padel.

CLOSE

Emile Duffy

Account Manager

Emile comes from a chemical background being involved with a number of different roles, including working within quality control labs to now recruiting for one of the biggest chemical manufacturing companies globally. Emile also works heavily within Transport & Logistics and helps to account manage one of our main clients Speedy Freight, placing a number of different positions from business development managers through to a varied amount of accounting roles. He is someone who can build relationships over the phone or in-person and has the ability to find out exactly what his clients and candidates are really searching for.

To relax he likes to go to the gym, play tennis, spending time with friends and a big passion is his Dj’ing career which has offered opportunities to travel to other countries around the world.

CLOSE

Alex Freedman

Account Manager

Alex comes from a background of Transport & Logistics management recruitment with a reputation for being thorough and knowledgeable and someone who builds great relationships with candidates and clients alike.

Away from work he is a mad Watford fan (We're not sure why!) and goes to see them as much as possible each season. To relax and in his spare time, he is a keen golfer & tennis player and movie watcher extraordinaire, with a love for cooking and baking too (more so the eating of what he’s made).

CLOSE

Ryan Edwards

Account Manager

With over three years of experience in RPO recruitment, Ryan specialises in industries such as insurance, logistics, and fleet. He is passionate about connecting the right talent with the right roles and understands the importance of building lasting relationships to meet client needs and drive success for both clients and candidates.

Ryan is committed to providing tailored recruitment solutions and ensuring a positive experience throughout the hiring process. His focus on long-term success and client satisfaction makes him a trusted partner in recruitment.

Outside of work, Ryan is an avid football player, enjoys a round of golf (even if it doesn’t always go to plan), and is a devoted family man

CLOSE

Mike Clayton

Senior Recruitment Consultant – Logistics & Supply Chain

Mike brings over 18 years of experience to the table, having started his recruitment journey in business development for the sales sector. Since 2007, he has specialised in Supply Chain & Logistics, building a nationwide network and fostering strong relationships with contacts across all levels, from managers to directors.
With a passion for building long-term partnerships, Mike leverages his extensive experience to help clients find the perfect talent fit.

When Mike isn't connecting top talent with leading companies, you'll find him scaling mountains, exploring his love for music and film, or staying active at the gym. He also enjoys cheering on his favourite football team and socialising with friends.

CLOSE

Asha Odedra

Recruitment Consultant

Asha joined Irlam Associates in 2024, bringing over three years of sales and client engagement expertise. Her adeptness in managing demanding workloads and shifting priorities seamlessly characterises her background. With a focus on recruitment, she boasts extensive experience in sourcing, recruiting, and managing candidates, showcasing proficiency across the hiring spectrum.

Apart from work, she loves exploring new places and spending time with her family and friends on beaches and mountains.

CLOSE

Kirti Kaushal

Recruitment Consultant

Kirti joined the Irlam Associates team in 2023, beginning her recruitment career 3 years prior. Since then, she has refined her skills in various industries, such as banking, IT, finance, transport and logistics, and many more. Her speciality is finding outstanding people and placing them in temporary and permanent roles.

In addition to her work endeavours, Kirti enjoys spending time with her family and finds comfort in poetry. She also loves to sing and has a lifelong interest in observing celestial objects.

Aviation

Harvey Wain

Service Delivery Manager

Mamoon Butt

Account Manager

Brendan Behan

Account Manager

Joe Crawley

Account Manager

Haroon Shaikh

Recruitment Consultant

Aniket Maheshbhai

Recruitment Consultant

Manali Agarwal

Recruitment Consultant

Krishi Trivedi

Recruitment Consultant

CLOSE

Harvey Wain

Service Delivery Manager

Harvey joined Irlam Associates in 2019 after several years’ experience in Sales. Initially, he was brought in as a Trainee Recruitment Consultant and has received back-to-back promotions to an Account Manager position in 2021. His predominant focus was building and developing existing relationships within Transport, Logistics & Aviation. Harvey is a passionate, motivated, and well-driven individual who has a real focus on creating the best possible top to bottom service for the clients he manages.

Outside of work, He is a socialite. Spending his weekends in Cheshire, relaxing with friends, training in his local Gym, and playing golf.

CLOSE

Mamoon Butt

Account Manager

Mamoon is an active member of the team and has gone from strength to strength during his time with us so far. Recently promoted to a recruitment consultant, Mamoon shows drive and tenacity within his role. Mamoon is a motivated and passionate individual, constantly striving under pressure and always wanting to create a lasting impression on everyone. No matter the responsibility, Mamoon is always up for a challenge!

Right after office hours, Mamoon is a relaxed and sociable person. He loves driving, playing football and staying active by going to the gym whenever he is free. He loves a laugh regardless of where he is. He truly is the heartbeat of the team.

CLOSE

Brendan Behan

Account Manager

Brendan joined Irlam associates midway through 2021, whilst Brendan had no prior recruitment experience, he has plenty of experience working with people. He worked in hospitality for three years and one year for a large life assurance company on the bereavements team. This taught him the importance of supporting people through a difficult period and gave him a greater understanding of people on the whole. Since joining Irlam, Brendan has been focused on the Aviation Industry and has been able to build strong relationships with both clients and candidates, whilst gaining an affinity for aviation himself.

Brendan spent three years at university where he gained a degree in Business Management. In his spare time, he enjoys socialising with friends, playing golf, and watching various different shows on TV.

CLOSE

Joe Crawley

Account Manager

Joe brings 12 years of experience in the Food & Beverage sector, honed at the bustling Manchester Airport. Starting as a bar person, Joe thrived in a fast-paced environment, showcasing his charisma. His talent was quickly recognised, leading him up the ranks: Team Leader, Assistant Manager, and ultimately, General Manager.

Always up for a challenge, Joe then transitioned to the world of HR/Recruitment. As Recruitment Advisor for North Locations, he oversaw recruitment for a whopping 21 units across diverse locations! His success in rebuilding the workforce post-Covid and building a strong internal team is a testament to his skills. This blueprint even inspired similar efforts in the company's South Locations! Joe's team played a crucial role in filling 250 positions annually, both permanent and temporary.

Joe's interests are as diverse as his professional skills. In his free time, he enjoys reading a good book, going to the gym, kicking a football around, and even testing his skills in the financial markets!

CLOSE

Haroon Shaikh

Recruitment Consultant

Haroon joins us with a vast wealth of experience, previously working for a recruitment agency where he was an Account Coordinator; sourcing, recruiting and managing candidates within the food industry. Prior to this, Haroon worked in Dubai for 7 years for an IT infrastructure company. His areas of expertise lie in customer service and HR functions.

Outside of work Haroon enjoys spending time with his family. His passions include exploring new places, trying different cuisines and mobile photography.

CLOSE

Aniket Maheshbhai

Recruitment Consultant

Aniket joined the Irlam Associates team in 2023, coming from a sales and customer service background, with more than three years of experience supporting different offshore clients in a variety of industries. Aniket is focused on progressing within his recruitment career and is excited to see what the future holds for him at Irlam Associates.

Besides work, he loves to spend time with his family and is an avid Netflix binge-watcher. 'Introvert' is an adjective that suits his personality the best!

CLOSE

Manali Agarwal

Recruitment Consultant

CLOSE

Krishi Trivedi

Recruitment Consultant

She joined Irlam Associates in March 2023 and has quickly become an invaluable asset to our team. Her passion for recruitment is evident in her dedication and enthusiasm for her role. She takes immense joy in assisting individuals in discovering opportunities that align with their career aspirations.

Beyond her professional responsibilities, Krishi maintains an active social presence. Her extroverted personality not only aids her effectiveness as a recruiter but also makes her an exceptional team member. Her ability to connect with others personally enhances her interactions with candidates and colleagues.

Screening

Naomi Walton

Vetting Manager

Emma Bates

Screening Specialist

Euan Brown

Screening Specialist

CLOSE

Naomi Walton

Vetting Manager

Naomi joined the vetting team in August 2022 and brings with her a wealth of Aviation experience after working within the industry since 2015. Her vetting career started as a vetting administrator in 2017 and since then has worked her way up to a vetting manager. Her passion lies with the compliance and vetting side of aviation and thrives off the challenge.
In her spare time Naomi enjoys spending time with her young family playing jigsaws and going on walks and bike rides down her local canals. She's an avid Manchester United supporter and attends both the women's and mens matches where possible.

CLOSE

Emma Bates

Screening Specialist

Emma has dedicated the last three years to managing recruitment processes, referencing, and passing submissions for two different companies at Manchester Airport. With prior experience in administrative roles, she brings a wealth of organisational skills and attention to detail to her work.

Emma's life outside recruitment is a testament to her passion and commitment. When she's not busy with work, she dedicates her time to her family and her deep-rooted love for dance, a passion she has nurtured since age 3. Her involvement with a dance organisation, where she volunteers to organise and run competitions held on Sundays and weekend championships each year, truly reflects her dedication and love for the art.

CLOSE

Euan Brown

Screening Specialist

Euan brings a wealth of experience to our team from his previous role in the Vetting team for the UK's largest airport operator. There, he specialised in hospitality across four major UK airports, ensuring a high standard of service and efficiency.

Outside of his professional life, Euan is an avid football fan, frequently enjoying matches at Old Trafford and supporting local non-league teams. He also loves to unwind with Netflix series and Channel 4 programs, including favourites like Come Dine with Me and 4 in a Bed.

Marketing

Disha Nathwani

Graphic Designer

CLOSE

Disha Nathwani

Graphic Designer

Disha's passion for design is the driving force behind her abundance of knowledge and expertise. Her creative journey started in branding and visual communication, and she has since specialised in graphic design, building a robust portfolio across various mediums. Disha's passion for translating ideas into visuals brings her designs to life.

When Disha isn't designing impactful visuals, she sketches in her notebook, explores new design trends, and attends music concerts.

Finance

See your name here? This could be you...

Contact us and lets talk...

CLOSE

Jonathan Booth

Finance Manager

Jonathan brings a wealth of experience, with over thirty years of operational management spanning various industries. His seasoned professionalism, particularly in the employment agency sector, is a testament to his diverse skill set, which includes commercial, finance, HR, and payroll management.

Jonathan is an enthusiastic golfer who also follows a wide range of sports and is keenly interested in them outside of work. His commitment to excellence and extensive managerial background make him a valuable asset in any operational environment.

CLOSE

See your name here? This could be you...

Contact us and lets talk...