Experience

Ignition K.K.

• Japan
• Staffing and Recruiting
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Managing Director

  • Jul 2021 - Present

  Ignition is a Japan based Rec2Rec, Corporate Talent Acquisition and Human Resources recruitment company providing best in class recruitment services to the Japan and Asia marketplace. We work on executive, management, mid and junior level mandates within our targeted markets and functional focus areas. We work on a retained, contingency, and exclusive basis with our customers as well as providing talent intelligence, RPO and consulting & advisory services. Ignition founded by Michael Craven brings 24 years recruitment experience within the Japan, Asia and UK markets. Michael is a proven recruiter and leader with a track record of success and delivery having successfully scaled and built large permanent, contract, RPO and sourcing divisions for a number of major global recruitment companies. Including having built the largest IT recruiting division in the Japan bilingual marketplace. He has grown and developed strong management teams and has driven and implemented large recruitment change projects and operational best practices across the Japan and Asia markets. Michael has spent 24 years hiring recruiters and building teams across multiple specialisms and his experience, network, influence, market understanding, and integrity is second to none. Simply put he understands the market and delivers. For more information visit www.ignition-recruit.com Show less



Hays

• United Kingdom
• Staffing and Recruiting
• 700 & Above Employee

• Regional Director

  • Jul 2019 - May 2021

  Responsible for the management and growth of the Hays Tokyo office sales and operations (140+ staff).I personally specialise in recruiting senior technology and technology sales executives & leaders for the Life, Science, Financial, ICT, IT Services and end user industry sectors. The type of roles I typically recruit for are; Chief Information OfficerChief Technology OfficerChief Digital OfficerChief Data OfficerChief Risk OfficerIT DirectorAI/Machine Learning LeadersHead of InfrastructureHead of DevelopmentHead of Service DeliveryPartners in the consulting industryHead of PresalesCountry Head Head of SalesIf you are looking to recruit a senior level technology leader for your organisation or are interested in hearing about the the market and current opportunities yourself then please do not hesitate to contact me at michael.craven@hays.co.jp Show less

• Regional Technology Lead Asia

  • Jul 2017 - Jul 2019

  As the Technology lead for Hays in Asia, I am responsible for driving the technology recruitment business across five countries including China, Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore. In the technology recruitment space, Hays Asia covers Digital Technology, Finance Technology, Enterprise IT, and IT Solutions contracting recruitment; offering our expertise to valued clients and industry professionals. From a single technology professional to the coordinated recruitment of whole project teams, we’ll deliver the people you need in the constantly evolving and competitive digital landscape. Show less

• Regional Director Technology Recruitment Division & Sourcing Centre

  • Jul 2018 - Jun 2019

  Managing Hays Information Technology Recruitment Division including the Enterprise, Digital Technology, Financial Technology permanent recruiting practices and the IT Solutions Contracting Division in Japan (60+ recruitment, sales and sourcing consultants). I also am also responsible for managing the Sourcing Centre which is responsible for strategic and tactical candidate sourcing for our agency and Hays Talent Solutions businesses. I specialise in recruiting senior technology executives for the Digital, ICT, end-user and financial industries, the type of candidates I typically recruit are;CIOCTOChief Data Science OfficerIT DirectorHead of DigitalHead of InfrastructureHead of DevelopmentHead of Service DeliveryConsulting PartnersTechnology Division Director Show less

• Business Director Japan Technology Recruitment Division

  • Jun 2016 - Jun 2018

  Managing Hays Information Technology Recruitment Division including the Enterprise, Digital Technology, Financial Technology permanent recruiting practices and the IT Solutions Contracting Division in Japan (30 + recruitment and sales consultants). I personally specialize in recruiting senior technology executives for the Digital, ICT, end-user and financial industries, the type of candidates I typically recruit are;CIOCTOChief Data Science OfficerIT DirectorHead of DigitalHead of InfrastructureHead of DevelopmentHead of Service DeliveryConsulting PartnersTechnology Division DirectorHead of Presales Show less

• Senior Manager Information Technology Recruitment Team & IT Solutions Contracting Division in Japan

  • Aug 2013 - Jun 2016

  Managing Hays Information Technology Recruitment Practice and the IT Solutions Contracting Division in Japan (25+ recruitment and sales consultants). I was personally responsible for growing the business from 7 consultants to a 25+ team in 3 years whilst maintaining year on year growth, hitting annual budgets and maintaining strong revenue per consultant productivity levels. I personally specialised in recruiting senior technology executives for the ICT, end-user and financial industries, the type of candidates I typically recruited are:CIOCTOIT DirectorHead of InfrastructureHead of DevelopmentHead of Service DeliveryConsulting PartnersTechnology Division DirectorHead of Presales Show less



Intelligence Global Search

• Manager Information Technology | Recruitment

  • May 2012 - Jul 2013

  Intelligence Global Search is a Japan based recruitment firm and part of the Intelligence group. The firm specializes in placing multilingual professionals into international firms within the IT, Banking/Finance, Accountancy, Human Resources, Sales & Marketing and Support & Administration areas. Intelligence Global Search is the international recruitment arm of the Intelligence group and aims to leverage decades of business relationships so as to provide its clients and candidates with an unmatched recruitment service. The Intelligence group has relations with over 20,000 clients and is the second largest permanent placement agency in Japan. The group currently employees over 3,800 staff throughout Asia. Show less



Pinnacle Consulting Group

• United States
• Government Administration
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Senior Consultant

  • Jan 2009 - Apr 2012

  I am responsible for Technology recruitment for the Investment Banking, Financial Services and commercial industry sectors. Responsibilities: New and existing client business development Identification of talent pools Search, selection and recruitment of technical resource for Pinnacle's clients I am responsible for Technology recruitment for the Investment Banking, Financial Services and commercial industry sectors. Responsibilities: New and existing client business development Identification of talent pools Search, selection and recruitment of technical resource for Pinnacle's clients



Independent Recruitment and Resource Solutions Provider

• Consultant

  • 2007 - 2009

  During this time I was an independent recruitment solutions provider, providing recruitment solutions knowledge, experience and services to a number of recruitment companies in the Tokyo market. I mainly focused on supplying financial technology permanent recruitment to each of my client’s key accounts and target companies. I also provided training and consultancy to my clients in recruitment consulting best practices, processes and governance for both permanent and Haken(temporary) recruitment. Show less



PTS Consulting

• India
• IT Services and IT Consulting
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Resourcing Director

  • 2005 - 2007

  As Resourcing Director at PTS Consulting Japan my three main areas of responsibility were internal recruitment, external recruitment solutions delivery to PTS clients and the development and expansion of PTS Japan’s Infrastructure technology outsourcing service line. Internal Recruitment Responsibilities: Recruited and managed the PTS internal resourcing team Responsible for the recruitment of all PTS employee's for the region -Developed strategic recruitment plans -Recruitment vendor management -Developed internal recruitment best practices, processes and governance -Worked closely with the service delivery management team to allocate existing resource and plan future recruitment initiatives External Recruitment Solution Responsibilities: -Established and managed a separate "Search & Selection" company within the PTS Consulting Group -Responsible for business and sales forecasting, implementation of key performance indicators and management reporting -Established the permanent recruitment practice -Established the contract recruitment practice -Developed an external recruitment client base -Created, established and responsible for a recruitment best practices and recruitment process re-engineering management consulting practice (successfully sold to a major financial institution) -Developed and responsible for an onsite recruitment vendor management practice (successfully sold and rolled out to a major financial institution) Outsourcing Service Line Responsibilities: -Responsible for both existing and new client development -Responsible for the identification, structuring, presentation, sales, resource allocation and delivery of successful and profitable outsourced services to PTS Japan’s clients -Responsible for the production of client documentation including proposals, statement of works, engagement contracts and client reports -Engaged in solution selling strategies by utilizing PTS Japan’s multiple service lines and practices Show less



James Harvard International

• United Kingdom

• Director of Financial Technology Recruitment

  • 2004 - 2005

  Managed a team of four consultants whose responsibility was technology recruitment within the financial Services industry in Tokyo. My role and responsibilities where divided into both individual target and team target achievement. Team management responsibilities: -Regular monitoring and evaluation of team and individual key performance indicators -Led weekly team sales meetings -Motivated and encouraged team members -Recruited, trained and mentored new team members -Managed and took part in monthly and quarterly management meetings Individual recruitment responsibilities: -Achievement of personal quarterly billing targets -Management of existing clients and new client development -Sourcing of new candidates and mapping out of the financial technology market -Focused position specific head hunting Both my own individual placements and team placements were achieved within both domestic and foreign companies in the following financial industry sectors: -Investment Banking and Securities -Asset Management -Retail Banking -Insurance -Mutual Hedge Funds High-level technology placements where made in infrastructure, development, financial engineering, quant analysts, market risk and risk technology and were mid to senior level. I achieved a number of cross border deals, being especially successful in moving candidates from the UK and the US into senior roles within Tokyo. Show less



Options Group

• Legal Services

• Vice President Financial Technology Recruitment

  • 2001 - 2003

  Duties involved managing a team of three consultants and individual target achievement. Heavy emphasis was placed on new and existing client development, headhunting new and position specific candidates and the negotiation and closing of candidates under offer. I made placements in the following financial industry sectors: -Investment Banking and Securities -Asset Management and Trust Banking -Retail Banking -Mutual Hedge Funds -Clearing Houses I made placements in infrastructure, development, financial engineering, quant analysts, market risk and risk techn Show less



Wall Street Associates

• Investment Management
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Senior Consultant Financial Technology Recruitment

  • 2000 - 2001

  Tasked with establishing Wall Street Associates financial technology recruiting team in Tokyo. A large percentage of my time was spent on new client development, sourcing of new candidates to populate the database and the qualification of the existing client and candidate database. I made the majority of my placements within the Investment Banking and Securities industry and they included both development and infrastructure technology candidates Tasked with establishing Wall Street Associates financial technology recruiting team in Tokyo. A large percentage of my time was spent on new client development, sourcing of new candidates to populate the database and the qualification of the existing client and candidate database. I made the majority of my placements within the Investment Banking and Securities industry and they included both development and infrastructure technology candidates



QA Myriad (Now Hays IT)

• Recruitment Consultant

  • 1997 - 2000

  Involved in contract technology placements within manufacturing, defence, local government and utilities industries Involved in contract technology placements within manufacturing, defence, local government and utilities industries