As long standing colleagues - and now great friends - we set up VANA with a joint desire to provide a more human approach to HR. Our principles of accessibility, openness, authenticity and creativity have led to over 20 years of collaboration with some of the most diverse, innovative and passionate clients.
I was born in Liverpool and brought up in the north-west before heading south to study for a degree in Philosophy. I now live in a little village just outside of Bath with my husband Nat and two children Amelie and Zack, a cat, a chocolate working cocker and a hive of bees – there’s never a dull moment!
I had worked in blue chip environments, including Hays with Debbie for several years, before we developed the idea of setting out on our own. We wanted to create a boutique business providing a more personal experience.
2004 was the year we decided to take the plunge. I was pregnant with Amelie, had signed a lease on offices in Hartham Park and simply had a loyal network of clients. It was the best decision we made. I knew we could offer something different, something more authentic and VANA’s success has been the proof of that.
Seeing our clients build successful careers, forward-thinking teams and sector-defining businesses is so rewarding.
We work with a real mix of clients from small start-ups to large blue chips. Whether they are selling organic yoghurt or global networks, it is a real privilege to get to work so closely with their business and employees.
Because we are so hands on, we build long-standing relationships with all our clients, and are often seen as an extension of their team. I think our integrity is recognised by candidates who trust us when taking their next career step. It’s a trust we don’t take lightly.
It’s fair to say that I like to keep busy and juggling a business with family life means that I do just that! When I’m at home I love baking and working on my allotment. I’m also a sucker for learning new skills and really enjoy meeting different people through my various hobbies (bee-keeping and playing the ukulele are my current obsessions!). But these things keep me grounded, I’m not sure I’d want to give up the day job to grow prize winning veg. I’m lucky to have a career that I love.
I grew up living close to the ocean, and my love for the water has never left me. Born on the South Coast, and grew up in Devon, very close to the Cornish border.
Bath was a natural place to settle for work. In easy reach of London and the coast, surrounded by beautiful countryside and steeped in history; it’s now known for its festivals, food scene and of course the rugby. What was a university town and world heritage site, now has a flow of new restaurant openings, gigs or match weekends to keep the place bristling with people and energy.
We live in the countryside on the outskirts of the city, which definitely gives us the best of both worlds. Together with my twins, Daisy and Alfie, and my partner Phil, we tend to make the most of it paddle boarding on the river, or walking the dogs. If we’re at home, you can often find us exploring on an adventure that inevitably leads to a good pub for refreshments! Phil is a Golf Pro at Bath GC, but having descended from Devon he thankfully shares our passion for the big blue, so often our weekends are spent at the coast.
Working for a corporate FTSE 100 business was great training ground. I was Operations Director with P&L accountability, managed a multi-site business and led a high performing team of talented consultants. It was excellent exposure to leaders in a broad spectrum of sectors across the UK, but it was difficult to influence corporate culture.
Leaving in 2004 was a huge step, but Jo and I instinctively knew it was the right thing to do. VANA is our creation, and it has been incredibly rewarding building a business that is a leader in our industry, whilst staying true to our values.
We are a great team. Our different styles really complement each other, we have a great work ethic and a huge network of colleagues, associates and friends amassed over 16 years of VANA and over 20 years in the industry.
I have always been a risk taker. I believe that life is a gift and we live in a world of endless possibilities. Every day offers a new learning of some kind, and opportunities to fulfil your potential.
Specialising in HR means you get to work with people who have an inherent understanding of how the right talent can shape an organisation. We get to build long-standing relationships with our clients and candidates, which feeds off my genuine interest in people, enthusiasm for change and love of new experiences.
Because VANA has always been about honesty, authenticity and accessibility, our clients reflect those strong values, giving us long-lasting relationships that prove that what we are doing, we are doing right.
I was intent on setting up Vana, so maybe the question for me is more about what next? Perhaps one day running a small boutique hotel or coastal café somewhere in Devon or Cornwall.
I persuaded Jo to invest and work with me on another project in 2019, alongside Vana. We secured a mortgage to buy an old coastal cottage in Mortehoe on the North Devon coast that was in need of some love. To be truthful, it needed a lot of love, a full renovation. Working on the design and interiors was a stimulating project and we launched the cottage as a holiday let in May 2019 – please take a look here: www.seascapehideaways.co.uk It’s been so lovely to welcome so many Vana clients as guests.
Debbie is an outstanding recruitment, talent and client management professional. I have had the pleasure of working with her a number of times in the last 7-8 years, and unlike many peers in her industry, she and her partner Jo consistently treat clients and candidates with the level of respect, professionalism and most importantly with a personal service, such a big decision requires. Her ability to really understand client needs, candidate capabilities and matching the two, while retaining the role of a true trusted advisor is very impressive. I would wholeheartedly recommend Debbie to any prospective blue chip client, or HR professional looking for a new opportunity.
Chris Jones, Group Head of People Development, Merlin Entertainments plc