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Recruitment Reimagined Podcast: Episode 5

Recruitment Reinvented: Ian Knowlson & Simon Bucknell on AI, Branding & The Future!
Featuring industry experts Ian Knowlson and Simon Bucknell

In this episode of Recruitment Reimagined, industry leader Ian Knowlson hosts an insightful discussion with Simon Bucknell, founder of Ambers, as they explore the evolving recruitment landscape and AI’s growing role in enhancing productivity. Marking 22 years since Simon founded his recruitment firm, the conversation reflects on how technology has transformed recruitment over the decades - and where it’s headed next.

Simon shares his personal journey of integrating AI into recruitment, particularly in tech and engineering sectors, highlighting how AI tools are helping professionals refine their personal branding, streamline CV formatting, and remove hiring biases. He discusses AI’s future in automating screening processes, predicting workforce trends, and reshaping how recruiters engage with candidates. Ian and Simon also delve into the concept of constant reinvention in recruitment, emphasizing that businesses must evolve every few years - if not months - to stay ahead in the industry.

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Contributor Bios

Ian Knowlson - Global Influencer & Recruitment Futurist

Ian Knowlson is a leading voice in the recruitment sector, recognized globally as a thought leader, business strategist, and personal growth coach. With a deep expertise in NLP, employment trends, and talent acquisition, Ian helps businesses and individuals not just meet, but surpass their growth ambitions.

With a wealth of experience in recruitment transformation, Ian specializes in guiding organizations through evolving market dynamics, ensuring they stay ahead of industry shifts. His expertise spans corporate client acquisition, training & coaching, RPO/MSP strategies, and innovative business development approaches. As a widely respected social media influencer and speaker, Ian’s insights into the Future of Work and Recruitment continue to shape the industry.

Specialties: Leadership Development | Organizational Strategy | AI & Digital Transformation | Keynote Speaking | Adaptive Systems | Future of Work

Connect on LinkedIn

Simon Bucknell - Straight-Talking Recruiter & Leadership Coach

Simon Bucknell is a people-first recruiter, business builder, and leadership coach with three decades of experience in tech and engineering recruitment. As the driving force behind EMBS Talent for 22 years, Simon has placed over 1,000 professionals, from entry-level developers to senior tech leaders.

His approach goes beyond hiring - he helps companies shape strategy, brand, and culture, ensuring long-term success in an era where talent has more choices than ever. With a deep commitment to authenticity, Simon believes that real, open, and unfiltered conversations build trust - the foundation of truly impactful recruitment.

At EMBS Talent, Simon leads a team of expert consultants, tackling real hiring challenges across six niche tech disciplines. He combines AI with instinct and experience to help businesses hire smarter and faster.

Specialties: Tech & Engineering Recruitment | Leadership Coaching | Employer Branding | AI-Powered Hiring | Career Development | Business Strategy

Connect on LinkedIn

Take the Leap Towards Transforming Your Business Today!

This programme equips recruitment leaders with practical AI strategies, tailored ROI models, and implementation roadmaps to leverage AI profitably, fostering business growth, leadership readiness, and ethical adoption.  

£2,500.00 GBP

Limited Spaces Available Sign Up Now to Stay Ahead!

This program equips recruitment leaders with practical AI strategies, tailored ROI models, and implementation roadmaps to leverage AI profitably, fostering business growth, leadership readiness, and ethical adoption.

Course Modules

✓ AI Opportunity vs. Disruption
✓ 2030 Strategic Vision Creation
✓ Human vs. AI: Recruiter Value Map
 AI Workflow Mapping & Demo
✓ Sector-Specific AI Play Books
 Leadership AI Maturity Assessment
✓ Building an AI-Enabled Team
✓ AI for Client Growth
 Ethical & Compliant AI Use
 ROI: Cost-Saving & Revenue Growth Modelling

Each module delivers a practical business output

<<< CLICK HERE TO ENROL

PLEASE CONSIDER
You have the flexibility to complete this course independently, which is absolutely fine. However, we highly recommend taking this journey alongside a few peers or senior leaders from your organization. Collaboration can offer valuable perspectives and support as you delve deeply into your business-specific applications.

Many of these modules require activities tied to your individual role and company dynamics. Working as a team to identify these aspects can enrich the experience and outcomes. Additionally, sensitive topics, like staff readiness and skill gaps, are integral to the process. Please consider this when deciding whom to invite to participate.

All activities can be reviewed and discussed during our live Q&A sessions. To move forward in the course, participants must complete the modules and join the Q&A to ensure the content resonates and meets your needs. We aim to provide personal interaction only when necessary.

Please note that while multiple team members from the same company can attend, only a single registration is required for 1-3 participants. This approach allows for a collaborative learning experience without additional costs for each attendee.

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 We will share industry insights and notify you when new courses are launched

Learn Why We’re Their Go-To

Simon Bucknell  
Founder & Tech Director

Ian has given the leadership team at EMBS real clarity of thought. Through his coaching and training sessions he has been able to elevate the leadership team and our employees to the next level.

As a result we've seen a significant uplift in revenue. Ian has also helped us to create a vision for the business that will see us work towards 'hyper growth' in the next 12 to 18 months. For us engaging Ian and the wider team has been a game changer!

 


 

Andy Wadsworth
Director

I've worked with Ian in two different organisations after being impressed by listening to him speaking in 2015 at a recruitment conference.

Finding a coach you can work with is a really personal thing. They've got to 'get' you, and be able to hold a mirror up to the behaviours that are holding you back, without causing offence to your inner chimp. It's a fine art.

From my perspective as a coachee, he's patient and methodical and I find him to be challenging in an appropriate manner. Over time we've worked up a relationship where we can take shortcuts to the place we need to be on a range of situational business topics.

He's well-educated in the field of organisational psychology and draws upon this during practice in a way that's approachable at different levels of knowledge.

He's well respected by many of my peers for the value he provides to their career progression and capability as managers/leaders.

Highly recommended.

Charmaine Vincent
CEO

I've known Ian for approximately 3 years now and having been impressed with his style of group coaching and training sessions he'd delivered to our wider business group, I hired Ian to help coach me and assist taking my business to the next level. Ian is a fantastic mentor, trainer and coach. He has not only been instrumental in helping me put a 3 year business plan together but extremely engaging and inspiring as an individual which has helped me achieve much more than I had anticipated from a personal development point of view. If you run your own business and feel you need some direction in implementing growth plans or even manage a team and need some coaching around your approach and personal development, Ian is your man and I couldn't recommend him highly enough.

 


 

Gareth Carpenter  
Executive Director

I have had the benefit of Ian's leadership coaching for the past year - coinciding with taking on a larger role, managing a complex business comprising multiple teams, and navigating the unique work environment posed by Covid-19. Ian has helped me navigate multiple strategic and tactical challenges through a combination of deep understanding of the recruitment industry, working through a range of leadership concepts and most importantly providing a trust-based forum based on his understanding of me as a professional and as a person. I have had the benefit of Ian's leadership coaching for the past year - coinciding with taking on a larger role, managing a complex business comprising multiple teams, and navigating the unique work environment posed by Covid-19. Ian has helped me navigate multiple strategic and tactical challenges through a combination of deep understanding of the recruitment industry, working through a range of leadership concepts and most importantly providing a trust-based forum based on his understanding of me as a professional and as a person.

Richard Pedreschi
Executive Director

We have worked with Ian for over 2 years now across our Global business and he has provided some amazing sessions on how to grow your business, managing teams, and even how to manage managers which has been a great help to me personally. Along with training Ian has supported and helped me on a personal level on his own personal time showing he how much he values everyone he works with, the door is always open. 

Ian has always been incredible professional and extremely warm and easy individual to approach while being very direct, honest, and clear in his advice. Coming from Director level positions within the Recruitment industry he can provide some real-life truths and learns which for me was the standout difference between himself and other trainers I have worked with in the past. 


 

James Doyle
Founder

Ian delivers our future leaders training and development/executive coaching and has been integral in that hugely important next wave, who we can grow the business around. Helping them with robust techniques for motivation, time management, man managing and efficiencies.

His teachings are used daily and account for a large part of how we culturally manage our teams. This appointment has been massively successful and all the managers like/relish his time with them each month.

Given his experience he has also been influential in visioning sessions at Director level and how we drive the business forward generally. I truly believe he is passionate about our success on all levels and to have someone of his pedigree supporting us has been invaluable.