Harvey Nash hires first female CEO

IT recruitment and services firm Harvey Nash has seen a major change in leadership, as its chief executive, Albert Ellis, is stepping down after 14 years in the role.

Today (31 January 2020) is Ellis’s last day in the position; the new incumbent, Beverley White, takes over as the new chief executive.

Ellis and White will work with the company’s board through a transition period.

During his time at the recruitment firm, Ellis’s achievements included growing and developing NashTech, Harvey Nash’s IT solutions and outsourced software development division, as well as establishing an annual CIO survey, which the company carries out with KPMG.

His tenure culminated in the the firm’s transition from public to private ownership over the past year, following Harvey Nash’s acquisition by DBAY Advisors.

He will remain involved with DBAY Advisors as a senior advisor on other investments.

The new chief executive has many years of experience in technology businesses, having started her career at IBM and later joining NTL, now part of Virgin Media.

She shifted her focus to technology recruitment in 2002, when she joined Penna Consulting to lead the HR consulting and career development businesses and sit on the company’s board.

In 2017, she became the UK and Ireland chief executive for staffing firm GI Group, where she led the restructuring of the business, including the launch of two new brands.