Helen Reynolds, the REC's acting chief executive, said her first priority when she took on her new role last month was to "give staff the confidence that things weren't going to change".

Reynolds was thrust into the trade body's top staff job following chief executive Marcia Roberts' decision to step down because of ill health. Reynolds was previously the director of the Recruitment Industry Taskforce for Enterprise, the REC's business support service.

Her second priority was to begin the work of "defining a clear path" toward achieving chartered status for the REC. A working party to help build the necessary evidence documents has been appointed. "We've had to get that moving, but Marcia left it in a place where we could get it moving," Reynolds exclusively told Recruiter.

Reynolds said of Roberts: "She couldn't have left us in a better position."

Before joining the REC, Reynolds worked in recruitment for 10 years in consultant and director roles. She has also run her own consultancy, and describes herself as "a recruiter through and through" who still gets "the buzz" from recruitment.

"It's a people business, and people don't come with a manual," she said. "This business is so fast paced, and that's what keeps you inspired."

She was hired at the REC last year after approaching former managing director Gareth Osborne with a business idea. "I wanted to audit recruitment agencies and he liked the idea."