• Specialist software engineering recruitment agency – develop – has appointed Tom Dobbie as German principal lead, based in its London headquarters. Previously head of web and mobile in Germany at technology recruiter Optimus Search, Tom will be setting the strategy for the German function, supporting fast-growing technology companies across Munich, Hamburg and Berlin, with a core focus on Java, Python, C Sharp, JavaScript and .NET.

develop is a 20-strong team based in London, and specialises in placing candidates in .NET, JavaScript, Java, Python, technology and change. It was launched during the pandemic to meet the needs of organisations seeking top technical talent in the UK and Europe.

• Executive search firm Forsyth Barnes has promoted Stephen Reece to head of contract from manager of its Nottingham interim division. Reece joined Forsyth Barnes nearly four years ago as a senior recruitment consultant. Based in Nottingham, he will be working with divisional lead Edward Vavasour, who will be based in the London office.

• Global leadership talent firm Heidrick & Struggles has appointed Jaimee Eddington to the role of Americas Regional Leader, effective immediately. In her new role, Eddington will focus on increasing revenue, expanding into new growth areas and delivering long-term stakeholder value. She also will be responsible for driving cross-collaboration across business lines and the region to deliver the full range of the firm’s leadership advisory solutions.

• Global staffing giant ManpowerGroup has appointed Riccardo Barberis as regional president, Northern Europe effective 17 May. Barberis will oversee all of ManpowerGroup’s brands and offerings across the region – Manpower, Experis and Talent Solutions. He will report to chairman and CEO Jonas Prising and join the Executive Leadership Team. Barberis was most recently country manager for ManpowerGroup Italy.

• Specialist HR, reward and payroll recruitment business Oakleaf Partnership has brought on board two key additions. Gavin Jones joins Oakleaf as partner with specific responsibility to drive growth of the specialist HR, Payroll and Reward recruitment firm’s regional business nationally. He joins from Morgan Hunt, and took responsibility for all its out of London operations.

Joining Jones to focus on the growth of the Thames Valley business as sales manager is Hannah Whittington. She spent the last five years with Harris Hill, a leading charity recruitment specialist.

• International executive search firm Pedersen & Partners has appointed Heiko Hofer as a client partner based in the France office, with a special focus on the automotive, machinery and speciality chemicals industrial segments for French and DACH clients.

• Premier Group Recruitment has promoted Matthew Mutters to senior business manager, heading up its Reading engineering department. His new role will add responsibilities within both the training and business protection teams, as well as continuing to oversee the engineering function in the Reading office.

• Hospitality recruiter Sixty Eight People has promoted Rachel Williams from talent co-ordinator to talent manager. She joined in February 2019, and having been on furlough for almost 12 months, Sixty Eight People founder Abi Dunn says Williams has “come back with a massive bang”.

• Independent recruitment specialist Venatu Recruitment Group has made a number of high-level appointments to complement the existing automotive, engineering & construction, and industrial & logistics board of directors.

Lucy Woodward joins as sales director and brings over 15 years of sales experience, most recently from Major Recruitment. Alongside her, Natalie Walker joins the team as director of the commercial and contact centre division, with more than 14 years' recruitment experience within specialist commercial agencies across the UK. Elsewhere, Brett Hemingway has been promoted to director of the industrial & logistics division.