Newport-based, multi-specialist recruitment and training agency, Acorn, has appointed a new head of marketing as the business embarks on a new era of further expansion.

Sarah Jones, who has worked for the company’s marketing team since 2006, moves up from her previous role as marketing manager to take on the new position; working strategically alongside the company’s group marketing director as well as heading up the daily management of the marketing team.

Sarah said: “I’m absolutely thrilled. I’ve been with Acorn since 2006 and so I was delighted to be asked to take on the role. This is a great place to be, working with some talented and wonderful people, and we’re all really excited at the direction the business is going, both here across the UK and also internationally through our Acorn Global subsidiary.

“There are some particularly interesting marketing challenges and opportunities for the business – our services, and the positioning of the company have been developing over the last couple of years, and continue to do so, as Acorn’s reputation for delivering specialist recruitment and training in key sectors grows. These are exciting times.”

Dan Langford, group marketing and communications director, said: “We’re delighted for Sarah. There’s certainly plenty to do as we look forward to Acorn’s next stages of growth, and therefore it is important that the marketing team remains equipped to meet the challenges head on.

“The Acorn banner covers a range of specialist services for a range of different sectors and industries, and therefore it is crucial that a well-informed and alert marketing function is maintained to ensure across the business, and within the specialist areas in which we work, we take advantage of every opportunity and help steer the brand accordingly.”

Acorn has taken a lead in a number of markets over recent years such as in IT and digital, construction, technical and engineering, nursing, and more latterly through its senior executive search division, launched in March this year. It also recently announced its acquisition of an engineering recruitment business in Australia.

The company’s place in the top one per cent of recruitment companies UK-wide was recently affirmed by leading trade publisher Recruitment International, with many of its specialist divisions placed within the top 20 of their respective sectors across the UK.

Acorn was founded in 1992 and has its UK headquarters at the Celtic Springs Business Park in Newport. The company operate from 39 branches across Wales and the South West, North West and South East of England, as well as three in Australia

Formerly awarded as the UK’s Best Recruitment Agency, Acorn places up to 6,500 people into the workplace with around 1,200 different clients each week. The group also delivers training to more than 1,000 individuals and makes 1,700 permanent placements every year.