A leading international recruitment company, which has its base in Newport, has appointed former international rugby coach Mike Ruddock as development director for Ireland.

Former Newport Gwent Dragons and Wales rugby coach Mike Ruddock, has taken on a new senior role with Acorn Global Recruitment, following a number of new contract wins for the company in Ireland.

This isn’t the first time that Mr Ruddock has worked with Acorn, having previously carried out a similar role for the company in Wales shortly after leading the Welsh rugby team in 2005 to their first Grand Slam in 27 years.

Mr Ruddock said: “From past experience, I know that Acorn is an exceptional organisation and I jumped at the opportunity to renew my links with them.

“Having spent the past five years in Ireland, and three years here in the nineties with Leinster, I have built up a wealth of connections across the business community; senior business people who I know will benefit from the support an experienced and reputable firm like Acorn provides.

“There are important sectors here in the Irish economy that need additional help in finding the right number of the right skills to enable their businesses to grow. Acorn Global has the reach, the capacity and the expertise to support them.”

With its growing international presence, Acorn Global’s move into the Irish market was initially prompted by a contract win to supply IT and technical staff to an Irish tech company.

With a focus on technical and professional services, Acorn is in a unique position to help Irish businesses with both their in-country recruitment, as well as sourcing staff internationally to fill any potential skills gaps.

Lewis Fawsitt, sales director for Acorn Global, said: “Ireland is a growing market, in which we are already working with some great companies. We are now really excited at progressing to the next stage, and developing our activity and Acorn’s profile much further.

“To have someone with the reputation among the business community as Mike has, helping to spearhead our business in Ireland is a real boost to Acorn. With Mike’s support, we’ll be looking to replicate the success we’re already having in other countries.”

Originally established to help with skills shortages and to meet increasing recruitment demand in Australia, Acorn Global has since diversified in response to market needs and now sources skilled and high-level staff across a range of professions and across different industries such as IT, defence, engineering and management.

Acorn Global has offices in the UK, Australia and Ireland, and conducts international recruitment activity in many other countries across Europe, USA, Asia and the Middle East.