Ian Thornley. CA, BA (Hons)

Ian is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Staffing Partners and has over 20 years of experience in corporate finance and transaction support services.

Ian qualified as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG in London in 1988, gaining experience in corporate transaction support services in a number of industry sectors including banking and finance, transport and food processing.

Following a 6-year career with Northwest Airlines Inc as Finance Director (Europe) and General Manager (UK & Ireland), Ian joined AHL Services Inc. a US quoted support services business as Corporate Development Director (Europe), responsible for strategy development and delivery. In this role he initiated and executed a number of acquisitions in the recruitment and staffing sector in the UK and in continental Europe.

In 1999, Ian was appointed Managing Director of Right4Staff Limited, UK recruitment and staffing subsidiary of AHL Services Inc, which had annual sales of £12m. Ian led an MBO of Right4Staff as Chief Executive Officer in March 2002, a position he held until October 2005. During his 6-year tenure, Right4Staff's annual sales grew to £110m and it generated industry leading operating profit margins.

Ian is a non-executive director of Remploy Limited, which maintains and creates employment and independence for disabled people through work and he is a member of the Audit and Finance Committee of the Board.

Ian is also the Chairman of Aptus Interims; a niche interim management provider focused on the public sector in both local and central government organisations.