Delivering the right customer solutions is about having the right people and at Connect Group experience counts for everything.
Here are just some of the people we think you should know:
Todd Grondona
Chief Executive Officer & Founder of Connect Group
Todd has enjoyed an extremely successful career in recruitment, spanning 15 years.
It was his success in developing highly effective recruitment teams and significant personal billing for his last employer, which drove him to utilise the experience he had gained with them, to set-up Connect Group in March 2000.
Bringing together expertise from all sectors of the recruitment industry, he has since gone on to lead the Group into specialist diversification in the IT, Rail & Construction and most recently Energy markets.
His never ending drive to better the business and with it both the customer’s and client’s experience has seen him recognised formally by the recruitment industry’s leaders. He has twice (with Connect) received the accolade of being included in the Sunday Times ‘Top 100 Fastest Growing Companies’ (in 2005 and again in 2006). Connect Group was also named in the ‘The Recruiter Magazine’s HOT 100 companies’ in 2007 and again most recently in ‘The Recruiter Magazine’s HOT 50’ in 2009; named as one of the fastest growing private recruitment companies in the UK.
Todd leads an extremely active life. With a love of the outdoors, he is currently training to climb Kilimanjaro for a very worthy cause. He also loves spending time with his family and playing golf – albeit badly!!
Darren Browne
Executive Chairman, Connect Group
Darren joined Connect at the beginning of 2009 to support the company in its next stage of growth. A leading strategist, Darren brings to the Group 25 years recruitment experience. During his career he has served as Managing Director of Hays Information Technology (10 years) and CEO of Servoca Plc, formally Dream Group (9 years).
Pioneering in his commercial outlook, Darren has launched many successful online ventures including e-retailers www.thedoghouse.co.uk & www.boysstuff.co.uk, for Dream Internet. It is this vision and practical experience that he brings to the recruitment market, utilising his knowledge to develop highly effective web strategies for sector leading organisations such as the Connect Group.
Born in The Cotswold’s, Darren now lives near Henley-On-Thames, where he enjoys a quiet life with his wife & 4 children. He is currently studying for his Chartered Directorship & holds Directorships in a wide range of private companies.
Andrew Brundle
Finance Director & Company Secretary, Connect Group
Andrew brings to Connect Group a wealth of experience and corporate credentials. He is a Chartered Certified Accountant, a Chartered Secretary and Chartered Director and is a member of the Securities & Investment Institute, as well as being a company Director in a range of private companies
Holding the ICAEW’s Corporate Finance Qualification, Andrew is a highly successful Public Company Finance Director, having served on many boards as CFO and Group Company Secretary. He recently served as CFO of Servoca Plc from 1995 until 2008 where he played a key role in the development of the Company from its full listing on the London Stock Exchange to its growth from £2.5m to £70 million turnover per annum.
During his appointment he was instrumental in making key acquisitions and restructuring the Group, which enabled both two tier growth via integration and the creation of conditions to support organic growth.
Andrew specialises in developing board members and senior management, in complex multi sector, multi-site staffing structures. With his input and guidance we are looking to build on our previous success, moving Connect Group even further forward and into a new and exciting phase of expansion and growth
When Andrew is away from the office he is a man of contrast. He loves to indulge in cross country hiking, fast cars (especially Formula 1) and the more sedate hobby of visiting art galleries!
Matt Bray
Director of Energy, Rail and Construction
Matt recently joined Connect Group Consulting as Director of the Energy, Rail and Construction specialist divisions having amassed over 15 years recruitment experience within the construction and major infrastructure sectors.
He began his career in recruitment with Hays Construction, 8 years later he joined Resourcing Solutions creating a construction specialisation to compliment their rail expertise and after a further 5 years joined MRG Ltd to create a new recruitment business, 2 years later he made the move to Connect Group Consulting to head up the established Energy, Rail and Construction division a move which will combine all of his management skills and recruitment experiences developed to date.
Matt has an unrivalled level of experience, expertise and enthusiasm in providing recruitment solutions having nurtured long lasting and credible business relationships with many successful companies operating in the construction and infrastructure sectors. He prides himself on his honest approach to business which has resulted in repeat business which spans a number of years with a large number of client contacts.
Outside of work Matt splits his time between running round after his three children and running round after an egg shaped ball at Basingstoke RFC! A club player since an early age he now enjoys life in the Veterans squad competing in the highly competitive Thames Valley A league. Whilst nursing his many aches and pains on a Sunday morning he also coaches his son’s mini rugby age group with the aim of one day living out his International rugby dreams through his son!
Rachel Green
Head of Client Services
All organisations need good client relationship management and in Rachel, Connect Group have the right balance of knowledge, dedication and professionalism. Joining the Group in 2007, Rachel has over 14 years dedicated experience in handling large portfolios, which brings with it a confidence for our clients that their accounts are in safe hands.
She is also responsible for the end-to-end tender process for Connect Group, including preparation and presentation of proposals. She has previous experience of working both on and off client site providing contract, permanent and outsourced on-site projects as well as managing large transition programmes.
Away from the office, Rachel enjoys relaxing at home with her close friends and family and frequenting her local where she is on first name terms with the landlord!
Lara Azzi
Office Manager
Lara joined Connect Group in 2009 after many years of experience in Office Management and Executive PA roles. Lara is responsible for ensuring the solid relationships are maintained between the sales, administration and the financial functions within the business.
Lara provides internal administrative / HR management as well as contract management and also attends to the Company's office, asset and maintenance management.
In her spare time Lara loves spending time with family and friends venturing around various restaurants (especially good steak houses) and is an avid Formula 1 Fan.