RecFest Resolves
Resolve your Talent Acquisition challenges through expert minds of the RecFest hosts and speakers!Kate Lee
Kate Lee, Group Talent & Resourcing Manager at Samworth Brothers, takes the Showcase Stage at 3:30 PM to share how one of the UK’s leading chilled food manufacturers adapted its talent acquisition strategy in a candidate-led market.
With a portfolio including household names like Ginsters, Soreen and Urban Eat, Kate reveals how Samworth’s TA team found the perfect recipe for recruitment success.
- Build a talent recipe for success – Explore how Kate and her team crafted a TA strategy with the perfect blend of automation and personalisation.
- Succeed in a candidate-led market – Learn how to navigate changing candidate expectations without compromising business needs.
- Energise your employer brand – See how a food manufacturing giant made its roles irresistible through storytelling and strategic TA.
Mark Kunaseelan
Mark Kunaseelan, Head of Resourcing at University of the Arts London, takes to the Public Sector Unplugged Stage at 11:00 AM to champion a different kind of hiring narrative. In a world where budgets are tight and competition fierce, Mark shares how to turn purpose into your most powerful recruitment asset.
- Compete beyond compensation – Learn how to position mission-driven roles as top choices, even when salary isn’t your strongest asset.
- Connect emotionally – Discover how storytelling, values, and vision create bonds that job ads can’t.
- Rethink “ROI” in hiring – Understand how purpose can become your talent magnet in a competitive market.
Tony de Graaf
Tony de Graaf, globally recognised Talent Acquisition change leader and co-creator of the Recruiting Excellence Methodology, takes the Discovery Stage at 3:30 PM to resolve:
- Why resumes fail – Discover the data showing why traditional CV-based hiring doesn’t work.
- Blueprint for merit-based hiring – Learn how to build scorecards, run interviews, and make better hiring decisions.
- Make change now – Walk away with clear steps to implement merit-based hiring immediately.
Craig Watson
Craig Watson, Co-Founder of both TaPod and PROMPTAi, takes the Discovery Stage at 2:00 PM to host a must-see panel of APAC’s boldest Talent Acquisition voices. A global TA leader, podcast host, and AI innovator, Craig brings together a crew of industry agitators to explore how recruitment in the region is being transformed by tech, talent trends, and tenacity.
- Embrace relentless change – Discover how APAC TA leaders are not just keeping pace with change but innovating under pressure.
- Redefine contingent hiring – Understand why contingent isn’t “casual” anymore – it’s central to your workforce strategy.
- Get real with AI – Learn how humility, ethics, and skill are the true differentiators in the age of GenAI.
Bas van de Haterd
Bas van de Haterd, Professional Snoop at the TA Audit Institute, takes the Discovery Stage at 2:45 PM to unravel one of talent acquisition’s most persistent and misunderstood challenges: bias. Drawing on global insights and deep research, Bas delivers a compelling deep dive into how labour market discrimination operates and how we can outsmart it.
- Understand the real face of bias – Explore how bias manifests in multiple dimensions across different markets and processes.
- Rethink your anti-bias investments – Discover why most organisations are fighting bias in the wrong parts of the funnel – and where to focus instead.
- Fix the process, not just the tech – Learn how to use technology as a support system, not a silver bullet, and build an assessment process that truly selects the best candidate for the job.
Emi Beredugo
Emi Beredugo, Senior Manager of Recruiting Enablement at Elastic, hosts the Discovery Stage at RecFest UK, guiding audiences through a day of bold ideas and real-world solutions in TA. With a passion for inclusive hiring and operational excellence, Emi brings clarity and curiosity to every session unpacking the biggest questions in recruitment today such as:
- What does the future of talent acquisition really look like and are we ready for it?
- How can we challenge outdated perceptions and practices to build more inclusive, impactful, and authentic hiring strategies?
- What tools, mindsets, and tactics are helping TA teams cut through the chaos and lead meaningful change today?