Since 1977, RHL have been international leaders in their field, partnering with companies to find talented people for technical roles at all levels.
Based on our continuing success placing global professionals into Australia, we opened our Sydney office in July 2018, establishing a local presence whilst maintaining direct contact with our UK based operations. RHL continues to be a market leader in technical recruitment in the UK.
RHL Australia are well positioned to tackle modern recruiting challenges: supporting internal recruitment functions as well as complete recruitment outsourcing. We source Australian based talent where we can, however one of our unique qualities is our close link to the UK and our proven track record in supplying candidates between the two countries and the wider APAC region.
Paul, founding Director of the Sydney office, is a British/Australian citizen with over thirty years’ experience in the field of global Technical Recruitment.
Meet The Team
Born in Manly, New South Wales, Paul is a British/Australian citizen. He started his career with an apprenticeship in precision toolmaking followed by a stint in product design, before embarking on a three-decade long career in engineering recruitment. Since 2018, Paul has been Managing Director of RHL Australia, based in Sydney but catering to clients and candidates Australia-wide and globally. Paul has gained a solid reputation as a trusted industry specialist due to his engineering background, the depth of his networks and his utter dedication to delivering for both clients and candidates.Paul nurtures career-long relationships with candidates who regularly turn into clients as they look to grow their own teams. His ongoing commitment and enthusiasm for supporting and mentoring the next generation of entrepreneurs and leaders remains, regardless of the geographical scope of his work.
Paul Surridge, Managing DirectorAlan Steer (UK), Head of Energy
With a professional history in retail banking, special needs education and further education administration in the UK, Ilse joined RHL in May 2018, assisting with strategic preparations for the relocation to Australia and the subsequent establishment of RHL Australia in July 2018. In her role, she oversees all aspects of administration, HR, finance and business support.
Ilse Surridge, Business Support Executive
Jerome Parrish (UK)
Divisional Lead - Design and Manufacturing
Jerome focuses on the operations, maintenance and modification disciplines within varied manufacturing industries. He has been in recruitment for the past 16 years and joined RHL UK in 2002. His experience encompasses permanent and contract recruitment, selection advertising and Executive Search, both within the UK and globally.
Coming from a background in automotive recruitment, Ben relocated from the UK to Australia in August 2024. Born in Australia, he is a tri-citizen who had long aspired to return to his birthplace and bring his recruitment expertise to a warmer climate.In the UK, Ben’s recruitment focus was on advanced manufacturing and supply chain roles, working internationally with Tier 1 OEMs and suppliers. He also supported projects involving AI applications for ADAS and autonomous driving, as well as battery technologies and emerging power sources, giving him a broad and well-rounded understanding of the sector.Ben Duda, Recruitment ConsultantAlan recently celebrated 25 years with RHL Recruitment, delivering engineering recruitment solutions across energy and infrastructure markets.
Throughout his career, Alan has supported organisations ranging from specialist SMEs to global operators, providing permanent and contract solutions for highly technical roles.
His deep understanding of electrical and project engineering in regulated environments enables him to identify professionals who can transition seamlessly into renewable and low-carbon energy projects.
Candidate Testimonials
“Ben was amazing with the recruitment process for my current role which I started few weeks back. He guided me through the application process post the interview he had with me and was reachable when I had questions. He found me an amazing role and I am thankful for all his support. Highly recommend Ben if you are looking at changing employment.”
"Paul recently helped me find my next engineering role and was so helpful and proactive from the get go. He had great advice, really listened to what I was looking for in a role, and was always on top of what was going on. He found a bunch of interesting roles and helped me get all the way through to interviews and a successful new job on the best one. His experience and network was super helpful and I would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a new opportunity."Sam
Sivanesan
“I can’t recommend Paul enough. His knowledge, professionalism, attentiveness, and diligence as a recruitment consultant is honestly unmatched. I’ve never worked with anyone who matches his level of empathy and enthusiasm for their craft. There’s no one else like him in the business.”Dennis
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