Kate Allen is Named As An Oxfordshire Business Award Finalist
Kate Allen, managing director of Allen Associates, has been named as a finalist in the Shaw Gibbs Business Person of the Year category at the Oxfordshire Business Awards.
Following her nomination and a detailed interview process, Kate has made it through to the finals in recognition of her outstanding commitment to staff training and development and her unwavering focus on supporting local charities and community initiatives.
Allen Associates was established by Kate and her finance director husband Rob in 1998, and since then the business has grown to become one of the leading independent recruiters in Oxfordshire. The agency recruits for temporary and permanent roles at all levels in Administration and PA, HR, marketing and finance.
Commenting on making it through to the finals, Kate, said: “I am delighted to have been shortlisted for this award. Our business is dedicated to serving the recruitment needs of this wonderful county where we are so privileged to live and work. I set up the agency to provide a higher level of customer service than was available in the area and we continually strive to go the extra mile to help people looking to make their next career move as well as the employers who provide the opportunities.”
Kate’s commitment to excellence doesn’t just apply to clients and candidates, but the company’s own culture too. Under her watch, Allen Associates became the first recruitment consultancy in Oxfordshire to secure the coveted Investors in People Gold award, and she prides herself on providing a nurturing and supportive environment, underpinned by significant investment in training and development, which ensures all employees have the chance to thrive and progress.
As well as leading the agency’s business, marketing and staff development strategies, Kate has embedded a culture within the agency which shows a true commitment to ‘giving back’ to local communities. Her integrity and ethical approach to business are apparent in all of the agency’s activities, starting with Allen Associates’ long-term support for the Oxford Mail OX5 RUN in aid of Oxford Children’s Hospital and local drug and alcohol rehabilitation charity The Ley Community. More recently, Kate has worked hard in her capacity as founding member of the Reciprocate responsible networking group and collaborated with Aspire Oxford on the creation of an Open Recruitment Handbook to encourage a more inclusive approach.
The two other finalists shortlisted for the Shaw Gibbs Oxfordshire Business Person of the Year Award are Jonathan Tibbetts, managing director of the Tibbetts Group and Mike Lawton, CEO and founder of Oxford Space Systems.
The winner will be revealed at the Oxfordshire Business Awards gala dinner and ceremony at the King’s Centre on the 16th June.