Ian Symes

Executive Vice President, Europe

Ian Symes joined Right Management in November 2012 as the General Manager for the UK & Ireland. He was promoted in 2015 to the role of European Operations Director with responsibility overseeing all markets in Europe as well as continuing to lead the UK & Ireland business.

Ian has more than 20 year’s business experience in senior executive roles, including over 10 years at Electrolux and most recently with Cisco where he led the marketing for the company’s high profile sponsorship of the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. 

Ian is passionate about getting young people engaged in the workplace and developing their own new business start-ups. He sits on an advisory board of Brunel University’s Business School.

Ian started his career in consumer products and led marketing and business development with market leaders in diverse markets including Gardening Products, Pet Products and Home Electrical Appliances. In 1999 Ian set up his own strategic management consultancy that advised multi-national clients on local, EMEA and global growth strategies. Ian stepped back into corporate life in 2006 moving out to California to join Cisco as a director in the Services business and launched a new global business intelligence consulting service.

Ian has an honors degree in Chemistry and Management from the University of London, a Diploma in Marketing and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing.