Meet the team – Ibraheem Rahman
In the first of our Meet the team series, we’re excited to introduce you to Ibraheem Rahman, our Recruitment Director. With over a decade of experience in the recruitment industry, Ibraheem plays a pivotal role in ensuring ABEC has the right talent in place across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
In this blog, Ibraheem shares insights into his role, what makes ABEC unique, and a glimpse into his life both in and outside of work.
Keep reading to learn more about the person behind the recruitment strategies!
Can you tell us a bit about your role and when you joined ABEC?
I have been with ABEC for just over a year now after more than a decade in recruitment, specialising in the building services and construction industry. As Recruitment Director, I am ultimately responsible for ensuring ABEC has the right people in the right roles throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
What do you enjoy most about working for ABEC?
For me, it’s working with like-minded people. ABEC is a company where excellence in our work is essential but so is having quality time with our families. This balance is something you don’t find everywhere, and it’s one aspect of work that is important to me. I also enjoy working alongside a senior management team that I believe is one of the very best in the industry.
What is your proudest achievement so far?
A testament to how ABEC is going from strength to strength, in April 2024 we had a record-breaking number of new starters in a single month. I’m delighted that we were able to bring together some of the very best talent this industry has to offer to fill each of these roles. I’m also proud to say that I was responsible for recruiting many of the newest members of the senior management team, something that has helped the business thrive.
What are the main challenges you face day to day?
As I work with the ABEC divisions across EMEA on recruitment, the biggest challenge is often ensuring local cultural differences and variations in employment law are fully understood. We always strive to ensure we take into account how people work in different areas of the world and deliver a package of salary and benefits that are attractive and competitive in each country.
Why do you think clients choose to work with ABEC?
In many ways we are unique and as a company we offer a broad range of solutions and services to clients. Embedded in the ABEC culture is a focus on always acting with integrity and going the extra mile, which are traits that clients value highly. In addition, our international reach means that some of the biggest global brands can rely on us to deliver on projects that have cross-border requirements.
What do you think is ABEC’s biggest strength?
While it may sound clichéd, I truly believe that our people are our strength. The expertise, experience, passion and dedication of our team is one of the key reasons why ABEC has enjoyed such success.
What sets ABEC apart from its competitors?
From a people perspective, what makes us different is our culture of allowing personal growth and career development. We always look to promote from within to fulfil the roles we need – these are the people that know the business and our customers best. A demonstration of this is the number of people within the senior team who began in relatively junior positions.
What changes do you expect to see in the BEMS sector in the next 10 years?
With more pressure from the government to achieve net zero by 2050, I can see the BEMS sector expanding significantly, especially as more clients understand the role that BEMS can play in delivering energy efficiency. From a recruitment perspective I believe the UK BEMS sector will see an influx of talent coming from overseas to cover the skills shortage the industry has faced for as long as I can remember.
When you’re not working, what do you enjoy doing?
I enjoy spending time with my family – as I say, a good work-life balance is important to me. I have two young children waiting for me at home, so the weekends are always full.
If you weren’t working for ABEC, what would be your dream job?
I believe we need to make the world a fairer place so I would love to work for a charitable organisation that could make a difference across the globe. The idea of helping vulnerable and disadvantaged people directly is something that really appeals to me.
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Japan is a fascinating country and Tokyo in particular has always interested me. It is a city that has so much to see and in many ways is very different from other places you might visit.
Can you tell us a fun fact about yourself?
I’m an avid Chelsea FC fan and also follow UFC closely.