The employer branding landscape has shifted over the past two decades. What was once static job ads has matured into a vital business function, influencing everything from recruitment and culture to retention and reputation.
As Global Employer Branding and Sourcing Manager at HiBob, Richard brings over 17 years of experience, including award-winning work, agency insights, and in-house strategy for major brands like HiBob, Entain, and King. His unique perspective, having worked on both sides of the industry, offers deep insights into what truly builds an employer brand that lasts.
In this Wiser Expert feature, Richard reflects on what he has learned working across sectors and why relationships and authenticity still underpin the most effective EB strategies.
From agency life to in-house depth
Richard’s agency experience gave him exposure to a wide variety of clients, industries, and briefs, something he still values today.
“At one point, I was working across 5 to 10 client accounts at once. Some were heavily media-focused; others focused on creative production.”
Agency life taught him how to think on his feet, adapt strategies to different audiences and budgets, and collaborate with diverse stakeholders. But after a decade, he felt a pull to go deeper into a brand, rather than broadly sharing his knowledge across different organisations. This led him in-house.
Since then, he’s led EB functions for global companies, including Entain and King, before joining HiBob in his current role.
“In-house, you gain a much more intimate understanding of the business, its challenges, its culture and its people. You’re not responding to a brief, you’re writing it.”
At King, he helped shape event strategies and even ran an internal swag store. At Entain, he contributed to employee engagement efforts, and now at HiBob, his role includes building sourcing alignment and crafting outbound content, showcasing just how varied EB responsibilities can be depending on where you work.
Having come from agency life himself, Richard also brings a valuable perspective to those partnerships today.
“I remember thinking, ‘why aren’t clients replying?’ Now I get it. A lot is happening internally that agencies don’t always see.”
This experience helps him set clearer expectations, foster stronger collaboration, and ultimately get better outcomes, because he has sat on both sides of the table.
Why content is still your most valuable brand asset
In an era of shrinking budgets and increasing noise, one area Richard believes brands cannot afford to compromise on is content, particularly authentic, people-led content.
“Content doesn’t need to cost the earth. But it does need to be real.”
Whether it’s employee vlogs, podcasts, short-form videos, or written stories, Richard champions simple formats done well. As AI becomes more embedded into business operations, he argues that human-led storytelling will only grow in value.
“Candidates want to see what a workplace is really like. Not the filtered version, something relatable, honest, and human.”
The good news? It’s achievable. With the right approach, even small teams can create content that resonates and scales.
Advice for Employer Brand leaders
For anyone stepping into an EB leadership role, especially in-house, Richard’s advice is simple: start by listening.
“You might arrive with a six-month plan. But it’s more important to get to know the business. Talk to people. Understand what they think is missing.”
He emphasises the importance of building strong relationships across the company, from marketing and sales to engineering and leadership. The more you’re known and trusted, the easier it becomes to make your case, secure budget, and lead change.
“Sometimes, even though your hiring manager understands why you’re there, others might not. You need to advocate for yourself, show your value, and earn the permission to lead.”
Employer brand touches so many parts of the business, and being able to translate strategy into action across those touchpoints is where the real impact happens.
Why employer branding is more than marketing
Richard’s perspective is clear: employer brand isn’t just a campaign or a comms function. It’s a strategic layer that connects business needs to talent realities. As candidate expectations rise and internal culture becomes more visible, the role of EB will only continue to grow in complexity and importance.
But at the heart of it, some things never change: the value of good relationships, honest content, and a clear sense of purpose.
