Jonathan Lee

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement last night, the uncertainty and anxiety for all of us is high. For those seeking work and for the companies that desperately need to hire good people in order to get them through the current situation and to plan for change and recovery, it is equally unsettling. Staying safe and healthy is the single most important thing for all of us and I sincerely send best wishes for you and your families well-being. For over 42 years of operation, the Jonathan Lee Recruitment family has been providing recruitment and talent solutions that are flexible to meet the needs of both our clients and candidates, and whilst the pandemic presents challenges that none of us have faced before, I’m confident that our excellent team is committed to supporting the continuation of this. We’re deploying all the human and digital resources we can to keep our business moving, so that we can support you in doing the same. We are talking to our clients and candidates to understand what their most pressing questions and challenges are and how to change the acquisition and management of talent and resources to minimise the economic impact we are already seeing and take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves. I’m confident that our excellent consultants and support staff have the resolve and the team spirit to continue supporting our customers, even though we are operating at a distance. What’s my advice for businesses who are struggling with talent management and skills during the pandemic and beyond? Don’t panic Be flexible, adaptable and embrace change where it is needed Stay engaged with your people and your networks It’s good to talk - work in partnership to overcome challenges We have access to some of the best skills the UK has to offer and are mobilising interim resources to put the expert network we have developed over four decades in business to effective use in contingency planning, business continuity, IT solutions, operations, engineering and supply chain management. If we can support you in your business, we’d be delighted to help. Please get in touch with me or one of the team if we can support you in any way. Meanwhile I wish you and your families safe passage.

Jonathan Lee

24/03/2020 business continuity

I am delighted to announce that our charity partner for 2020 is The Emily Jordan Foundation. Every year we take the opportunity to select a charity to receive money raised from our weekly dress-down Fridays. The Emily Jordan Foundation, a local charity, has been chosen because of the excellent work they do in supporting people with disabilities develop skills for the manufacturing workplace.

Jonathan Lee

15/01/2020 JonLee Life

It’s not something we would normally shout about, but here it is: 97% of our clients recommend us We received some wonderful feedback from a recent client survey, and it is very clear that all the credit goes to our excellent consultants and support staff. They were praised for their industry knowledge, level of service, flexibility, friendliness and support, and were described as professional, high-calibre, responsive, helpful, consultative and expert. Well done to our brilliant team! It's so important to us that our people live and breathe our vision - to be the customer's first choice; so we were delighted to see some of the wonderful comments we received. Read on below... DON'T TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT... “Excellent support from a knowledgeable team.” “Simple systems and a flexible approach to providing ongoing support to the candidates once they are placed.” “The culture, attitude and ability to assist has always been friendly, positive and reliable. Communication is interactive and responsive.” “The successful recruitment of a new FD in an international market within 8 weeks. Excellent support and focus delivered several credible candidates within a few weeks.” “Excellent, good quality candidates with appropriate skill sets and a real interest in making sure we get the people who not only suit the role but also fit into the company culture.” “Excellent service, candidates were especially well suited to my needs.” “Very good. Always extremely helpful and professional.” “Listened and understood our needs and sent suitable candidates.” “Relationship builders.” “Jon Lee has an ideal work ethic, staff are engaging and friendly. The company offers a reliable service and quality of candidates is up to client standard. Overall experience is and has always been excellent.” “I feel JL listened well to my requirement.” “Showed great willingness to go into detail to understand our company values and needs, in order to evaluate candidates who will be a good fit in our team.” “Always striving to provide a high-quality recruitment service to meet the demanding needs of industry.” “I like the customers first choice statement - if you really want that, you must continually strive to provide the best service - sends out a great message.”​

Jonathan Lee

06/01/2020 News

Last week I had the pleasure of attending the official opening of AE Aerospace’s new 16,500 sq ft factory at Network Park, Birmingham. It is a success story that Peter Bruch, Managing Director and Co-Owner, and his team have worked hard to achieve and rightfully deserves recognition. I was most impressed with the factory, the machine tools and most importantly, the people. They have a wonderful culture and I can see why they have been so successful in growing the business and their team. Growth and Ambition at AE Aerospace The company has enjoyed incredible growth; over the past five years the business has more than doubled productivity with sales increasing seven-fold - exploiting growing customer demand for its components in a buoyant aerospace market. The new factory is a key component of their ambitious expansion programme that will give them four times the capacity of their previous Dymoke Street premises and will create 20 additional jobs. During the factory tour, we were shown four new Mazak 5-axis machines that will significantly reduce lead times for AE’s customers and giving them a much-needed 50% increase in capacity, to help satisfy contract wins, including more work with Boeing and Airbus. The company plans to double its turnover by the end of 2020. Secret to Success AE Aerospace is the perfect example of a business embracing innovation; the committed, uncompromising approach to improving productivity and driving efficiency is outstanding. I was also really interested in the story of how they have arrived at this point. Having visited the new factory, spoken to many of their team members and recently read Peter Bruch’s blog, I have been inspired and it has indeed made me reflect on my own business. I’ve picked out some key insights and takeaways from his blog that particularly struck home with me: Holistic approach - By analysing the whole business and not working in silos, the business can gain an overall vision and be most effective at improving the overall productivity. “From scrutinising internal processes to seeking support from experienced advisors, we must continue to take a holistic approach to business improvement if AE Aerospace is to fulfil its potential.” Resist quick fix – We are all busy people and it can be tempting to find a quick fix to a problem and move on, rather than finding and addressing the root cause. In order to achieve sustainable improvements, we have to take the time to get underneath the problem: “We have looked beneath the surface and broken down the barriers of our operation. Our priority has been to resist quick fixes, which is not always easy to achieve when you have myriad demands placed on the business.” Self-critique – It can be difficult, but it is important to be honest in assessing your existing practises to find the best route forward. “You must get back to basics. As a leadership team, we’ve focused on gaining insight into every nook and cranny of the business so that we can determine whether our processes and systems are fit for purpose.” Customer is (still) king – Throughout the development AE Aerospace’s capabilities, services and solutions, customers have been kept at the heart of key business decisions – adopting a servitization model is testament to this: “Our work with the Advanced Services Group at Aston Business School has allowed us to embrace transparent production and move to a model of servitization. Aston has helped us develop a glass factory where customers will eventually be able to utilise machining time by the hour.” Collaboration – It’s so important to work together, learn from others, speak to your supply chain, share knowledge and best practice: “Our growth mindset has led us to seek mentoring support from leading industry figures… BAE shared best practice around Hoshin Kanri, otherwise known as policy deployment.” Put the work in and embrace change – It takes drive and hard work to tear down existing norms and barriers. I admire how AE Aerospace have been tenacious in their approach to improve, encompassing everyone in the company to reach their goals. “Our success is the result of a lot of hard work. From machine operatives to senior directors, everyone has played their part in repositioning the business, driving efficiencies, boosting productivity and embracing innovation… An effective manufacturing business understands that it is driven from the bottom up and the top down." Right skills for the job – I truly believe that with the right people and skills, things happen – as does AE Aerospace. “We value our staff as our greatest asset” ​Congratulations AE Aerospace – I wish you every success in your new premises and ambitious expansion!

Jonathan Lee

16/07/2019 Aerospace

It was fantastic to attend the International Paris Air Show last week, networking at the world’s largest aerospace event. During the four-day event, Neil Cayley, Jason Cole and I formed a part of the British cohort – with the shared objective and passion to promote UK business and skills in the sector on a global scale. We took great pride in joining the 100+ UK businesses, in alliance with the ADS, WEAF, NWAA and MAA, who showcased British capability, innovation and leading-edge technology alongside the 2,469 strong international exhibitors. It is hard to articulate the positive feeling of camaraderie amongst our British peers, but there was an overriding theme of collaboration and celebration during the show and networking events – and it was wonderful to be a part of as always. During our time in Paris we attended the MAA British Networking Dinner sponsored by Nasmyth Group, held at Les Noces de Jeannette restaurant in central Paris. The event was organised and led flawlessly by Andrew Mair and the MAA team, providing warm hospitality and the ideal opportunity to relax with fellow UK businesses and celebrate Concorde’s 50th anniversary. I also attended the ADS industry reception at the British Ambassador’s residence in Paris, sponsored by Martin-Baker Aircraft. It was very positive to hear British Ambassador to France, Ed Llewellyn, and Business Minister, Andrew Stephenson MP, speak about the importance of the UK aerospace industry. In the face of Brexit, there has never been a better time to demonstrate the capabilities of the UK aerospace sector and to build our international connections. The show provided an invaluable platform to showcase our capabilities, engage with customers and reach key decision makers. Learn more about our aerospace, aviation and defence specialisms.

Jonathan Lee

27/06/2019 Aerospace

I am thrilled to be attending the International Paris Air Show later this month alongside Neil Cayley and Jason Cole. Taking place between the 17-23 June 2019, it is the world's premier and largest event dedicated to the aerospace, aviation, defence and space industry. The event, which takes place every two years at Le Bourget International Airport on the outskirts of Paris, is the longest-running aerospace trade show, having first taken place in 1909. Since its launch, the Show has been at the very heart of developments in the global aerospace market and an important meeting place for the entire supply chain. I am looking forward to finding out about the latest technological innovations, catching up with many of our clients and candidates we have placed over the years, meeting many of the 2,300 exhibitors, networking with fellow WEAF, MAA, and NWAA members and hopefully seeing one of the impressive flying displays. OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES IN AEROSPACE AND AVIATION The aerospace and aviation industry has entered a golden age, with record order books and skyrocketing passenger traffic, driven by an expanding middle class in emerging economies. If the global commercial aircraft fleet is to double by 45,000 aircraft in the next 20 years, industry needs to tackle a series of challenges in order to gain sustainable, profitable growth. The risks associated with the vast opportunities will no doubt form a major point of discussion during the show. The implementation of new programmes and industry 4.0 technologies, changing consumer demands, industry’s relentless pursuit of cost reduction, pressure on the supply chain to keep up with demand, geopolitical and economic volatility, skills shortages and the upskilling of existing workforces are but a few obstacles facing the industry. SEE YOU IN PARIS! If you are attending the Paris Air Show and would like to meet either Neil, Jason or I during the Show, then head to our dedicated Paris Air Show webpage where you can book to see us. Find out more about the Show: siae.fr/en/

Jonathan Lee

04/06/2019 Paris Air Show

I was delighted to recently attend and sponsor the Pedmore Sporting Club Celebrity Luncheon where guest of honour The Rt. Hon. Sajid Javid, Home Secretary and MP for Bromsgrove, made an address and answered attendees questions.

Jonathan Lee

24/11/2018 charity

As part of our 40th anniversary celebrations I was delighted that some of our former colleagues were able to join me for lunch at the Britannia Bromsgrove Hotel and Spa on Sunday.

Jonathan Lee

26/10/2018 #jonleelife