Post by Jo-Ann Feely

This week I celebrate 25 years with AMS! And given that on my way to my first day at AMS, I had to post my wedding invitations, my silver wedding anniversary will be coming soon too! Looking back, I think it’s safe to say a lot of life has happened in that time. When I joined, Rosaleen Blair, CBE took a chance on me. AMS was still a young business and was helping pioneer a model that many people weren't yet convinced would work. Talent acquisition itself looked very different. LinkedIn didn't exist. Talent technology was in its infancy. Many of the tools and practices we now take for granted were only just beginning to emerge. Since then, I've had the opportunity to work with incredible clients, talented colleagues and teams across multiple countries. In fact, there are so many I’m not able to name them here at risk of LinkedIn telling me my post is too long! I've also had a front row seat to more than a few moments of disruption, from the dot-com crash and the global financial crisis to COVID and now the rapid acceleration of AI. One thing I've learned is that every generation believes it is experiencing unprecedented change. And in many ways, it is. But what has always impressed me is the ability of people and organisations to adapt, reinvent themselves and find new ways forward. Some of the things I'm most proud of aren't attached to a title or a milestone. For eight years, I worked a four-day week while raising my family. During that time, I was fortunate to work alongside many talented women who were also balancing ambitious careers with life outside of work. It reinforced something I've believed for a long time. There is no single blueprint for talent, potential or success. The opportunity to help organisations navigate change is what drew me to AMS 25 years ago. It's still what excites me today. The technology is different. The challenges are different. The conversations are different. But the opportunity to rethink how we connect people, skills and work feels every bit as important now as it did then. Thank you to everyone who has been part of the journey so far. Here’s to the next chapter.