4 September 2002 Commerce graduate director of specialist recruitment company

He liked the company so much he bought into it and he's now one of the principal owners!

For Lincoln University commerce and management graduate Craig Hegan, a director of specialist international financial recruitment consultancy Parker Bridge, life has never been the same since the day he walked into the company's London office while on his OE.

"After a year exploring Europe I went in to Parker Bridge hoping to get a temporary placement in banking or finance on the basis of my BCM degree.

"During the interview they asked me if I had ever considered a career in recruitment. I gave it a thought and after further interviews with the board of directors I was offered a position and here I am today."

Parker Bridge is an international recruitment consultancy specialising in temporary and permanent placements in the accounting, banking, and finance industries.

It has offices in London, Dublin, Sydney, Auckland and Wellington and Craig has been a director since 1996 when he returned to New Zealand to set up the company's first overseas operation.

Three years later he returned to the Northern Hemisphere to establish the company's Irish operation in Dublin.

Despite his Celtic surname and the success of the Dublin venture, the luck of the Irish has had nothing to do with Craig's rise in the business placement world. He attributes much of it to his BCM course at Lincoln.

"The Lincoln commerce degree encouraged an ability to think laterally, promoted entrepreneurship and developed leadership," he says.

"The thing I liked about it was its intensity – it was pretty full-on – and the standard of teaching was high."

Craig studied the Business and Management stream and says the sound grounding he received in these areas has always given him the confidence to be able to discuss matters at a technical level with clients and candidates in the recruitment process. When Craig first joined the company in London, he specialised in recruiting within the financial services sector.

"It is all about understanding your clients' business, their needs and wants, so you have to know what you are talking about – they expect it and I'm happy to say that thanks to my Lincoln training I have always felt confident in this regard."

Craig returned to New Zealand from Dublin in March this year to resume his position as Managing Director of the New Zealand operation.

A past pupil of Christchurch Boys' High School, Craig and his fellow directors now employ over 200 staff worldwide.