Liz Holderness

Liz Holderness joined Rockpools as Head of Research to manage and develop the research and search support to partners and consultants across the business.

Prior to joining Rockpools, Liz was Head of Research at Oxygen Executive Search Ltd with responsibility for the management of research and directly supporting partners on board and executive search assignments and projects. She was also responsible for implementing working procedures, managing IT and office management.

Liz started her career at The British Council in 1980 working as an administrative assistant for the North Africa and Europe Department, reviewing Council activity and assisting on projects across the region. She went on to become Deputy Head of Special Visits where she was responsible for liaising with Ministers and senior officials in Central Government Departments to organise official programmes for visiting overseas Ministers. In 1988 she was appointed Assistant Head to a new Business Relations Unit in the Director General's Department where she was involved in developing links with the private sector in the UK and overseas to encourage commercial sponsorship for British Council activities in education and the arts.

Liz started work in the Executive Search industry in 1989 when she joined GKR (Goddard Kay Rogers) as a Senior Researcher working on main board, non-executive director and senior executive appointments in both the Public and Private sectors. In 1993 she was appointed to the Board as Director of Research and went on to develop and manage a 'Management Referencing Service' for Venture Capital and Corporate clients. When GKR merged with Whitehead Mann in 2000, Liz became Administrative Head of Research responsible for the integration of research, systems and procedures across the new business.

She then embarked on a career-break to focus on her young family before joining Armstrong Craven, a leading executive research, knowledge and information & career transition company in 2003 to develop their Management Referencing Service. In 2005 Liz was headhunted to Oxygen Executive Search as Head of Research.

Her spare time is spent enjoying family and sport and she still plays league hockey for her local team where she is President of the club. She is also actively involved in youth hockey in the area and has recently been appointed a Parent Governor at a Hertfordshire Middle School.