Empowering Female Talent at Phaidon International through APSCo’s Women in Leadership Programme

What does it take to help ambitious women in recruitment break through the barriers holding them back?

This case study explores how Phaidon International partnered with APSCo to invest in the development of their leading recruiters and help them break through barriers to progression.

Phaidon International is a leading global recruitment firm with six specialist staffing brands internationally. The company lives by an ethos of giving people a clear career path and creating opportunities for all, predominantly hiring graduate or graduate calibre applicants.

APSCo’s Women in Leadership Programme is designed from the ground up to tackle the specific, often invisible barriers that hinder progression in professional environments - self-doubt, imposter syndrome, minimising language, and the habits we barely notice we’ve formed holding us back. When the opportunity came for Phaidon to invest in their female talent, the programme felt like a natural fit, offering a practical and targeted way to support the progression and confidence of high-performing recruiters. 

What delegates are taking away

Phaidon delegates who've been through the programme got hands-on with everything from assertive communication to building their networks - and walked away with the confidence to put it into practice. Every single delegate in the Phaidon group rated the training highly and the comments about the trainer and delivery style tell their own story.

“The training is super engaging and easily transferable into day to day of recruitment. Not only that but I truly believe that a lot of what I have learned I can implement into day-to-day life even outside of work as well.”

-AVP, Phaidon

What came through clearly is that the programme struck the right balance - structured enough to deliver real frameworks and tools, but also an opportunity for delegates to open up about the challenges they face. 

Across the programme, delegates reported strong development in several key areas:

• Increased confidence and leadership presence
• Greater self-awareness and behavioural insight
• Practical tools applied immediately at work
• Stronger peer connection and shared learning
• Reassurance that leadership challenges are common, and manageable

Delivering impact for Phaidon International

While the programme directly supported 12 strong, talented recruiters, the impact extends across the wider business at Phaidon International. Increased confidence, leadership presence and behavioural self-awareness have equipped participants with the ability to contribute more strategically to senior discussions.

Delegates are already applying practical tools from the programme to their day-to-day roles – particularly when it comes to building confidence and recognising the impact of imposter syndrome. Through greater self-awareness and techniques to challenge limiting behaviours, participants feel more equipped to trust their judgement, communicate their ideas with conviction, and show up more confidently in high-pressure situations.

The commercial impact is equally significant. Participants reported using their learning in client environments, engaging more confidently in challenging conversations and positioning themselves as credible, strategic partners.

Supporting your future female leaders

For recruitment organisations thinking about how to support the women in their business, this programme offers practical, relevant development that speaks directly to the realities of working in recruitment. We’re pleased to see that every participant from Phaidon said they would recommend the course – and what the feedback reflects is that the programme has helped delegates to feel seen, challenged and ready to perform at their full potential.    

Find out more about our upcoming Women in Leadership Programme in May 2026 and book your place below.

You can also meet the trainer, Tracy Whiting Iqbal below, who brings over 20 years’ experience working in the recruitment sector.