Apera

Shield AI’s X-Bat is a first-of-its-kind aircraft. AI-piloted. VTOL. Stealth. Fast. Building autonomous systems capable of redefining modern defence operations takes real intent, and an exceptional team. Our Apera Exec solution is engineered to find unique individuals that alter trajectories. The appointment of Richard Sullivan as VP Mission Systems signals a decisive move to accelerate the integration of autonomy, mission-critical software and next-gen defense capabilities at scale. #UnlockingHumanPotential

There’s a deep connection between elite performance and the mindset required to build frontier technology - operating at the edge, embracing uncertainty, and pushing beyond perceived limits. That’s exactly how we’ve designed Apera: a high-performance environment built around resilience, accountability, iteration, and constantly raising the bar Progress comes from embracing pressure, trusting the process, and adapting in real time. Sarah Longshaw recently embodied this mindset perfectly at the Maratonina di Terasini XXIV. 6 years since her last half marathon, she came into the race with no real preparation or pacing plan, just the belief that she could win. And win she did. After opening aggressively through the first 13km, she dug deep over the closing stages to finish in 1:32, taking 16 minutes off her previous PB. A performance built on resilience, belief, and the willingness to get uncomfortable. Most importantly of all, she came home with a giant bag of cheese, which may have been the real victory. #UnlockingHumanPotential

𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫 × 𝐀𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚   We recently visited the headquarters of Archer to formally launch our 𝐌𝐒𝐏-𝐗 partnership. Two companies pushing the boundaries of what is possible.   Archer is pioneering a new era of urban air mobility, using milestones like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 LA Summer Olympics to test and scale operations. The broader vision is a repeatable network of high-frequency, short-distance electric flights connecting key city nodes, creating a new, reliable layer of transport as congestion intensifies, backed by ambitious targets and relentless execution.   Through our MSP-X, we’re embedded directly into that execution layer, with a dedicated onsite liaison working alongside Archer’s team.   Our bespoke MSP-X embeds a fully integrated workforce management layer into Archer's operational infrastructure, combining end-to-end VMS integration, structured onboarding and training pathways, real-time insight-led reporting, performance benchmarking, and proactive compliance frameworks aligned to a safety-critical environment.   The result is a scalable, data-driven operating model that reduces risk, ensures workforce readiness, and enables consistent execution.   This project demands more.    So we’re going further than ever before.   Let’s go.   #UnlockingHumanPotential

Always great to spend extended time with our clients. Rhode Island’s shipbuilding pedigree is undeniable. It’s one of the most historically significant and technically specialised maritime hubs in the US - spanning 17th-century trade, critical wartime production, advanced naval and undersea systems, and high-end yacht design - defined by precision engineering and deep marine expertise. Vatn Systems builds directly on that, but shifts the model. Affordable autonomous underwater vehicles, deployable at scale and speed. Taking an amazing legacy and shifting things forward. #UnlockingHumanPotential

𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭. It’s finding the few leaders capable of turning frontier technology into scalable businesses. These individuals are never active and are typically inaccessible through traditional hiring channels. To engage at this level, you must truly understand the world they are building. You must understand the science behind the product, the inflection points in the market, the capital dynamics shaping the category and the ambition required to win it. That is where we operate, connected with the absolute best brains on the planet. These are some of the most challenging mandates in the world. High-stakes roles with demanding, frontier-tech clients seeking unique individuals operating at the absolute bleeding edge of innovation. Our work in executive search mirrors the way leading venture investors approach markets - with depth, context and conviction. The result is access to leaders who do not just fill roles, but alter trajectories. Recent placements span technical and product leadership (CTO, CPO, Chief Software Architect, SVP Software, VP Autonomy), commercial leadership (CCO, VP/SVP Sales), and operational leadership (COO), each critical to scaling paradigm shifting businesses. We’re proud to be trusted with these progects, delivering at the highest level and connecting extraordinary people with organisations shaping the future. #UnlockingHumanPotential

Something about these images from NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Artemis II just stirs the soul. The scale. The potential. A 10-day journey to the Moon and back. The trajectory carried the crew around the far side of the Moon, revealing a part of our natural satellite we never see from Earth (insert tenuous Pink Floyd reference here). These images show Earth from a distance farther than any human has ever travelled. From a technical perspective, this marks a serious step change. Four astronauts in Orion, launched on the most powerful rocket ever built pushed well beyond low Earth orbit and sent on a free-return trajectory around the Moon... looping the far side before being pulled back by gravity. More than a flyby... A full systems test. A celebration of collaboration and technical excellence. A demonstration of what is to come: - Artemis III (2026-27) Landing. - Learning to stay - within the next 10–15 years Still though. it’s the spectacle that taps into something deeper. That inner child. That sense of wonder. It’s not just about where we go next, it’s about appreciating where we already are. A future full of opportunity, on Earth and beyond. A reminder of the rarity of what we have, set against the vastness of everything still left to explore. #UnlockingHumanPotential

𝐐𝟏 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔. 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝟗𝐭𝐡 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫. Things really shifted a gear. We also doubled down on our #TeamFirst value. For us culture is something we genuinely live & breathe, and it's amazing to see some exceptional performances not just from individuals, but teams working together. When it matters, people step up, back each other, push the needle and deliver. That winning mentality has been at the core of everything we’ve achieved so far. 𝐖𝐞 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐎𝐊𝐑 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 $𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧. Team Highlights: • Overachieved on our Q1 revenue target (almost $3m) • Delivered 86 amazing individuals for our clients, including some major executive hires • Biggest MSP-X is ready for launch in May. Unbelievable effort from our Ops team • Signed 4 new major multi-year RPO's • Delivered 105 placements for our Shield AI team. Last 6 months alone, we averaged 10+ placements per month. We also hired 10x team members, with more confirmed new starters. We're working on some crazy things behind the scenes, and Q2 will crush our achievements this quarter. (Note to selves. Must get better at taking pictures. In the meantime, here's half the team in Manchester). #UnlockingHumanPotential

Great to spend time with the team at the BETA TECHNOLOGIES HQ in Vermont. An incredible place and an even more impressive company. What stands out is their focus on what works today. While others focus on eVTOL air taxis, BETA is taking a different path: CTOL before VTOL. Cargo before passengers Infrastructure before scale. Real aircraft, existing runways, and a full-stack approach across propulsion and charging. This is about certifiable, deployable systems. Amazon’s 5% stake highlights the bigger picture: electric aviation will start with existing logistics networks, lower friction, faster revenue, immediate integration. Most striking of all was how real it felt: aircraft flying, production underway, and real momentum on the ground. The ALIA has already flown 120,000+ nautical miles all around the world (including the majestic Leeds Bradford Airport). We're recruiting extensively for BETA across Software, Systems, Manufacturing & more… if you're interested in joining, please reach out to Callam Llewellyn-Kiely. #UnlockingHumanPotential

𝐖𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬. It's genuinely mind-blowing. We are on the edge of exponential change. Human lifespan is no longer a fixed number. With breakthroughs in biotech, longevity research, and AI-driven medicine, the idea of living to 150, even 200 years old doesn’t feel like sci-fi anymore. Some even ask a bigger question - what if aging itself becomes optional? Concurrently, AI isn’t just automating tasks, it’s amplifying human potential. It’s helping us solve problems faster, design better systems, and unlock creativity at a scale never seen before. The narrative is now less AI vs humans, and more AI as a multiplier for humanity. We’re moving toward a world where people, goods, and data move seamlessly through intelligent, connected systems, across cities, countries, and increasingly, beyond Earth. At the same time, defensive systems focused on awareness, resilience, and protection create safety and security in a complex, fast-moving world. It’s easy to take for granted because we’re in it, but zoom out, and this era will likely be remembered as a turning point - where humanity stopped playing within limits and started redefining them. The real question isn’t whether these changes are coming. It’s who we become because of them. #UnlockingHumanPotential

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝟎 → 𝟏𝟏. In September 2025, we launched Apera's first US office in Santa Monica CA. Today, including 2 confirmed starters, we’ve scaled to a team of 11. The momentum is crazy. We’re still in build phase - iterating and scaling deliberately, but 0 → 11 in this timeframe isn’t accidental. It’s execution. The needle has really shifted, with some mind-blowing contracts secured. We're only just getting started. If you want to help build something incredible, contact Cameron Matthews. #UnlockingHumanPotential