Meet the Team

Alex Grimes
Senior Recruiter
Alex is now entering his fifth year with Zest and healthcare recruitment. Specialising in commercially focused search assignments, Alex is committed to aligning himself with the leading talent and most attractive opportunities within the sector....show more
Caitlyn Lindley
Senior Recruiter
A Social Science Graduate with professional experience as an Outreach & Engagement Coordinator within the Higher Education sector. A key part of Caitlyn's previous role was to showcase the potential opportunities within the University and she has quickly transferred these skills into the recruitment sector, demonstrating a natural affinity for social engagement. Caitlyn is equally excited about forging a career within the Digital Health, Pharma, & Biotech markets as well as now having a job title which people actually have a clue about what she does. ...show more
Darran Walenta
Recruitment Director
Having worked in recruitment since 2001 and within his current sector since 2004, Darran has an exceptional understanding of the market and a huge network of professionals to draw from. A founding member of Zest, Darran works with an established independent and corporate client base. He is highly specialised and knowledgeable regarding the UK dental market and has expertise in recruiting for Australia, New Zealand, continental Europe, and Ireland....show more
Darren Moore
Recruitment Director
Founding member of the team, with almost 30 years experience within the recruitment industry. Darren has a wealth of knowledge and contacts; his experience is invaluable for the team at Zest, our clients and our candidates. ...show more
David Leavis
David Leavis
Senior Recruiter
With a BSc (Honours) in Human Biology and a background in the healthcare supply chain prior to joining Zest, David looks after independent and corporate clients in the South West of England, Wales, the West of Scotland and Ireland. He has great expertise in listening to client and candidate requirements and matching the two together. ...show more
Josh Grainger
Senior Recruiter
A law graduate, Josh came from a trading platform prior to joining Zest in 2019 and looks after candidates and clients across London, the east of England, and the east of Scotland. Josh has a superb quality of listening to candidate requirements, paired with a tenacity in actively searching for the most perfect opportunities. ...show more
Kieran Lindley
Executive Recruiter
Kieran joined Zest in 2015 as a Specialist Recruitment Consultant. He has always had a passion for science, new technologies and clinical developments. This interest has enabled him to quickly forge a highly credible reputation, providing specialist information and genuine insight which helps him engage with candidates and clients alike. Also, runs the tuck shop and will do you a great deal on a Chunky Kit Kat....show more
Matt Morland
Recruitment Director
Original member of the Zest team and approaching 20 years of experience recruiting across the Scientific & Healthcare sectors. An ex PE Teacher who modelled himself on Brian Glover's character in Kes, which probably explains why he's better suited to the world of recruitment. ...show more
Neil Dewsbury
Executive Recruiter
Neil started out in the laboratory for a leading Clinical Research Organisation in 1993 conducting research and analytical services for the pharmaceutical world before progressing into clinical operations for the same company. Neil spent a further 4 years as Principal Project Scientist leading a team of project and operational scientists conducting early phase trials. The transfer was made into recruitment where he has spent over a decade recruiting for the scientific and healthcare industries. A keen Nottingham Forest fan, Neil will gladly discuss the club’s history as they apparently won a couple of trophies during the 1978-79 and 1979-80 seasons....show more
Rebecca Wood
Executive Recruiter
Rebecca joined Zest in 2011, a Business and Human Resources Graduate with well over ten years’ experience within the optical recruitment industry. Rebecca has a passion for the profession and has developed a flair for identifying talent, closely matching clients and candidates. ...show more
Sam Bowden
Senior Recruiter
Joining Zest in January 2022, Sam quickly became an integral recruiter for us. Sam works with a large, experienced and talented candidate pool and heads up a key account national corporate account here at Zest, whilst also working with a selection of independent businesses. ...show more
Steve McMurray
Recruitment Director
Highly experienced Recruiter and founding member of the company, Steve has been actively involved in recruiting within Sales & Marketing roles since he joined the industry following graduation. The last 25+ years have seen him specifically working within the healthcare industries forging strong networks in a number of niche areas. ...show more
Yaiza Arias
Senior Recruiter
Yaiza graduated with a first in LLB Law with a Modern Language and joined us here at Zest in 2021. Yaiza has a diverse skill range when it comes to recruitment, a superb listener and is extremely methodical in her approach, ensuring a high interview to placement ratio....show more