EP316: The Future of Hiring in Asia and Beyond: Mark Francis, Founder & Director, Preferrd et al.

In this episode of The Recruiter’s Recruitment Podcast, host Lysha Holmes sits down with Hong Kong–based entrepreneur Mark Francis—an exited founder, recruitment leader, and HR tech innovator.

Mark shares his journey from accidental recruiter to building and exiting multiple businesses across Asia, including executive search firms and a fintech platform supporting contractor funding. He dives into the evolution of recruitment tech—from spreadsheets and landlines to LinkedIn and now AI—and what it really means for recruiters today.

The conversation tackles the realities of AI in hiring: from AI-generated CVs to automation challenges, bias concerns, and why human EQ still matters more than ever. Mark also shares predictions for the next 2–3 years, including the rise of side hustles, entrepreneurial recruiters, and new wealth creation models.

Plus, practical advice for founders looking to scale and exit—why contractor books matter, how to build defensible niches, and what opportunities exist in fast-growing Asian markets.

Expect honest insights, global perspective, and reassurance that recruitment isn’t going anywhere—it’s just evolving.

Who this episode is for:

1. Recruitment founders scaling or planning an exit
2. Recruiters navigating AI and tech disruption
3. Anyone interested in global hiring trends (especially Asia)
4. Aspiring entrepreneurs in recruitment or HR tech

🔗 Connect with the guest

Mark Francis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-francis-80337a8/

Preferrd: https://www.preferrd.io/

🔗 Connect with the host

Lysha Holmes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyshaholmesr2r/

Qui Recruitment: https://www.quirecruitment.co.uk/

Follow the podcast on another platform:

https://www.youtube.com/@therecruitersrecruitmentpod

https://the-recruiters-recruitment-podcast.captivate.fm/

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The Recruiter's Recruitment Podcast is proudly sponsored by Paiger, and partnered with Needi, Keybridge IT Solutions, Bristow & Hardy and Diversity in Recruitment.

Our sponsor:

Paiger - Making Recruiters Smarter and Faster. Paiger helps recruiters build personal brands, identify new business opportunities, attract candidates, and have better conversations.

Find out more about Paiger: https://paiger.co/

Our partners:

Needi is a concierge gift-matching service using psychology and AI, to pinpoint the perfect gifts and experiences for your recipient, from the best local independent businesses. Their team of expert gift finders save companies time and money with their complimentary corporate gifting service.

https://needi.co.uk/

Bristow & Hardy partners with SME recruitment agencies to accelerate growth through sales enablement and recruitment marketing. With over 7 years’ experience, we specialise exclusively in the recruitment sector, delivering strategy, branding, websites, marketing campaigns, and sales support. Our proven growth suite of products helps agencies attract more clients, win more business, and scale efficiently.

https://www.bristowandhardy.co.uk/

Diversity in Recruitment helps recruitment businesses understand diversity, equity, and inclusion in a way that makes sense. Our training and advisory work is designed to attract diverse talent, recruit inclusively, improve your candidate journey and confidently partner with their clients. DE&I doesn’t have to be complicated and scary - it’s simply about fair, ethical and high-quality recruitment.

https://diversityinrecruitment.com/

Keybridge IT Solutions is a London-based Fully Managed IT Support and solutions Provider - Providing 24×7 Support to all Customers. Specialities include Microsoft Cloud, including Office 365, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure, Security, Internet Connectivity, VoIP, and much more.

https://www.keybridgeit.com/

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